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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

New Year Esther Smith Lauren Bensted

CONFECTION

Short – 32 mins

Confection

 

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

ANNA, ISLAND

Short – 19 mins 

Anna, Island

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

THE CONFLUENCE

Short doc – 4 mins

The Confluence

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

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