With the judging panel choosing from some of the cream of independent cinema’s shorts, documentaries and animation from over 50 countries, the line up includes UK and European premieres, a host of Oscar nominees (and this year’s winner) and familiar faces ranging from Jane Fonda to Oscar Isaac!

The event opens with our traditional industry networking event at 6.30pm on Friday 26 May and runs until the evening of Sunday 28 May when we’ll be announcing the winners of the big awards throughout the festival. Anyone wishing to attend the networking event should email [email protected] to be added to the attendee list (as numbers are strictly limited).

To see the full programme go to www.satisfiedeye.com/tickets

The festival trailer giving a taster of what’s in store this year can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1_L0f-_MJ8

The post 2023 PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

Set in Epsom, made in Epsom and called (you guessed it!) “Epsom” this series intended for online and festival distribution is a completely unique collaboration which brings together industry professionals, those just starting out in the industry and local educational facilities – as well as local people who want to get involved in a thrilling creative project.

The first two episodes will film back to back at the end of February/beginning of March 2023 and we’ll be looking for as many local people as possible to get involved, from crew to background artists (we’ll need around 100!) With the festival renowned for having one of the most consistently high quality programmes, the benchmark is high and this is intended to be something that shows the very best of the borough and sits proudly within the rest of our films.

For further information or to get involved message [email protected]

The post LOOKING FOR CAST AND CREW first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

It’s been a challenging time for film festivals and the industry as a whole, so it’s with great excitement that we can confirm that the Satisfied Eye International Film Festival returns in 2023.

With a number of delays in the completion of our new shiny venue at Picturehouse Epsom, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to look at how to improve and refine the festival experience as we enter our 4th season. SEIFF continues to be an in-person event and is looking forward to welcoming audiences new and old.

We’ll be returning with a bang from 19-21 May 2023 and while there will be all the favourites, like our People’s Choice screenings and red carpet awards ceremony, there will be some new exciting editions. Our move from an autumn to spring event will be a permanent change, allowing us to include more outdoor events (and hopefully seeing some sunshine!)

Our judging panel are currently screening all of this year’s submissions, with our programme due for announcement in February/May, so watch this space for further information on what you can expect at SEIFF 4.

If you would like to get involved in the festival in any capacity, contact the Artistic Director at [email protected]

The post SATISFIED EYE IS BACK! first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

Despite the extra obstacles provided by the pandemic, we screened more films, more award winners, from more countries – with more sold out events than ever before.

One of the prime objectives of SEIFF is to introduce the incredible world of independent film to new audiences. This is more important than ever before with every facet of the industry enduring difficult times – something that could be tempered by more opportunity and appetite for independent film. Consequently, we were adamant that the Satisfied Eye International Film Festival would only ever be a live event and while it was touch-and-go whether or not we would be able to remain true to this, fortune favoured the brave and we were able to screen our programme in a live cinema setting.

The response from audiences was incredible and emphatic and while we were unable to hold a live closing awards ceremony this year, we ran an online event which included our first ever Jaguar D’or. The festival also saw the release of our first ever Satisfied Eye Magazine (which went to all sales agents and distributors in the UK) as well as numerous Zoom Q&As and talks.

The full list of winners can be seen below.

ONE TO WATCH – ALBIN WILDNER (DOGWATCH)
COMEDY SHORT – BLOCKS
SCREENPLAY – DAVID HAY (HOT CHOCOLATE)
CINEMATOGRAPHY – LUCIA VENERO (REPLICA)
DOCUMENTARY – UNDERAGE ENGINEERS
JURY PRIZE – IGNACY REJMAK (UNDERAGE ENGINEERS)
VIRTUAL REALITY – SWING
PLATINUM AWARD – WHEN ALL THAT’S LEFT IS LOVE
DIRECTOR – OSKAR LEHEMAA (BAD HAIR)
RISING STAR – LENIE B DESROSIERS (ANGEL & ALIEN)
VISIONARY AWARD – BLOOD RULE
SUPPORTING ACTOR – SIGURD SELE (RUBBISH ROBBERS)
FEMALE DIRECTOR – TATIANA FEDOROVSKAYA (MUM’S HAIRPINS)
ACTOR – RAINER WOSS (DOGWATCH)
SOUND – BAD HAIR
ANIMATED FILM – QUIDQUID LATINE DICTUM SIT ALTUM VIDETUR
ACTRESS – JOKE EMMERS (LIEVE)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS – SISSAL DREWS HJALTALIN (NO ILL WILL)
UK SHORT – BULLDOG
SCORE – LIEVE
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – ALINA
JAGUAR D’OR – 1971
SURREY FILM – CHOKER

The post 2020 WINNERS first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

Our schedule of talks and Q&As is now available. While all our screenings take place at the ODEON Luxe Epsom from 9-11 October, the wonders of Covid 19 have restricted filmmaker attendance. We don’t want our audiences to miss out on one of the most popular elements of the festival and have spent the past few weeks running pre-recorded Q&As with a number of our filmmakers, with all questions being provided by our industry and local judges. All films with a Q&A are bolded in red in the programme below.

All Q&As will appear on our Youtube Channel following the screening. Go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF06_Ta8VmkWgne02CGUyMQ throughout the festival to see the Q&As and also to enjoy our talk on Diversity for Women in the Industry and also an insightful discussion on How to Succeed at Film Festivals.

Our closing awards ceremony, our own version of the Oscars, will be published on our Youtube channel on Monday 12 October at 7.30pm BST.

And if you haven’t already, go to www.satisfiedeye.com/tickets now and book your tickets. Watch the trailer to get a sample of all the great movies on show https://youtu.be/HBTbDuQxnlc

The post ONLINE EVENTS first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

Tickets and festival passes are on sale. Over 90 films from over 30 countries with over 30 premieres. All live and in person (with full social distancing and government followed guidelines). Go to www.satisfiedeye.com/tickets now and book those tickets. Watch the trailer to get a sample of all the great movies on show https://youtu.be/HBTbDuQxnlc

The post Tickets for SEIFF 2020 now on sale first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

This has been after considerable consultation with audience members and filmmakers, the vast majority of whom (we’ll admit, to our surprise) have voiced that they would rather an in person event than a virtual one.

While we will continue to monitor the situation and our October event is still dependent on people being sensible adults in the meantime, our intention is that all films will be screened at the Odeon cinema. All social distancing measures will be retained and our cinema has already accounted for this.

We hope to see you there!

The post SEIFF 2020 to be held at Odeon Epsom first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

Discussions are ongoing right now to ensure whatever the outlook in the autumn, we will have an effective policy to provide the best festival possible. We at SEIFF have always been advocates of the live experience and don’t think online festivals can ever match those events shown in theatres, cinemas and other venues, but should we for any reason be required to take the festival online, be assured that we will do everything within our power to make it a unique and exceptional event.

Currently, we have taken the decision to postpone our monthly local screenings until further notice but, to use the preferred phrase of every government right now, we will be monitoring the situation closely, so this might change. 

Aside from that, it’s all situations normal; we are currently judging all submissions (with our next deadline imminent) as we work towards another exceptionally high quality programme.  Whatever happens in the autumn, we will still be doing all we can to promote independent filmmakers and filmmaking and our awards ceremony will still take place, virtual or otherwise.

In the meantime, to our SEIFF family past, present and future, be safe, be healthy and be humane.

The post SEIFF Response to Covid-19 first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

The post We’re in FilmFreeway’s Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.

Having moved the festival to historic Kingston upon Thames in 2019, the Satisfied Eye International Film Festival also welcomed Toronto-based Ada Vaughan to the team as it celebrated the theme of ‘Canada’.  

To celebrate the move to Kingston, a new Muybridge Award, to commemorate one of Kingston’s most famous figures – eccentric inventor and photographer Eadweard Muybridge – was presented to the makers of the incredible feature film Last Call.

With our ethos clearly resonating with filmmakers, this year saw submissions more than double, with Oscar winners, BAFTA winners and teams from as far afield as USA, Finland, Belgium, Germany and Estonia travelling in to enjoy the festival.

Artistic Director Chris Hastings said: “It’s a filmmakers festival.  Everyone who joins us becomes part of the SEIFF family and we want to do our utmost to ensure the directors, writers, producers, actors, production designers, everyone involved in the process, goes away buzzing at the experience they’ve had here.” After a number of sold out screenings the festival closed with its red carpet awards ceremony at the Hilton Doubletree.

The post A Fond Farewell to SEIFF 2019 first appeared on Satisfied Eye International Film Festival.