THE HERRING GIRLS, 15min,. UK
Directed by Rekha Garton
Annag is alone, lost, fighting for her sanity. Awake and dreaming, she is drawn to the shoreline, yearning for the deep coastal waters. By day she feels the eyes of The Herring Girls on her as she pulls and tears at the fish alongside them, trying to hide her slipping grasp of reality. Do they know something she doesn't?

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

After writing The Herring Girls I sat on it for a while, just had dreams of making it, no realities but being in the film industry someone asked me if I ever wanted to direct in the future and I blurted out I just wanted to make my short and I'd see after that, slowly it began unfurling, I met the right people. I was hugely encouraged by my partner, friends and family and I realised I had no idea what I was waiting for so it began. But if you ask what inspired The Herring Girls I can only thank my composer, I stumbled across his music during lockdown and fell in love with the creativity it gave me, I just started writing and writing and couldn't stop, he actually was the first person I asked to be involved if I ever did make it a film and props to him he stuck to his promise and tied everything together beautifully.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

From idea to finished project was a couple of years, I had very very small dreams about having it made, it was my first script and my first ever time writing so I didn't even think I could pull it off, it took years of encouragement and finding the right people to finally take the leap!

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Merfolk Magic

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle was having such huge ambitions for a first short film, we had underwater, we had a real mermaid tail, we were battling the elements non-stop but above all of that I think it was the unprecedented bright sunshine in May in England, we were looking for gloomy overcast clouds but when it came time to shooting we were in t-shirts and covered in suncream, you can only battle the sun so much before accepting it and using it.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Watching the audience members talk about my film was so validating, and seeing all these women completely understand the subtleties in the film, appreciating the effort and noticing the effort that went in to it was yeah, validating!

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I thought The Herring Girls might be my one and only film... I think everyone who has made a film knows that once you do one it's pretty hard to stop the itch that starts after! So maybe a couple of weeks after we wrapped?!

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I can't have a year without watching Practical Magic, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait or Diane Arbus and Perfume, a story of a murderer.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

My main hope now is to connect with others that are keen to make more films, I love writing and directing, I have two feature lengths sitting on my computer just hoping that one day I have a team who believes that I can do it. That's the dream for everyone right?

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Honestly FilmFreeway makes everything SO much easier. It's so overwhelming otherwise.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Well, I have celiac disease so my answer is gluten free pizza and home made chips (fries stateside!).

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I hope a new film is next, I'm currently exploring a new short project but funding it without all my life savings is my next goal!