By Ella Rogerson.
The cinematically inclined people of Ireland don’t have to look much further for a night packed with new and upcoming short films.
Cinema is a beloved form of art and media in our society, and around the world. Going to the cinema to see a film is a universal experience, connecting people to something bigger than themselves, and often leaving a lasting impression on viewers.
Film festivals are a place where professional and first-time directors, writers and actors can bring their work to an audience, make their mark on the industry and celebrate the art of storytelling, which is exactly what The BYOF (Bring Your Own Film) Club intends to do.
The BYOF Club is a brand new film organisation, dedicated to discovering new voices in the world of film and allowing them to open their work up to a larger audience.
The three founders, Marisa Moreno, Dervla McDonnell, and Ivan Romero, are all Dublin Business School (DBS) MA Film Graduates and friends, who started this club last year, encouraged by their film lecturers.
Their goal for this club, according to McDonnell, is to provide “a platform for everyone to showcase their projects”.
Their first event, which was held in October of last year, was a hit with film students, showcasing their work to film experts and even the famous cinematographer, Ron Garcia, who was in attendance.
In the screening, eight new short films were shown, “all of different genres, like fashion, horror, comedy, drama and even music videos”, Romero said.
‘A Look For Every Occasion’ a fashion film displaying the vintage clothes of the Jenny Vander Collection and ‘Dream 47’, an experimental film about dreams, fears and desires are just some of the short films that were screened at the previous event.
The success of their first screening has led to an increase in submissions, but these three founders are still dedicated to showcasing the work being submitted to them.
Unlike a lot of the big film festivals such as Cannes, Sundance, and the Irish Film Festivals, the appeal for BYOF Club to new film-makers is that it is free to enter.
“With other film festivals, you can pay all this money and get rejected, and your work never gets to be shown. This festival is a way to show what you worked so hard on to an audience and be able to talk about it”, Moreno said, explaining one of the driving factors for these events.
The films submitted are between 1 – 30 minutes long, and don’t need to be shot on professional cameras to be showcased. “It could be shot on a phone. As long as it’s a film, that’s all that matters” McDonnell states.
They are working hard to discover new voices and spread the word about the BYOF Club, Moreno said, by “Connecting with other colleges and film societies, to get the word out about it, and it is a great way for people to network”.
The BYOF Club is all about the love of film, and with their growing events, they have more people coming on board. They have expanded the team to help them market and organise their next event, as “it’s very hard to do everything, just the three of us”, Moreno said.
McDonnell added that the screening held in October was held in O’Regan’s pub, which “generously lent them the space to screen the films” for free.
The next event will be held in April in Dublin Business School, with submissions still open until the 31st of March. With each event, the number of film submissions grow but they are still dedicated to showcasing the work they are being given.
They hope that the BYOF Club will keep expanding as they continue with their screenings. As McDonnell said, “We want to encourage people to show their work, get the chance to talk about it with other people, and create a community of upcoming film-makers, and hopefully it expands the more events we continue to put on”.
They aim to host screenings every two months, scouting for new venues and new film-makers as well. “We’d like to do it in the cinema, so people can see their work on the big screen”, Romero said.
His dream for the future of the BYOF Club, is a fully-fledged festival, “even expanded over a weekend, with awards”.
Submissions are open till the 31st of March, and they are welcoming every kind of film and film-maker who wants to showcase their projects. The event, to turn the act of watching a film into a community celebration of art and creativity, is open for all to attend.
So if film is something that you’re interested in, or you are looking to do something different, the BYOF Club is the place for you. Keep an eye out on their Instagram for updates on events they are hosting in Dublin, and the work they are showing, as they continue to grow the BYOF Club into the new year.
Credit: BYOF Instagram