A few of weeks ago I did something different. I was invited by citizen m (you know I’m a fan) to attend Graphic Design Festival in Glasgow at The Lighthouse and it was brilliant. There’s so much happening during the Graphic Design Festival all over Scotland. Poster exhibitions, various workshops and lots of other various music and event gatherings right up until the end of November. As I used to work in a marketing agency a few years ago, it was so nice to re-discover and appreciate that part of the industry again. So much talent.
The Lighthouse itself is such an inspiring place to visit on any day, but it was extra magic to be surrounded by so many amazing “masterpieces” that evening. A break from all things fashion and beauty for one day was truly like food for the soul. Fresh and exotic kind if you know what I mean?
Although I could look at posters and other kinds of art work all day long, it was the premiere of SHORTS that citizen m invited us there for. An evening of curated short films in the gorgeous Lighthouse with popcorn and drinks in a room full of artistic, cool young people was pretty awesome. The whole setting of the “cinema” felt so cosy and had all kinds of underground vibes with the huge projector, chairs and enormous bean bags for lying on at the front of the screen. Nobody stood up, talked or even coughed during the SHORTS and it’s been a while since I saw so much respect for art. The atmosphere was really captivating but so welcoming at the same time.
We were showed 15 short films in total. All very different created by different filmmakers. Each film was truly awe-inspiring with its own meaning and message, but I have a couple of favourites that stood out for me. I don’t think they’ll ever leave my memory and I’m still playing back some of the scenes in my head. So clever.
“Salt and Sauce” short film created in United Kingdom by Alia Ghafar instantly struck a cord with me. A humorous yet sensitive story about a young girl who worked long days in a family chip shop after finishing school and feeling stuck was so relevant. Her passion was photography, yet her talents and desires were not understood by her family. She eventually realises she must pursue her dreams as it’s what makes her truly happy. This short film summarises perfectly what 90% of creatives go through in the process of becoming the “artists” they really want to be. The obstacles and the battle of doing what the family expects us to do for a living vs fighting for our true calling.
Another short movie that had my jaw dropped for the entire 6:02 minutes was “Maze”. Two young (male and female) incredible dancers choreographed by Sophie Laplane from the Scottish Ballet discover each other as they explore an emptied swimming pool in Govanhill Glasgow. Electro music, their stunning contemporary dancing and the enchantment of abandoned swimming baths somehow unfolded this strange combination into this beautiful and innocent love story. At least for me. It was beautiful and I’d watch it again and again.
“Irregulars” was the last of 15 short films that we watched and it touched everyone in the room. There was no question about it. It was filmed in a factory that produces mannequins yet the narrative spoke about global Immigration crisis from a young boy’s experience. Almost half a million people try to enter Europe as they escape their countries from wars and poverty. This short film told us a story of a boy escaping his country by an overloaded vessel across the Mediterranean. Immigrating by land is even more difficult nowadays, so people put their lives and their families’ lives at deadly risks when travelling by vessels. And even after some of these families and individuals manage to immigrate safely, their lives aren’t that much easier as they face new issues such as racism, bullying and other inhumane discrimination. In my opinion, this short film deserves to be used as a powerful communication tool in various Immigration campaigns across Europe.
I’m really looking forward to next year’s preview of SHORTS now. We finished off our evening back at citizen m hotel in Glasgow with some cocktails with a few other lovely bloggers – a perfect end to a lovely educational evening!
Do you like short films? Do you think you’d find this sort of event interesting?
Huge thanks to citizen m for supporting this post. All views are my own.
That actually sounds so fun! Nice break from all the fashion events I bet! 🙂