Now in its 18th year, the Aspen Shortsfest is one of the most prestigious short film festivals in North America, with top winners qualifying for consideration at the Academy Awards. The festival typically receives 2,500 applications and selects 60 shorts for the programme. This year was fantastic for UK short films, with nine films screened at the festival – the highest number of any country except the USA.

Two British films received awards at the festival: Ralph, which won the International Competition Jury's Best Student Award, and A’Mare, which was awarded a Certificate of Merit by BAFTA/LA partners.

The British Council offered travel grants to David Cooke, director of The Morse Collectors and Daniel Jewel, producer of Sidney Turtlebaum. Both found attendance a rewarding experience, taking part in the networking opportunities the festival provides, conducting local radio and TV interviews and meeting high school students for screenings and workshops.

Of the festival David Cooke said:

‘I thought that in general the festival was very well run. The screenings were first class, sold out for every showing and I think consisted mainly of the public who were very receptive to the films and filmmakers. We also screened our film to students at a local high school and held a Q&A afterwards. Although I am not fond of speaking in public I found this probably the most rewarding experience of the trip and would definitely recommend it to other filmmakers. There was a general feeling amongst the filmmakers that they were proud to be part of such a prestigious festival, and it made me realise just how talented the top level of short filmmakers is, and the standard I will have to sustain to succeed.’

Daniel Jewel reported back:

‘I would thoroughly recommend Aspen Shortsfest. It’s a great festival that really celebrates the short film form – as it focuses on shorts, all films get seen on a level playing field and receive great attention from the audiences and other filmmakers. The festival directors are genuinely interested in meeting the filmmakers and discussing their films – so whilst the festival is very prestigious and is in a glamorous and wealthy setting the festival still retains the feeling of family run event.

'One of the best features of the festival is the opportunity to meet with other like-minded filmmakers in a relaxed setting. There are also a great many film figures who regularly attend the festival and we met a studio scout, several producers from LA and a film professor from Columbia University – so there are also good opportunities for serious career networking too. The audiences are large and enthusiastic and to show your film to an international audience and see their reaction makes it worth the trip alone.’

Full list of British short films shown at the festival (with links to entries in our British Films Catalogue on Britfilms.com):

A'Mare
All Embracing
Ma Bar
The Morse Collectors
Ralph
Rip and the Preacher
Sidney Turtlebaum
This Way Up
Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

For more information on the festivival please see the Aspen Film website.