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Vauxhall Auteur Theory Award winner announced at London Short Film Festival

6th London Short Film Festival, 9-18 Jan 2009

An East London film maker has won this year’s 6th London Short Film Festival Vauxhall Auteur Theory Award fighting off stiff competition from over 600 film makers.

Marlene Schiott Rasmussen’s short film entitled Ground Floor Right, a documentary about an old man who lives in a small Hackney, London flat with 100 birds, was last night crowned the winner of the Vauxhall Auteur Theory Award.

The 600 entries had been whittled down to thirteen shortlisted films which were screened at last night’s award ceremony at the Roxy Bar & Screen, London. Judge and BBC London Radio’s Robert Elms presented Marlene with her award and said: “Marlene’s film was fantastic. To be so creative and tell such a great story in that little space of time is remarkable.”

He added: “I used to think short films were really quite self-indulgent until I watched the shortlisted films. And these films have changed my opinion, there’s so many interesting and exciting styles.”

As winner of the Vauxhall sponsored award Marlene has been awarded £750 towards her next film making venture. On collecting her award, Marlene said: “Thank you and thank you to all the team. I didn’t expect it at all. It’s a great honour to have been named the winner of the Vauxhall Auteur Theory Award.”

Norwich film-maker, Emma Curtis was awarded the prize of runner up with her film The Reason I Collect and has been given £250 prize money towards her next filmmaking venture. Emma was thrilled to been awarded the runner-up saying: “I’m really over the moon. It was a labour of love and I feel so lucky to have been able to make it.”

The shortlisted films were judged by a panel of experts which included BBC London broadcaster Robert Elms, Vauxhall Auteur Theory Award Director and filmmaker Lucia Helenka, 6th London Short Film Festival director Philip Ilson and Vauxhall’s Simon Ewart. Lucia said on the night: “Judging the awards on your own is great but watching them with an audience really brings the films to life. Tonight was packed and just great to see people enjoying the films.”

The Vauxhall Auteur Theory Award was created by Lucia Helenka, and aims to unearth talented filmmakers who possess a strong vision and hands on approach to filmmaking. The award is sponsored by car company Vauxhall who continue their commitment to driving emerging talent in short film.

This years award received move entries than ever before with over 600 film makers hoping to win the award.

Vauxhall’s Simon Ewart said, “The calibre and quality of this year’s shortlisted films has reached an unprecedented level.”

To qualify for the competition, filmmakers had to work on at least three areas of the filmmaking process including producing, writing, directing, camera, acting, editing and/or music composing. In addition, all films had to be under 10 minutes long.

Marlene will join previous winners of the award including Pinny Grylls with her short film ‘Peter and Ben’, Simon Ellis with his film ‘A Storm and Some Snow’ and Greg Butler with his film ‘A Mouse Funeral’.

The London Short Film Festival was created to celebrate imaginative short film-making and punk attitude. This year’s festival runs at various iconic London locations until 18th January 2009.

For more information on the 6th London Short Film Festival, check out www.shortfilms.org.uk.