It is easy to be cynical about festivals, to dismiss their importance. But success at one can help a budding moviemaker get a foot in the door...

Asger Lindgaard is a student film maker from Denmark. His movie ADAM X111 won top student prize at this year's Cotswold International Amateur Film & Video Festival. A couple of months after that win he writes to festival organiser Lee Prescott:

"We enjoyed the trip very much, it was fun to show the film to an audience we wouldn't normally get in touch with.

"I have had a meeting with the Danish film company Zentropa, owned by Lars von Trier, and they have offered to produce my next film, thanks to my Cotswold award! And they haven't even seen "Adam XIII" yet.

"So if I'm going to participate in the Cotswold Festival again it will probably be in the professionals category. And on top of that, the Danish national tv has offered to show it as well."

- Dave Watterson    Oct 2004

Page updated on 21 March 2008

Authors' views are not necessarily those of The Institute of Amateur Cinematographers

Free JavaScripts provided
by The JavaScript Source