writer/director
NEW YEAR
Short – 11mins
Alice would like you to know she's not normally like this ...
Comedy-drama. In the back of a taxi on New Year's Eve, a young woman makes some uncomfortable judgments about her driver.
'New Year' was selected for Film London's London Calling slate and awarded production funding in association with BFI Net.Work, Creative Skillset and Wandsworth Short Film Fund. It is co-produced by AJ Leon's Misfit Productions.
'New Year' was shot on location in London.
Writer/director Lauren Bensted
Producers Ben Woodsmith & Jason Kirk
Cinematographer Gareth Munden
Editors Ben Mills & Robbie Gibbon
Original score by Ollie Howell
Production Design Hannah Boulter
Executive Producer Misfit Productions
Cast includes Esther Smith & Peter Singh
OFFICIAL SELECTION:
British Shorts Berlin
East End Film Festival
Fastnet Film Festival
London Independent Film Festival
Indy Film Festival
Revolution Me Film Festival (nominated 'Best Drama')
Nottingham International Film Festival
Fort McMurray Film Festival
CONFECTION
Short – 32 mins
A comedy drama about an earnestly pessimistic teenager who accidentally ruins his English teacher's marriage.
Eli Bloom is a committed misanthrope, convinced there isn't much in life worth getting excited about. Whilst on work experience at a struggling chocolate company, he finds himself catapulted into a very grown-up situation – and decides to take drastic measures to put things right.
'Confection' won the Misfits Screenwriting Competition and was selected for full production funding by Misfits Productions.
OFFICIAL SELECTION:
Dances with Films (Los Angeles) – Grand Jury Award
Wheels and Fins International Film Festival – Best Short
Cambridge Film Festival
Manchester Film Festival
Cannes Short Film Corner
Paris Film Festival
Prifest
Montreal Film Festival
New York Lift-off Festival
Accolade Global Film Competition – Award of Excellence Special Mention
Crystal Palace International Film Festival – CPFF award nominee
Chicago International REEL Shortsfest
Written by Lauren Bensted
Directed by Ed Rigg
Cinematographer Matt Wicks
Producer AJ Leon
Edited by Ed Coltman
Original music Angus MacRae & Joyshop
Production Designer Jack Needell
Cast includes Perry Millward, Esther Smith & Tony Way
Short – 19 mins
A comedy drama about relationships, London and a Desert Island Discs obsession.
Anna never follows through with anything. But she's absolutely determined to break up with Steve.
Written and directed by Lauren Bensted & Dolly Alderton
Cinematographer by Maxwell Pritchard
Produced by Ben Woodsmith
Original score by Lauren Bensted
'Anna, Island' screened at the London Short Film Festival and Curious Arts Festival.
A first foray into narrative short film-making, it was shot on a Canon 7D and funded pretty much entirely by Dolly and Lauren's mutual emptying of their Natwest overdrafts.
Somehow Lauren and Dolly convinced Desert Island Discs' presenter – Kirsty Young – to make a cameo in the film, which was covered by the Evening Standard.
They are still not quite sure why she agreed to do this, but they are very grateful that she did.
Cast includes Sia Berkeley, Harry Michell, Jessie Cave, Alfie Brown and Lloyd Griffith
Short doc – 4 mins
A short documentary about friendship, swimming and getting older.
'The Confluence' follows two friends – Martyn and Pete – as they complete their annual swim around Tagg's Island, a little known haven on the Thames in Hampton Court.
Shot on Canon 7D, mostly from a dinghy.
Directed by Lauren Bensted and Dolly Alderton
Cinematographer Maxwell Pritchard
Original score by Lauren Bensted
