Calling all upcoming directors

On the 9th April, at the end of a fairly warm day, Concordians gathered in the theatre to watch the highly anticipated ‘House Film’ competition. The room was tense, electrified with excitement to see what each house had ‘cooked up’. What I have come to realise about Concord students, is that we are a fairly competitive cohort. Always looking to produce and present the best. So, that was what I was particularly looking forward to seeing, the best…

The rules of film were simple. All the houses had to include the line “You mean they never told you the tale”, and each film could not surpass 6 minutes. Although the time limit was constraining, the films were nothing but entertaining. Each house was uniquely presented, with each story line cleverly built. I could tell that the film was a medium for Concord’s buzzing film directors to show their talent, and who knows – it may be just the beginning for all the future Steven Spielbergs.

The night did not disappoint! We started off with the giant Gandhi’s spooky-horror film. Gandhi’s film was comically enriching, with a gripping story line about the At Hoc app. With Mr Kerslake’s guest appearance and a clever plot twist at the end, Gandhi brought the audience to tears, tears of laughter of course.

Next up was the mighty Mandela. Mandela’s film was an inspiring tale. Cleverly threading the theme of positivity, as it discussed the problematic habits teenagers  often possess. For this next term, it acted as a nice reminder to remain positive, especially in the upcoming exam season which can be extremely stressful.

Then the titan, Teresa. Teresa’s film was nothing but inspirational. It talked about courage and gave personal anecdotes from teachers and students. It reminded all of us to stay strong and be courageous, which is something we all need to hear from time to time.

Lastly, came the powerful Pankhurst. Pankhurst’s film transported us into an alternate universe where we were grouped in set classes based on academic abilities. It touched us all, as it discussed problems such as bullying and stress, problems that many teenagers face. Although it discussed seemingly dark topics, it did not fail to make us laugh and smile.

It was incredible to watch the bursts of creativity packed in short six-minute films. It made me realise the vast range of talents Concord students have, and it definitely touched my inner Steven Spielberg seeing such raw innovation. I look forward to seeing what Concordians will come up with next year, but until then, I’m content with this year’s fantastic films.

Emily – 6.1