I spent my first weekend volunteering, and I couldn’t have chosen a better place to spend it. Aesthetica Short Film Festival is a BAFTA qualifying film festival, and yes, that means it is a pretty big deal. The festival is held in York every year and is filled with over three hundred short films. There are multiple genres, from drama to thriller and from animation to fashion. There is something for everyone. What sets this film festival apart from others are the locations. Yes,screenings are in York, but they are in different locations over the city. With fifteen different venues you really do get to explore York.
I may be a student at the University, but even I didn’t know about half of the venues. On the Thursday I was placed at Middletons Hotel which is a stunning location. The films were shown in the Organ Factory of the hotel and the space was charmingly periodic. Original stonework lined the walls with sharp wooden flooring and an organ stood in the corner. It was chilly in there, but it was definitely unique: somewhere you would never think to host a film festival.
I didn’t get the chance to watch any films that day as the screenings were packed and there was no room. I spent the day meeting and greeting people and had the opportunity to talk with fellow film lovers who had travelled far and wide to come to York. The Saturday was spent at restaurant come cinema thirteen thirty one which was another busy day! The weather was horrific and everyone wanted to get into the warmth to watch films and stay there. I worked the day with a fellow student who is studying film and it is safe to say we were both pretty busy that day. I did finish early enough to run home and catch Strictly Come Dancing in time which ended the day nicely!
Sunday was quieter than the other days and I was situated in King’s Manor which is a collection of Grade I medieval listed buildings. It was a stunning location set just off of a main road into York, but walking into the courtyard of the Manor felt as if you were in the middle of the countryside. It was peaceful and tranquil: definitely a location to visit another day. I was partnered with a lovely lady from Madrid and we managed to sit in the doorway of the hall where the screening was showing so that we could watch some films. I managed to fit in a dose of fashion films, drama films and some comedy films.
I don’t know if you’re supposed to have favourite films, but I definitely picked mine. Although I had only watched a few films, I picked Help Point as my favourite film. Written and directed by Andrew Margetson; the story is of Jack and Maya, a man and a woman who lose their cars in Heathrow Airport’s car park. They end up calling the ‘help point’ for assistance in finding their car and a twenty minute wait begins where Jack tries to charm Maya. It doesn’t exactly go as he had hoped when someone ends up interrupting them, but the film was full of emotion and humour. It was definitely my favourite film of the event. I was even more impressed when I read that it was all shot in Heathrow’s actual car park in between planes landing and taking off! A lot of planes come and go from Heathrow so I was very shocked that the noise from planes didn’t interrupt the flow of the film. At just twelve minutes and thirty two seconds in length I was amazed at how well the story was told in such a short time. It is definitely worth looking at.
Anyway, the day soon ended and it was time to rush home, feebly attempt to finish my dissertation proposal whilst watching television. It was a long weekend volunteering, but I wouldn’t change it. It was a valuable experience, I met new people, and I had the chance to see some stunning films.
Ending the day with the Real Housewives and a good dinner
Confessions of a Hopeless Law Student 