Filmmaker crowdfunds supernatural 'Nights'
Nights is a feature-length crime drama currently being filmed in Aberdeen. It explores addiction, broken relationships, and the supernatural. This passion project has been self-funded until this point, but writer/director Omid Farkhondeh is now crowdfunding the film, with hopes to complete it later this year.
Production is currently about halfway through. A bank, nightclub, and train are among the more expensive locations in the next half of the project. This is why the team are asking for help from the public. Donations will go towards paying the cast and crew, finding locations, and arranging travel.
The importance of teamwork on Nights
Teamwork plays a big role in bringing Nights to life. Together with cinematographer Alex Thomson, producer Rachel Venturini, editor Matthew Lukowski and sound operator Colin Harris, the group has thrived since they attended the same college. They have collaborated on a number of projects over the years, but this is their biggest one yet. It’s hoped that Nights will kick-start their careers in the industry.
With Nights, the team hope to create something unique by combining aspects of genres we all know and love. It aims to be as moving as it is exciting in tackling topics that we all care about, from relationships to toxic masculinity to addiction.
In addition to donations from the public, the filming will be supported by Creative Scotland, which has teamed up with Crowdfunder to offer up to £80,000 in funding to 20 creative projects throughout the country.
We loved hearing about this project. Our old friend Chef shared a post about it on Instagram. Intrigued, we reached out to ask a few questions.
The challenge of a project spanning several years
Making a feature film is a big bold undertaking. Who is Omid Farkhondeh and why have you embarked on this project?
I’m a filmmaker based in Aberdeen. Having studied a variety of media-related courses in Nescol and in there, found a strong passion for film. I quickly found I wanted to be a writer/director and I'm determined to make that a reality.
I find short films are a great way to tell short-form stories, enhance filmmaking skills and are quickly achievable (at least compared to a feature film), however, I find myself more attracted to feature-length stories where we can live through different experiences that our normal life may not offer - or on the flip side, it can be very personal, giving space to think more about deeper subjects.
One reason I'm making this film is it's less likely a career can thrive off of short films. Feature filmmaking can be employment potential for hundreds of people, depending on the size of production. I also enjoy the challenge of a project spanning several years, rather than weeks - the story I wrote in 2018 earned my commitment to see it as a finished film.
Crime, relationships and things that go bump in the night
Having watched the teaser trailer, we’re excited to see Nights once it’s finished. Without giving too much away, what is the film about?
It’s crime/drama with a supernatural twist. Crime, addiction, broken relationships and things that go bump in the night. Our protagonist, Adam, delves deeper into the world of crime to gain money in an attempt to save his girlfriend Sarah from her drug addiction. However, a sudden betrayal leads to supernatural consequences.
It's about a lot of different things that are important to me, relationships, what people do for love, mental health, addiction. It also has some more "fun" genre elements like supernatural and revenge thriller, but to me, it's a drama more than anything, supported by the other elements.
The process of making a film is by no means a smooth one. Can you tell us about the challenges you’ve encountered?
It has been a difficult project to keep alive, and moments, when it came to a stop, have been heartbreaking. Covid, recasting, struggling with finance to fund it and more have all been major challenges. But with the Crowdfunder, and finding a team as passionate as me, I'm confident we'll see it through to the best it can be.
I'm lucky to have found such talented, good people who are as passionate as me, so I want to give them their due and create something we're all proud of. Definitely a team effort in getting over the hurdles though.
Something beautiful and personal
How has Aberdeen played a backdrop for this project?
Aberdeen has worked well as a backdrop for the film and will continue to add to the story. I treat it as a playground for us - a gothic "unknown" city in the film that could have all types of characters, but also something beautiful and personal comes with that - using places I've known for years as a fictional space has led to more creativity, not less.
You clearly have a lot of hopes and dreams attached to this project. What are your ambitions for the film?
I hope the film is something we're proud of as a team, but I do have hopes for it to succeed in film festivals across the world. We also plan to have the Nights premiere in a local cinema, that will be the day I can say "we've done it", although there will be more work in getting it to streaming services such as Amazon Prime.
Showing support, and staying in touch
How can people help and get updates on the filming?
The Crowdfunder is the best way to support us. If you donate you'll have an option to receive updates we put out. However, following @Nightsfilm on Instagram, or UNRealityFilms on Facebook is another good way to keep up to date over the next few months.
Thanks very much to Omid for telling us all about Nights. It's a brilliant project and we can't wait to see it at the cinema. The team successfully achieved over double their initial target, but the Crowdfunder remains open until mid-April. Further donations will help the film reach its full potential, and it's a great way to be part of the project yourself.
Brighten up your winter nights at Belmont Filmhouse
As we make our way from Winter through to Spring, Aberdeen's Belmont Filmhouse cinema is a great way to brighten up a dark night or two. Their warm welcoming cinema screens have a wide range of films and seasons to enjoy.
We've taken a closer look at some of the screenings you can look forward to on top of their regular programming of new releases from the UK and around the world.
T A P E x Invisible Women Present: Touched | Sunday 13 Feb
Celebrate the diversity and fluidity of desire with Touched, an alternative early Valentine’s Day screening showcasing sensuous shorts by female and non-binary filmmakers. Co-curated by collectives T A P E and Invisible Women, this subversive and surprising programme connects filmmakers from across the decades, combining contemporary work with rarities from the archive.
Complemented by a Q&A, the result is a witty, intimate and unapologetically sexy selection of films that open up space for wider discussions about self-love, intimacy and longing. All short films and the Q&A are captioned.
Boiling Point | from Fri 18 Feb
Back by Popular Demand is the now BAFTA nominated high pressure, one-take drama BOILING POINT starring the brilliant Stephen Graham. The Guardian called this brilliant 2021 dark comedy a "spicy nerve-jangler served with a chargrilled side order of jet-black gallows humour."
Belle | from Tue 1 Mar
Suzu is a shy high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a globally-beloved singer. A visionary new anime from acclaimed Studio Chizu, BELLE, burns bright on our screens.
Death on the Nile | from Fri 11 Feb
While on vacation on the Nile, Hercule Poirot must investigate the murder of a young heiress. Kenneth Branagh directs and stars in this lavish, all-star new take on the Agatha Christie mystery classic DEATH ON THE NILE from the makers of Murder on the Orient Express. There will be a BSL screening on 27 Feb. Check the Belmont Filmhouse website for details on this and more BSL screenings.
Charlie Chaplin season
Also in February, alongside the new documentary THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN, Belmont Filmhouse will screen some of the master’s great works including:
· Tues 22 Feb – The Kid & The Gold Rush
· Wed 23 Feb – The Gold Rush
· Thurs 24 Feb – City Lights
· Sat 26 Feb + Sun 27 Feb – The Great Dictator & Modern Times
· Mon 28 Feb - Limelight
Belmont Filmhouse Juniors
Films for a younger audience every Saturday and Sunday! Tickets cost £5 per person
· Sat 12 & Sun 13 Feb – The Jungle Book
· Sat 19 & Sun 20 Feb – The King and the Mockingbird
· Sat 26 & Sun 27 Feb – Fantastic Mr Fox
For Crying Out Loud
Screenings for carers and their babies on Monday morning! Tickets are £5 per adult.
· Mon 14 Feb – Death on the Nile
· Mon 21 Feb – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
· Mon 28 Feb – The Duke
Find out more
Head to the Belmont Filmhouse website for more information and follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The return of Mental Health in Movies
Mental health focused film screenings are back at the Belmont Filmhouse after pandemic hiatus
Two Aberdeen mental heath nurses are bringing back their mental health focussed movie screenings after a 20 month Covid hiatus. Dan Warrender and Scott McPherson are the team behind Mental Health in Movies. The first screening with be the John Hughes thanksgiving classic comedy, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. You can join them at the Belmont Filmhouse Kino Bar on Tuesday 30 Nov at 6:30pm.
Where did Mental Health in Movies start?
Originally called, Mental Health Movie Monthly, Mental Health in Movies was launched in 2016. Dan and Scott wanted to make mental health discussions more accessible and engaging. They achieved this by hosting film screenings, open to the general public. This was followed by a discussion of the mental health issues raised in the film. They created it with the intention of using film as a platform to encourage conversations around people's mental health experiences.
Dan told us, “I’m really looking forward to getting out there and discussing mental health in film with my good friend and the wider public. It never feels like hard work, but it always feels important that we have these conversations.”
Their last screening was Fargo on the 16th of March 2020, just before we all went into lockdown. It was a popular event for Robert Gordon University students, staff, and members of the public. Many were regular attendees until MHMM had to halt. The screenings created a safe and welcoming environment. This allowed people to talk about mental health by using films as a conversation starter.
Name change
During the pandemic, Dan and Scott decided on a name change, rebranding it ‘Mental Health in Movies’, or MHIM. With cinema spaces reopening in Scotland, MHIM has returned along with a brand new podcast. There are plans for semi-regular film events and discussions in 2022 in the Aberdeen area. You can find ‘Episode Zero’ of Dan and Scott’s new podcast on Anchor and Spotify.
Mental Health in Movies will be hosting a showing of Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987) at Belmont Filmhouse’s Kino Bar. The film starts at 6.30pm. Tickets are priced at £5 and it will be shown with English captions to make the event more accessible.
Scott is excited to share the John Hughes classic with the audience. He told us, "I can't wait to use one of my all-time favourite comedies to create conversations around mental health and to be able to do so in partnership with the Belmont Filmhouse in their Kino Bar is fantastic. The pandemic affected our ability to provide these sorts of showings for people. So we're really excited to be able to do this in-person again. We hope that the public will turn up to support the initiative and enjoy a great film in comfortable surroundings, followed by some judgement-free discussion."
What you need to know
Where: Belmont Filmhouse, Belmont Street, Aberdeen
Date: Tuesday 30 Nov 2021
Time: 6:30pm
Price: £5
Follow: Twitter | Facebook
About POST
Kevin Mitchell and Chris Sansbury founded POST from a desire to cut through the noise to share the great things that happen in Aberdeen. They therefore focus on community, culture and the interesting people of the city. The local artists, businesses and charities; photographers, musicians and entertainers; the people at a local level that make a positive impact on our city each and every day. So they use video, audio, writing and social media to amplify the voices in our community, and to ultimately give a platform to Aberdeen folk to engage and tell their own stories.
Recent work includes interviews with We Are Here Scotland founder Ica Headlam; Paralympic gold medalist, Neil Fachie; Chef, an Aberdeen rapper who is pushing for success; an article by film director Mark Stirton about the state of high-rise buildings in the city; coverage of Nuart Aberdeen and TEDx Aberdeen, as well as coverage of British Art Show 9.
Caption This | New pop-up cinema dedicated to disabled audiences
A brand new accessible cinema experience launches to audiences this week. Caption This is a new series of pop-up cinema events with an aim to represent and engage disabled audiences. They aim to champion diverse stories both about and for those with a disability. Their first screening will feature the documentary Vision Portraits on 17-19 November.
The pop-up cinema strives to empower and prioritise Deaf and Disabled communities by reflecting this value in its programming and access measures. Audiences can look forward to a series of hybrid, virtual and in-person screenings throughout the year and across Scotland.
Charlotte Little - The driving force behind Caption This
The driving force behind the project is Charlotte Little, a deafblind Aberdeenshire access consultant with a passion for curation. She campaigns for for a better experience for disabled audiences, drawing on her own experience as a moviegoer. Speaking ahead of the launch, Charlotte told us, “Growing up, I never saw positive, authentic on-screen stories about disabled people. I didn’t experience my first accessible cinema trip until I was 17. Also, I didn’t see myself on the big screen until I was 20. I want to change that for the generations of young disabled kids after me.
She went on to explain why this means so much to her. Telling us, “I want disabled people to feel valued as audience members. I don’t want access to be an afterthought or seen as a burden. Working as an access consultant within the film exhibition sector and having a personal perspective as a hard of hearing and partially sighted moviegoer, I’ve seen how far we’ve come but I’ve also realised how much work we have left to do in order to standardise inclusive cinema experiences.
First showing | Vision Portraits 17-19 November
The first film showing as part of Caption This is the 2019 documentary Vision Portraits. It's a deeply personal documentary by filmmaker Rodney Evans in which he explores what it means to have vision while losing his own sight. Odie Henderson at rogerebert.com called it "an inspiring film. A funny and informative feature whose subjects were creative kindred spirits I’d never seen onscreen before."
Charlotte's passion for cinema is hugely infectious. A passion that she doesn't let go to waste. She's fighting to bring as many people into the cinema as she can, especially those who have felt under-represented. She told us, “I want more spaces and events that celebrate and prioritise representation and accessibility. I set up Caption This as my own contribution. Vision Portraits is our inaugural film because I’ve struggled with pursuing a career in the film industry as someone who’s losing their sight. I saw myself in Rodney Evans’ journey, and I hope that by showcasing this beautiful documentary, I’ll lend a hand to deconstructing the harmful misconception that blind and partially sighted people can’t be creative, that they can’t thrive and succeed in the arts, that they don’t have vision.”
What you need to know
Vision Portraits will be available to watch through the screening platform Eventive from Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th November. The film will have English captions available as well as English audio description. Tickets will be on a pay-what-you-can sliding scale from £0, £2, £4, £6, £8. There will also be a live discussion over Zoom and live-streamed to Eventive on Friday 19 November at 7pm with guest speakers Theresa Heath and Tara Brown. The live discussion will have live captioning, BSL interpretation, and the host and guest speakers will provide visual descriptions of themselves to make the event more accessible for partially sighted audiences.
Get tickets now on Event Live
Follow Caption This on Twitter
Event page on Facebook
About POST
POST was founded by Kevin Mitchell and Chris Sansbury. They have a desire to cut through the noise to share the great things that happen in Aberdeen. We focus on community, culture and the interesting people of the city. The local artists, businesses and charities; photographers, musicians and entertainers; the people at a local level that make a positive impact on our city each and every day.
Our recent work includes interviews with We Are Here Scotland founder Ica Headlam; Paralympic gold medalist, Neil Fachie; Chef, an Aberdeen rapper who is pushing for success; an article by film director Mark Stirton about the state of high-rise buildings in the city; coverage of Nuart Aberdeen and TEDx Aberdeen, as well as coverage of British Art Show 9.
Belmont Cinema prepares to welcome back film fans
Aberdeen's independent cinema is ready to open it's doors after weeks of closure due to Covid restrictions
Cinemas across Scotland reopened on May 17, but the Belmont Filmhouse Cinema in Aberdeen took a little more time to prepare for the their moment to welcome back film fans. Monday 31 May is their big day with moviegoers excited to experience the best in independent cinema. We asked manager Colin Farquhar what to expect.
We’re really excited to come visit again so we thought it was time to check in. If people haven’t visited you since the pandemic started, what should folk expect as they walk in the building with regards to buying tickets, grabbing a coffee and sitting down in their seat?
So essentially it's the same as September for now. Plenty hand sanitiser and queuing systems. People should book in advance if at all possible and pay with card. And in screens they're being kept apart in our pod system, which separates folk into households. Mask wearing in cinemas and foyers is still mandatory unless you're munching on popcorn. We greet everyone at the door and go through the rules with them.
How have your team responded to their return and to what I imagine is a whole host of new training?
Luckily it's much and such the same training as before - just refreshers. We had anticipated some changes to guidance but none really materialized. Everyone has been great and enthusiastic to get back to work, but some anxieties exist of course, which is totally understandable given the circumstance. Although we're nearly there now some of team still aren't vaccinated - we'll be asking customer to bear that in mind as they return.
Is the Belmont opening fully, or are there bits that will stay closed for a little while longer?
We're going to keep the bar closed for now - there's confusing and slightly contradictory guidance around how bars work in cinemas, different rules with spacing, Test and Protect etc. There's the obvious difference that bars are 1m but the cinemas are 2m spacing, but there's also differences around how you serve someone a drink when they're going to the film vs how they are served if they sit in the bar. So we'll feel our way into that. We're also quite skinny on staff at the moment and rules around furlough combined with ongoing tier 3 closure worries bring challenges around recruitment - so we'll keep the bar closed till later in summer when we've assessed how we can meet all those challenges.
What movies are you excited to share with the public over the next few weeks?
FIRST COW. I love Kelly Reichardt. I think I watched Meek's Cutoff twice through lockdown. Masterpiece. So I can't wait to see that and I'd encourage people to do the same. Nomadland is the one selling most tickets at the moment and Chloe Zhao is brilliant. The lineup is great - films have materialized for reopening this time more handily than last year. A lot of these films have been waiting in wings for freedom and screens for nearly 18 months now, so it's great then are finally out there. I think Sound Of Metal for example was finished in 2019.
Apart from buying tickets, what are some ways that folk can support The Belmont just now?
Just spread the word that we're back! Folk can still buy memberships and we'll be doing a free Student and Young Persons membership when we reopen. This will give students and 16-25 year olds access to £5 films all the time. They can also help by chatting with us - give us feedback; tell us what you want and what you want to see and we'll see what we can do.
The Belmont turned 20 at the tail end of last year, do you have plans to celebrate that milestone at some point in the months ahead?
Oh. I had quite forgotten amidst the pandemic that that particular anniversary had passed. And we've all had so much cake anyway over the past 15 months...we'll see!
And on that cliffhanger, we'd like to thank Colin very much for his time. Don't forget, you can buy tickets for the best in independent cinema from belmontfilmhouse.com, and follow their latest news on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also read our fantastic Temp Check interview with Colin about how he coped with the first part of the Covid-19 lockdown.