Short Film competition Straight 8 has announced the winners of this year’s edition with Gold and Bronze going to Japan and Silver to Spain.

The competition challenges filmmakers to shoot on one super 8 cartridge with no editing. Partners Cinelab London then process and scan the films. Straight 8 then line up each soundtrack with the first frame of the film and play it put with entrants seeing their film for the first time when the judges do.

The films are usually played out at Cannes, bu this year’s lockdown competition had to event held on YouTube.

The results are as follows:

Bronze Winner: Mr+Postive, Tokyo with “Shoseph”. Donating bronze prize

fund to: The American School in Japan.

Silver Winner: Yolafilmo, Barcelona with “Face Me”. Donating silver prize

fund to: Beyond Blue Mental Health Charity.

Gold Winner: NION, Tokyo with “Stay Tricky”. Donating gold prize fund to:

1% for The Planet.

Director, Tomoyuki Kujirai of NION said: “During isolation, there must have been a lot of people who thought about their roots. That’s when I found

my finger board. I built different sections using old items that are precious to me, and simply played in them. Under the influence of COVID-19, the economy and the range of activities are shrinking, so ‘you can still have fun at your home by changing the way you think’ was the concept of this film. I did not think I was going to win this contest, so I was simply astonished!”

straight 8 founder, Ed Sayers, comments: “We’re over the moon. It feels like we’ve been on a mad journey together with all the companies that entered and partnered us. The road was more than rough at times and we all got through it and managed to deliver a real show despite the conditions. That’s when great bonds are always made and they really have been. And that’s what it’s all about. The straight 8 ‘family’ continues to grow and everyone is invited. I can’t wait to launch another shootout, after we get our breath back.”

In competition for straight 8 shootout – The Isolation Edition, were: adamandeveDDB, Caviar, Iris Worldwide, JAM VFX, Partizan, Rockhound (all from London), Blur Films + 24/7 (Madrid office), Yolafilmo Productions (Barcelona), Voces Imaginarias (Mexico City), Mr+Positive and Nion (both from Tokyo), Gloria Content and 432 Films (Los Angeles).

Jon Creamer

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