In this blog, the Mor Media team reflect on how the Cornwall Film Festival’s New Wave Jury has become an increasingly important part of the festival’s engagement with young people and previous jurors share their thoughts on participating and how it has impacted their careers.
New Wave Jury
Since 2019, the New Wave Jury (NWJ) has become an integral part of the Cornwall Film Festival’s engagement with young people. It incorporates industry talks, skills workshops, short and feature film screenings, film writing and the publication of the New Wave Journal. Started to support young people who wanted to go into film programming as the Young Person’s Jury Prize in 2020, the New Wave Jury (NWJ) has become a regular part of our engagement with young people at the Cornwall Film Festival. It incorporates several elements of the festival and our wider work with our local screen community; industry talks, skills workshops, short film screenings, film writing and the publication of the New Wave Journal. While we expect to hear from the film students at our local university and local colleges, we also encourage anyone who is part of the filmgoing community in Cornwall and the South West to apply. While our short film competition engages with creative filmmakers, this programme is for anyone who is involved in film viewership. The aim is to engage in a critical discourse that results in choosing a winner of the International Shorts programme and also to encourage reviewing and debate around short film content.
Once selected, the jury members meet both in person and online to discuss their passion for film at a range of workshops with industry professionals. By the time they watch the films together at The Poly independent cinema in Falmouth, we hope they feel confident to openly discuss the films and proffer their opinions about the entrants’ films. This engagement with film culture on their own terms means the films are reviewed with fresh eyes and prepares the jurors for watching the films in a cinema setting with an audience of the filmmakers, contributors and supporters, as well as the general public who are part of the Cornish film culture.
Collaborative Discussions
The Jury is made up of 12 to 15 individuals aged 18-25 from the South West of England and we welcome applications from anyone with an interest in film, via written work, photography, drawing, or video. Isaiah Cheng and Mohit Rajgopa, who had been part of the youth jury at the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), helped to develop our first Jury. Director of the CFF Louise Fox commented, “Trust in their approach and insights have shaped our programme, we provided the opportunity and they ran with it”.
Current NWJ Chair Tomás Basílio said: “Becoming part of the New Wave Jury has significantly enhanced my film criticism skills and made me feel integrated into the film community. This experience has given me the confidence to discuss films openly and realise that I could indeed pursue a career in this field. Since joining the New Wave Jury, I have gained valuable experience for pre-selecting roles in other festivals and discovered additional opportunities related to the Cornwall Film Festival. This path led me from being an audience member to being part of NWJ, from intern to being appointed the Chair of the NWJ and now being employed with Mor Media.
The New Wave Jury also facilitated easier networking, as everyone shared a passion for watching and discussing films. Some of these connections have fortified already existing relationships and gave space to new ones.”
This joy of being part of a conversation about film culture is echoed by one of last year’s jurors, Campbell Woods: “The New Wave Jury was a thoroughly unique experience that encourages self-expression, friendly debate and critical thinking. To have been able to see such a range of world cinema in the company of like-minded film lovers was a real privilege. In dissecting, analysing and eventually voting on the best films of the group, ‘Jury duty’ led to some really interesting discussion, not least: the ethics of AI in cinema, or COVID as a narrative theme. I was really grateful as someone without a degree to have been selected for the programme, the experience has no doubt helped me develop my skillset as someone interested in the academic and theoretical side of cinema. Cornwall is not London, it is rare to come across such a scheme here; so to have been able to work with renowned programmers, writers and directors in workshops exposed me to home truths about the industry and tips for personal development in equal measure, as I hope to one day fill their shoes. I went in fairly naive about the breadth of Cornwall’s cinema landscape, but I left with real fervour, inspiration and, most importantly, friends for life.”
The Jurors take part in four sessions online: a writing workshop with Amanda White, then two to three guest speaker sessions, before coming together at the festival where they judge the International Shorts Prize. Guest speakers have included Digital Editor at Little White Lies Hannah Strong, Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove, filmmakers Mina Vesela & Vesela Kazakova (Cat in the Wall, Women Do Cry) & The Guardian Film Critic Peter Bradshaw.
As Tomás continues: “One of the most enjoyable aspects of being part of the New Wave Jury was the opportunity to watch a diverse range of films and engage in discussions about them. The festival environment is incredibly inspirational, both for my creative endeavours as a filmmaker and as a film enthusiast. Being in direct contact with the contemporary filmmaking scene provided unique viewing and discussion opportunities that would be challenging to find elsewhere.”
Lydia Jenkins, New Wave Jury 2022, says: “Having focused my own research at university on accessibility in the arts, the New Wave Jury was a first-hand experience of how we can create accessible opportunities for people interested in programming and filmmaking as an art form. Previously, I’ve found it hard to find films and visual arts outside of commercially successful productions, especially outside of London. Being not only exposed to, but also discussing the international programme with a diverse cohort opened my own cultural knowledge up to opinions and experiences different to my own. Particularly so soon post-COVID, I found this experience refreshing and it reinvigorated my passion for festivals and filmmaking.”
Enriching Experiences
With the support of the writer, Amanda White the jury is also asked to write a review of a film of their choice, short or feature, that will go into the New Wave Journal publication.
The journal is designed by our intern team, following skills training as a way to develop their digital design and print publishing skills. Printing the finished journal in a limited edition aligns with this audience’s interest in authentic analogue print publications versus the dominant online digital culture. We have seen an increasing interest in real lived experiences—such as event cinema, in-person debates, our film pub-quiz, and zine culture—that a print publication ties into as well.
Amelia Robinson, New Wave Juror 2023, found this creative aspect of the Jury really important: “I found the NWJ experience to be inspiring in an aspect of the film industry that was unexpected. Writing a review for one of the films I saw at the event (A Matter of Life and Death) was a fun and engaging activity as we got to speak to professionals and complete writing exercises before writing our own. Having a physical NWJ journal is amazing and I shared the online version on my socials, wanting people to read a piece I was proud of. At all points of the programme, I felt like my voice was heard amongst everyone and we all got an equal chance to discuss the short films we watched and judged. We spent a long time discussing which one we thought should be the winner and we all got to cast a vote, having the freedom to create an additional award for a different short film was great as well. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to other likeminded people and finding friends that I still keep in touch with now. The NWJ made me realise how much I enjoy watching and discussing films and revealed how much I enjoy writing long-form content as well.”
Diverse Voices
The importance of diverse voices at the festival was echoed by Lydia: “Festivals are so important culturally because they nurture progressive conversation and often showcase under-represented voices and issues.”
Developing a range of voices as part of the jury programme, Tomás said: “Now, as part of the management team, I value my previous experience with the New Wave Jury. It has given me insight into the participant’s experience, helping me identify areas for improvement and continuity. As the New Wave Jury Chair, I prioritise creating a diverse group of people from various backgrounds who share a common love for cinema. This inclusivity empowers individuals who may believe that discussing cinema is reserved for filmmakers, enriching the industry with varied perspectives and appreciating different film elements. Additionally, the programme benefits from having guest speakers from diverse backgrounds, contributing to a broader understanding of filmmaking, criticism, and curation.”
Lydia adds: “Given the chance to develop my writing voice against feedback gave me the push to explore other opportunities within festival programming. Since I was a part of NWJ, I’ve been a previewer and preselector for BIFA accredited festivals, such as Women X and Sunderland Shorts. I am still in touch with many of the other NWJ members and I would recommend to anyone interested in films to take part.”
After the NWJ participants join our alumni group and have access to our other programmes and engagement opportunities.
Campbell sums up what we hope the New Wave Jury programme can do for its participants: “Not only was the New Wave Jury a great means of incorporating a younger demographic into the festival—not just as an audience, but as a respected critical force—to be made to feel equal to seasoned industry professionals was especially validating and has stuck with me, as has Mor Media Charity’s clear dedication to amplifying a range of Cornish voices.”
Learn more about the New Wave Jury on their website.
The 2024 Cornwall Film Festival runs from 16-24 November. The latest New Wave Journal is available digitally.