Like so many of us in the pandemic we had time on our hands. So me and my flatmates decided to make a film about life in lockdown. So in less than a few hours we had a script, an hours rehearsal and filming using my iPhone 8 Plus began later that same afternoon and in less than 48 hours the film was completed.
Update
We had so much fun making this and with the lockdown to continue for the foreseeable future we are thinking about making a sequel.
Finding Alice a short film produced by Smudgerhunt Film and in conjunction with Wolamywise Productions.
Film Festivals and Screenings
Finding Alice official selection for the XPO North Cultural and Film Festival, 27th – 28th June in Inverness Scotland. Congratulations team and our film production partners Wolamywise.
Finding Alice wins the Peoples choice award at the Berlin Flash Film Festival 2017
Finding Alice official selection for the Berlin Flash Film Festival 2017
Production
Finding Alice has been almost 2 years in the making, having been shot in four locations. These include Inverness in Scotland, the Lake District, London and Dorset using very limited equipment:- My trusty Canon 60D, a Canon Powershot and my iPhone 6.
Geetha Anandarajan
Geetha Anandarajan is cast as the main character Annie along side the other main character Joshua Ward who takes the part of ‘The Narrator’ or the voice and controller of fate.
Directed by Smudgerhunt Films, Nor Hazlin Nor Salam and filmed by me Ian F. Hunt as Director of Photography, with everyone pitching in with camera as required.
The film is from an original script written by Geetha and Hazlin, the short version was used to produce this film and there is the idea to film and produce a longer version in the future.
For now the aim is to get it out to the Film Festivals for 2017 season.
The Synopsis
Finding Alice tells the story of Annie facing a crossroad in life as she seeks for truth in a world of lies. Does she succeed or does she succumb?
Directors Statement
This film ‘Finding Alice’ serendipitously came together through a brief discussion I had with my writer about a woman’s lost of faith in a patriarchal structure. In Annie’s existential conflict, she began to lose the voice in her head she believes to be ‘the controller of fate’. We then see her attempting to escape His shadows, as she reaches back into the object that defined her childhood innocence in hope that this would help find her way to a new life, a life free from stigmas and dogmas. The irony is in fact, that Annie in the end realises that there is no escape and that she could only succumb to i’ the omnipresent voice’ which was expressed through a lifeless ‘dance of death’. ‘Finding Alice’ is a story about the loss of faith, hope and the desire for autonomy.
In the early part of 2017 we decided to put the newly completed Directors edit of Abjection forward to the European Film Festivals.
Film Festivals
CIM Sueca Film Festival
It’s a few months later 18/08/2017 and we have just had our first official selection for the CIM sueca film festival, which can be found here http://www.cimsueca.com/en/cim/
To quote the film festivals organisers “We hope to stimulate countercultural audiovisual initiatives to spotlight independent productions which focus on creativity, medium love and sheer fun over technical requirements leading to a ban from commercial mainstream. We aim to establish the CIM as a meeting venue for the unassimilated, the rebellious and the free minds of the audiovisual underworld!”
The Directors cut is shorter than the original and includes all the VFX that was added later. Of course the film retains all of its charm and sacrifices none of its core narrative.
We hope the success at festivals will continue and we have our fingers crossed for more good news soon.
Film Festivals – Awards
Oniros Film Awards
Well that didn’t take long. Abjection Official Selection for the Oniros Film Awards in Italy announced today 23/08/2017, check it out here https://onirosfilmawards.com
To quote the Festival “Discovering quality and ambitious films is our mission, by promoting filmmakers’ works and by helping them realize their dreams. Oniros Film Awards is all about Dreams……”
Well time for an update Abjections wins the Best Picture category for a B-Movie. That’s great news for eveyone in the cast and crew, congratulations everyone.
So once again let’s hope more success for this film in 2017/2018
DIRECTOR/CO-PRODUCER: Nor Hazlin Nor Salam (MA in Film and Television Directing)
Nor Hazlin Nor Salam is a 33 year old filmmaker from Malaysia and has garnered her experiences in six commercial feature films and two episodic drama series in the Malaysian film industry as first, second and third assistant Director. In 2012 Hazlin was given the opportunity by Metrowealth Movie productions in Malaysia to Co-Direct, whilst also juggling the position of a First assistant Director on a Primetime Drama series. Hazlin also works as a freelance Video Editor and Videographer and have edited renowned Malaysian celebrity show reels.
Hazlin is also a resident acting-coach at Metrowealth Movie productions and also lectures part-time in a few Private Colleges on film theory subjects. Hazlin who has obtained a BA in Mass Communication, from Curtin University Australia Majoring in Film and Television, was awarded Valedictorian for Graduate of year 2004 and earned a high distinction in the Documentary Theory subject. Hazlin’s postgraduate studies in the UK at Bournemouth University are fully sponsored by the Malaysian Multimedia Development Corporation (MDEC) and she is currently pursuing an MA in Film and Television Directing. In realizing her dreams of becoming a film Director, Hazlin’s main objective is to produce an impactful film that is not only aesthetically pleasing, entertaining but also meaningful.
