Depict 2021 Winners Announced

Filmmakers from Argentina, Brazil, Wales and England all picked up Awards at this year’s Depict, announced late last week on the closing night of Encounters Film Festival.

With over 1,100 submissions from over 88 different countries, this year’s Depict, Watershed’s super short filmmaking competition as part of Encounters Film Festival has had an incredibly diverse range of films to choose from. 

“It was a strong shortlist with every film demanding its place with such originality and ingenuity.”

Depict Jury 2021

The Depict 2021 British Award

The Depict 2021 British Award, a talent development package supported by BFI NETWORK, NFTS, BAFTA went to Welsh filmmaker Oliver Gabe for Tim The Bastard from Wales.

The jury was impressed by “the singularity of this film’s vision which had a rawness to it that really lingered in the mind.” Oliver’s ambition is to “bring wild and lucid Welsh stories to screen.” He certainly achieved that ambition with Tim The Bastard. “I’m absolutely over the moon to have picked up this award. The development package will help me grow and develop as a filmmaker” said Oliver upon receiving the Award.

The Jury also gave a special mention to I Come From by Kate Jessop “a beautiful & poetic film.” in that category.

The Depict Random Acts Award

The Depict Random Acts Award went to Here Comes The Wildfire! by Edd Carr, “a remarkable piece of work, experimental deeply ingrained in a sense of materiality touching on crucial themes around the environment.”

Edd Carr, a photographer, filmmaker, and researcher from the North York Moors National Park (also the co-founder of the Northern Sustainable Darkroom) had this to say about picking up the Award: “I am honoured that the judges selected a piece so personal to my heritage, whilst also highlighting the themes of the climate and ecological crisis. I was also pleased that the judges factored in the handmade, analogue nature of the project – as I believe championing other methods of filmmaking to be important in the diversification of the art form.”

In that same category, a special mention was given to Sensory by Alicia Frøy Johnsen (UK/Norway), “a brilliant short film about the power of memory, a real accomplished film.”

Depict Royal Photographic Society Cinematography Award

The Depict Royal Photographic Society Cinematography Award, which carries a £1000 cash prize and invaluable exposure was presented by Jury member Ravi Deepres, an Award winning artist, photographer & filmmaker.

The winner of the award was Moein Rooholamini for his film LEO. The jury loved “the fact that this was done in one shot with a powerful message; very multi-layered with lots of slow reveals.”

“I am very happy to receive this award from The Royal Photographic Society, especially as photography and cinematography has always been central to my work.” commented Moein Rooholamini.

Misha by Kateryna Pavlyuk (Ukraine/UK) was given a special mention in that category, “a powerful and cleverly shot short doc” that had the jury “really invested in the story.”

Depict 2021 Award

Jury member David Sproxton (Aardman Animations Co-Founder & Trustee) presented the main Depict 2021 Award; £1,500 in cash and a lifetime membership to Shooting People to Wake Up (Brazil/UK) by Tiago Teixeira.

The jury loved “the film’s apparent simplicity, its economy, yet how it packs a punch by blending horror, magical realism and social realism for real impact.”

A Special Mention was given to New Normal (France/Mexico) by Ivan Orizaga Villa-senor, “a non-covid, covid film, bringing a personal, positive spin to a globally ghastly situation”

Depict IMDbPro Audience Award

With over 1136 unique votes, the Depict IMDbPro Audience Award went to the fabulous Stacy by Efim Bakaev picking up a one year subscription to IMDbPro.

Animation success

The jury was also so impressed by three of the animations that they teamed up with Aardman Academy to offer FREE access to an upcoming Stop Motion Foundation course. The films are They Remain by Barnaby Duffy, Sensory by Alicia Froy Johnson and Cycling With Molly by Sara Jewell & Mulletman.

Congratulations to all

The shortlisted filmmakers and of course the winners, a big thank you to all the filmmakers who entered this year, to our fantastic judges: Shaminder Nahal, Ravi Deepres, David Sproxton, Chris Auty, to all  1,136 of you who voted and supported the competition, and of course, to our sponsors: Royal Photographic Society, Channel 4 Aardman Animations, Films@59, BAFTA, NFTS, Shooting People, British Council, IMDbPro, Independent Cinema Office and Encounters Festival.

We’ll see you all again next year!

You can catch up on the 2021 Watchalong and Awards and watch all the films shortlisted for this year’s competition online at depict.org/watch-films.

The Depict 2021 winning shorts will soon be made available for UK cinemas to show and the 2022 call for entries opens soon.

Posted on 05 Oct 2021 at 4:24 pm.

Tags: Awards, Competition

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