This week’s Filmed Up offering is a beautiful experimental film that follows trainwatching enthusiast Eliza, a D/deaf woman who arrives at her first job interview, where she is expected to introduce herself.
“We love how experimental films can convey so much in a very short amount of time, without over explaining and in a beautiful visual style. Elsa’s film managed to do all that and really made us feel the anxiety of the situation in quite a subtle and effortless manner” – The Filmed Up Panel.
Synopsis
This film explores the difficulties facing a young person on the cusp of adulthood as they wrestle with their own identity.
- About the filmmaker / the team
Elsa Hunter-Weston is an emerging writer/director from Merseyside. Her previous work was selected to be shown on Channel 4’s website and at festivals including the BAFTA qualifying Belfast Film Festival, alongside being nominated for a RTS NI Student Award. Since graduating from Queen’s University Belfast, Elsa has been working in documentary production with some of the UK’s most talented documentary-makers. She is currently developing her next short film and has been selected to take part in the BFI Network Weekender. Please Introduce Yourself was nominated for Best Experimental Short at the BFI Future Film Festival.
Credits: Writer Director Elsa Hunter-Weston; Producer Caoilfhionn MacEoin-Manus
- How did the Film Come about
Please Introduce Yourself was prompted by the shocking figure that only 65% of working age deaf people are in employment, compared with 79% of the general population. In the film, Eliza goes to her first job interview where she is expected to introduce herself, and so the film tackles themes of identity, inclusion and the barriers facing young people trying to gain employment.
Would you like to watch more short films by North West filmmakers?
This screening is part of Filmed Up, our regular North West short film night, which is on every three months in our cinemas.
Until we can watch films together on a big screen, you can get your fix of short films from the region in small regular doses by signing up to our Filmed Up mailing list
It is free to sign up and there is the option to give a little bit of money towards Filmed Up should you wish to. The films will also be published on our website every week but by signing up you’ll receive them straight to you inbox