London Short Film Festival

30th December 2016

London Short Film Festival (LSFF) announces its full 2017 programme, screening 500 UK and international short films over ten days, from 6^th-15^th January 2017.

Now in its 14^th year, LSFF is recognised as the premiere showcase for cutting-edge UK independent films. Critically lauded for its provocative cross-arts programming, the festival has become synonymous with unique, zeitgeist capturing experiences and events, making it a mecca for creative talent and an important moment in the UK film calendar.

This year’s festival mantra comes from Huggy Bear’s 1992 single Her Jazz, one of the rare UK representatives of riot grrrl in the early nineties. Based on the song’s ethos ‘this is happening without your permission’, LSFF 2017 has embraced this ideology, showing a huge wealth of diverse and challenging content, especially in the light of the events and news of 2016.

The festival will show a huge selection of UK short films across music, comedy, LGBTQ, fashion and culture. Highlights of this year’s festival include a programme that tells the story of the birth of riot grrrl, which resonates with today’s disillusioned youth. Using confrontational imagery, a generation of female filmmakers also paved the way alongside their punk counterparts, looking to the scene for inspiration.

David Bowie Sound & Vision, a series of screenings at 19 Picturehouse cinemas across the UK, captures the story of his career, taking in three decades, from his experimental beginnings of the sixties to the golden era of the seventies to his world of domination in the eighties with a series of critically acclaimed films that have rarely been seen cinematically.

LSFF will also look at the rise of social media culture, as this year’s comedy strand will see 600 of Glaswegian comedian Limmy’s vines screened today for the first time.

This 14^th edition of the London Short Film Festival is as always a showcase of the best of British talent with around 350 short UK shorts selected from 2000 open submissions. The festival continues to highlight international talent for a 3^rd year, as well as an ongoing dedication to documentary short film.

LSFF aims to inspire its audience, bringing back voices and images from the past. Whether it be through the exploration of the work of late US short story writer Raymond Carver or the ground-breaking nineties LGBT work of London filmmaker Annette Kennerley, LSFF gives new generations the opportunity to reflect on social and cultural issues questioning whether progress has been made over the years.

The festival takes in all forms and styles of moving images, a highlight being the 16mm film and analogue synthesizers used as part of the LSFF 2017’s launch event, in collaboration with Moog Sound Lab, Savages and Analogue Recurring.

LSFF continues its pioneering work through its Young Programmer scheme, supported with Lottery funding through the BFI Film Festival Fund, which will host an exploration of silent cinema and its association with the Deaf community.

2017 also sees the launch of With Teeth; a long-term short film commissioning fund, with an aim to become a solid support base for the most exciting emerging cinematic voices and auteurs, supported by Arts Council England National Lottery Funding. Grace LaDoja, Alex Taylor and Alnoor Dewshi are the first recipients who will premiere new work, commissioned via the fund, at the festival.

With an established network of sponsors and supporters who help champion the festival, LSFF strives to become more accessible and inclusive with the support of the BFI Film Festival Fund, awarding funds from The National Lottery. LSFF is also proud to have been awarded the Screen Diversity mark of good practise, which recognises the festival’s commitment in this endeavour.

LSFF is also delighted to announce Warsteiner as a returning sponsor, who will be providing beer for the opening and closing night events, as well as fellow sponsors; MUBI, Creative England, UAL: University of the Arts London.

The ICA and Hackney Picturehouse continue to be the festival’s lead venues, hosting the Industry, New Shorts and Special events programmes. This year also sees the introduction of Picturehouse Central, as well as Hackney’s Moth Club, who will host live music performances and events.

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