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Success for York graduates at Monaco International Film Festival

Posted on 17 December 2013

Graduate filmmakers from the University of York have scooped three major awards at the Monaco International Film Festival for a short film they created as part of their degree.

The film A Life Like Mine picked up awards for Best Ensemble Cast, Best Editing and the jury’s Special Mention Angel Award in the Short Film category of the Angel Film Awards.

The festival was hosted by Babita Sharma, presenter of BBC World News, and the awards presented by Oscar nominated and Palme d'Or winning director Roland Joffé.

Set in Scarborough, the family drama A Life Like Mine was produced by seven Department of Theatre, Film and Television students in the third year of their BSc in Film and Television Production degree.

The film was directed by Luke White, 22, from Chichester, West Sussex. He said: “Collecting three awards at the Monaco International Film Festival was a brilliant feeling and it was great to receive some recognition for all the hard work our cast and crew put into the film.

“Having graduated in July this year, I am currently developing my own short and feature film projects to direct. Thanks to the University's student Luma Film Showcase I have also recently started working as a freelance director of corporate shoots for a company based in Soho, London.

“The experience and tutoring that I received during my time at the University of York's Department of Theatre, Film and Television has been invaluable.”

Together with his twin brother Edward, the film’s cinematographer, and editor Daniel Drema, Luke was part of the first cohort of graduates from the new BSc in Film and Television Production in July.

Edward White said: “Taking the film to an audience in Monaco was a fantastic experience and was an opportunity that would not have been possible without the excellent teaching and support from the staff at the Department of Theatre, Film and Television.”

The experience and tutoring that I received during my time at the University of York's Department of Theatre, Film and Television has been invaluable

Luke White

A Life Like Mine centres on character Adrian Dell, who has a great career, a dream house, a perfect wife and beautiful children. He thinks he has got it all; but when someone from his past reappears, Adrian's world is suddenly turned upside down…

Editor Daniel Drema said: "It's easy to get lost in the editing process, and it is only with guidance that the way is found. Collaboration and teamwork are everything."

The University of York’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television offers some of the best professional production facilities of any UK university, boasting a media complex of two theatres, two television studios, a large sound stage, production labs, extensive post-production facilities and a digital cinema, as well as rehearsal and dressing rooms.

Senior Lecturer David Hickman, who was the executive producer of the project, said: “The team’s success is very much deserved. The film is very nicely written, directed and edited, making the most of the Scarborough location, and is beautifully shot by Ed White.”

John Mateer, who leads York’s BSc in Film and Television Production, added: “We are very pleased with the continued international success of students from the BSc in Film and TV Production.”

Thanks to A Life Like Mine’s success in its world premiere, the filmmakers are now looking to extend the film's festival circuit in the New Year.

Watch the trailer for A Life Like Mine at https://vimeo.com/81737153

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