Romford Film Festival

Romford Film Festival

Location	Romford, London, England
Founded	2017 (2017)
Founded by	Spencer Hawken
Most recent	May 24–31, 2023
Awards	20
Language	English
Website	romfordfilmfestival.com

The Romford Film Festival is an independent film festival founded in 2017 by festival director Spencer Hawken. The festival takes place annually in Romford, United Kingdom and is hosted at Premiere Cinemas inside The Mercury Mall.

The festival celebrates the showcasing of the best independent British and International films. The festival provides a platform for established and emerging filmmakers in showcasing their work, discover new talent, and network with industry professionals. The festival also gives opportunities for audiences to engage with filmmakers through live Q&A's. The festival includes screenings from first-time filmmakers to some of the most established names on the independent film circuit with features, short films, music videos, documentary films and Animation. The festival recognises the achievements of filmmakers through awards in multiple categories.

The festival has attracted a growing audience of filmmakers and industry professionals over the years including Joan Collins, Caroline Munro, Pauline Peart, Larry Lamb and Marc Bannerman.

History

In 2020, the 4th festival was held from 13 to 18 August 2020 and was the first physical festival in the UK post COVID-19 outbreak.

In 2021, the Romford Film Festival team was invited to attend Tashkent Film Festival where they were the first UK film delegation to attend.

In 2022, the 6th festival was held from 19 to 25 May 2022 hosting over 180 films. The festival screened Becontree 100 years a film about the first ever council estate in the UK.

In 2023, the 7th festival was held from 24 to 30 May 2023 and hosted 160 films. The opening night at the festival featured the screening of Warner Brothers adventure movie, "Jim Button and the Wild 13" a sequel to original book Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver from the creators of The NeverEnding Story. Other notable films included the clacton-made revenge thriller "Morris Men," the UK premiere of the compelling drama "Out and About," and a trio of important and diverse films by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Kenich Ugana. Caroline Munro known for the bond girl Naomi in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me. Holby City's Sarah-Jane Potts and Hammer horror star Pauline Peart attend the festival.

In 2024, the 8th festival will be held 24–28 May 2024.

Awards

The Romford Film Festival recognises the achievements of filmmakers in the following awards.

• Best Feature Film
• Best Documentary Film
• Best Short Film
• Best Foreign Language Film
• Best Local Film (Previously Best Havering Film)
• Best Animation
• Best No or Low Budget Film
• Best Director
• Best Screenplay
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Supporting Actor
• Best Supporting Actress
• Best Cinematography
• Best Editor
• Best Score
• Lifetime Achievement
• The Jury Prize
• Commendations
• Audience Choice

Key
	Award Nomination
	Award winner

2018 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Redwood A Landscape of Lies Alone Blue Crowhurst Dark Beacon Drawing Home Welcome To Essex Your Move Best Documentary Film Belonging: The Truth Behind The Headlines America Kum Cube Libre? Flin Flon Full Circle The Marvin Case The Ultimate Rally Tonic of the Sea Word From A Gamer Best Short Film Calamity 43 Quintillion Chimera Disconnected Kamatayan Reclamation Someday Split Costs Te Makutu The Interrogation of Olivia Donovan The Tolls Tonic of the Sea Best Havering Film Mumatar Alone Disconnected Katrina Mind Fuck Visions Wood Best Animation Let Them Stand Tour Wood Best Director Luke Goss (Your Move) Corrie Greenop (Dark Beacon) Gabriela Ledesma (Blue) Jonathan Zsofi (Te Makutu) Shane Ryan (Paper Kids) Simon Rumley (Fashionista) Steven Murphy (My Saviour) Tom Paton (Redwood) Tony Klinger (Full Circle) Best Screenplay Dark Beacon Blue Calamity Reclamation Since I Don't Have You Split Costs Te Makutu The Guardians Your Move Best Actor Francois Maquet (Calamity) Danny Mindwinter (Landscape Of Lies) James Hamer-Morton (My Bloody Banjo) Juan Riedinger (Drawing Home) Luke Goss (Your Move) Mike Beckingham (Redwood) Mu-Shaka Benson (Mei Anchol Ia) Stephen Kerr (Son) Warren Day (Alone) Best Actress Callie Schuttera (Blue) Amanda Fuller (Fashionista) April Pearson (Dark Beacon) Bayley Freer (My Saviour) Ingrid Heiderscheidt (Calamity) Julie L. Mortenson (Drawing Home) Sarah Hawkins (Roller Coaster) Tatjana Nardone (Redwood) Vanessa Emme (The Observer Effect) Best Supporting Actor Rutgar Hauer (Drawing Home) Chris Santos (Someday) David Whitney (The Guardians) Eric Balfour (Fashionista) Laurence Harvey (My Bloody Banjo) Marc Zammit (Chimera) Mark Bannerman (Landscape Of Lies) Shaw Jones (Blue) Wallace Shawn (Drawing Home) Best Supporting Actress Mela Hudson (Split Costs) Amanda Wyss (It Happened Again Last Night) Amy Loughton (Crowhurst) Dani Thompson (My Bloody Banjo) Debra Leigh-Taylor (Dogged) Ellie Paskell (The Interrogations Of Olivia Donnovan) Hattie Hayridge (The Guardians) Kate Mulgrew (Drawing Home) Lynne A. Rodgers Rayanna Dibs (Alone) Best Editing Tonic of the Sea Calamity Crowhurst Dark Beacon Fashionista Flin Flon My Blood Banjo Someday Te Makutu Life Time Achievement Award Simon Rumley Tony Klinger

2019 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Safe Spaces 13 Graves All Eyes On You Beyond Fury Black Site I Love My Mum Lie Low Sugar Cube The Guard Of Auschwitz Best Documentary Film The Little Count Island Road Karen Black on Acting King for a Day Millennium After The Millennium My Martian Dad National Anthem Girl The Doll House The Mentor Best Short Film Beautified An Unkind Word Epiphany From The Heart Hold Your Breath Ilford Lane Little Milo My Martian Dad Old Hearts Cafe The Goodbye This Island Best Havering Film The Guard Of Auschwitz All In Beautified Epiphany Gone Human Cargo Ilford Lane Its Over London Rampage The Eliminator Best Animation Scars A Face That Launched A Thousand Ships BIWY Best Director Felix Maxim Eller (All Eyes On You) Alberto Sciamma (I Love My Mum) Daniel Schechter (Safe Space) Darren Ward (Beyond Fury) Dean Marriot (Stolen) Drago Lazetich (Little Milo) George Velez Junior (The Goodbye) John Langridge (13 Graves) Luke Jacobson (Sugar Cube) Tom Paton (Black Site) Best Screenplay Black Site All Eyes on You An Unkind Word Beyond Fury I Love My Mum Safe Spaces Sugar Cube The Eliminator The Good Bye Human Cargo Best Actor Kevin Leslie (13 Graves) Eddie Linina (Stray Dog) Ian Slade (Little Milo) James Purefoy (Hold Your Breath) Jannis Kuster (All Eyes On You) Justin Long (Safe Spaces) Matt Marasco (Sugar Cube) Nick Roberts (Beyond Fury) Shaun Medum (The Goodbye) Tommy French (I Love My Mum) Best Actress Kierston Wareing (I Love My Mum) Claudia Grace McKell (The Guard Of Auschwitz) Danni Thompson (Beyond Fury) Emily Haigh (Beautified) Fernanda Diniz (Red Devil) Fran Drescher (Safe Spaces) Lina Driemel (All Eyes On You) Samantha Schnitzler (Black Site) Susan Penhaligon (An Unkind Word) Terri Dwyer (13 Graves) Best Supporting Actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice (Beyond Fury) Dan Van Husen (Beyond Fury) Elvis Clausen (All Eyes On You) Eneko Sanz (Stolen) Frank Le Bouf (I Love My Mum) Jim Liu (Little Milo) Joe Paradavila (From The Heart) Michael Mckell (13 Graves) Richard Schiff (Safe Spaces) Steven Barkoff (Red Devil) Best Supporting Actress Kate Berlant (Safe Spaces) Alice Ryan (Human Cargo) Alexis Martinez (Cyanide Love) Bright Stauber (Stolen) Chameli Meir (Ilford Lane) Elina Saleh (Lie Low) Sally George (The Guard Of Aushwitz) Tatiana Kotsimos (Sugar Cube) Tippy Elgar (Screw Loose) Best Editing Kharms An Underground Affair An Unkind Word Cyandie Love Epiphany London Rampage Safe Spaces The Goodbye The Lost Sheed The Mentor Life Time Achievement Award Richard Stanley Simon Boswell Special Commendation Gone (Billy Holland) Beyond Fury (Darren Ward) London Rampage (Greg Burridge) My Name is Kozha

2020 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Shibil Doctors Case I Scream on the Beach Killer Tattooist Kings of Mulberry Street Puppet Killer The Duckpond Best Documentary Film High Flying Jade Butcher Baronet Chasing The Jeststream Everybody Flies Gift Of Hope Last Tour Of Duty Osprey Patagonia Triple Crown Reclaiming The Negative Ruth Weiss: The Beat Goddess Best Short Film Powerless Afterlife Bureau Cactus Boy Dinner With Mom Eugene Vs Humanity I’m listening New Woman One Track Mind Retrieval Unregistered Best Local Film Farside Black Mass Cactus Boy Just A Girl Killer Tattooist Little Love Next in Line Osprey Best Director Nikola Bozadzhiev (Shibil) Ben Griffin (Ji) Benjamin Noah (New Woman) Coz Greenop (Sweet Street) Daniel Harding (Dinner With Mum) Jimmy Kelly (Polybius) Nicole Pott (Powerless) Sami Mustonen (Marras) Best Screenplay I’m Listening Afterlife Bureau Cactus Boy Conversations with a Cigarette Duckpond Honor Among Thieves Marras Next in Line Powerless Shibil Best Actor Colin James O’Gorman (Eugene Vs Humanity) Adam Scott-Houghton (Next in line) Colin Ford (Cactus Boy) Henry Haggard (I’ll Be There) James Cosmo (Off Grid) Mahmut Gökgöz (Sycamore) Panatyot Mustakerski (Shibil) Shane Attwooll (Farside) Tom Atkins (Polibius) Yi-Wen Chen (A Trip With Mom) Best Actress Saara Runtti (Marras) Ariadna Cabrol (Sweet Street) Claudia Grace McKell (Just A Girl) Dey Young (Fifty) Jane Asher (One Track Mind) Katie Marie Carter (Powerless) Meryl Griffiths (Dinner With Mom) Marjaana Maijala (I’m Listening) Nika Burnet (Week With Rebecca) Sacha Parkinson (Farside) Best Supporting Actor Victor Von Schirach (The Duckpond) Bogomil Naidenov (Shibil) Garden Peaston (The Afterlife Bureau) Michael B Tabb (Honor Among Thieves) Stephen T. Shore (Polybius) Steve Hodgetts (Next in Line) Steven Brand (In The Campfire Light) William B Davis (The Doctors Case) Best Supporting Actress Georgie Flores (Cactus Boy) Ashley Williams (Retrieval) Denise Crosby (The Doctors Case) Gergana Hristova (Shibil) Jennifer Kelly (Polytbius) Monika Hristova (Shibil) Robyn Coffin (Town Hall) Yiin-Shang Liou (A Trip With Mom) Best Cinematography Marras Balaika Cactus Boy House Red Ji New Woman Shibil Week With Rebecca Best Score Shibil A Trip With Mom Cactus Boy Fifty Lavender Marras New Woman Reclaiming The Negative Jury Prize Choker Paper House Seconds Out Parka Anne

2021 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Maquis Dogwood I Am Vengeance: Retaliation I’m An Electric Lampshade Last Call Mr Johnson The Blue Tooth Virgin The Stars My Destination Best Documentary Film Who Is James Payton More Than Miyagi Hello Sunshine Mujereando: The Lament Of A Goddess Rom Boys: 40 Years Of Rad Safer in Silence The Horror Crowd The Most Dangerous Man in Europe Best Short Film The Gesture and the Word A New Leash On Life Autumn Never Dies Lunch Hour with the President Officer Down Queen Luck The Snow Maze The Two Of Us at the Edge of the World Best Local Film Rom Boys: 40 Years Of Rad Esther Homeward Bound On My Own Stalling It Stay Over The Chain The Ghosts of Borley Rectory The Suit Weareth The Man 77 seconds Best Director Helen Alexis Yonov (The Gesture and the Word) Caroline Ward & Jemma Moore (Stalling It) Gavin Michael Booth (Last Call) Joshua Benson (Queen Luck) Pamela Perrine (Lunch Hour with the President) Russell Brown (The Blue Tooth Virgin) Sam Cadman (The Snow Maze) Best Screenplay The Blue Tooth Virgin Lunch House with the President Maquis On My Own Queen Luck Ruby Days The Gesture and the word Best Actor Lee Hunter (On My Own) Anthony Quinlan (Asphyxiate) Anthony Reynolds (Lunch House with the President) Austin Peck (The Blue Tooth Virgin) James Michael Tyler (The Gesture and the Word) Martin Delaney (Officer Down) Neil Hobbs (Its Going To Be Okay) Toby Wynn-Davis (The Ghosts Of Borley Rectory) Best Actress Christina Spruell (Queen Luck) Ellie Ekers (Rottweiler) Jemma Moore (Stalling It) Michaela Longden (Asphyxiate) Michaela McManus (Monsters and Muses) Rebekah Stein (Queen Luck) Sarah Booth (Last Call) Sophie McBean Best Supporting Actor Josef Altin (Officer Down) Ben Turner (Officer Down) Bryce Johnson (The Blue Tooth Virgin) Craig Conway (Eulogy) Lukas Barnett (Calf Rope) Paul Dooley (The Gesture and the Word) Renato Gianoli (Living Unscathed) Vinnie Jones (I Am Vengeance: Retaliation) Best Supporting Actress Caroline Ward (Stalling It) Alejandra Gollas (Love Is Not Love) Erika Christensen (Proxy) Fatima Plazas (Maquis) Linda Zhu (Handscape) Michelle Mitchenor (August Us) Nicole La Librete (The Gesture and the Word) Toyah Willcox (The Ghosts of Borley Rectory) Best Cinematography The Snow Maze Maquis Mr. Johnson Officer Down Robert The Robot The Gesture and the Word The Smuggler Queen Luck Best Score The Smuggler Handscape Mujereando: The Lament Of A Goddess Robert The Robot Special Delivery The Gesture and the Word The Snow Maze The Two Of Us at the Edge of the World Jury Prize A New Leash On Life Autumn Never Dies Blud I am Vengence: Retaliation My Darling Christopher On My Own Proxy Single Line Theory The Ghosts of Brorley Factory The Most Dangerous Man in Europe The Two Of Us at the Edge of the World Audience Choice Best Feature Film – Election Night Best Short Film – Asphyxiate Best Documentary – Who Is James Payton

2022 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Sweet Disaster Daddy's Girl New Material Pretty Boy The Lady The Swap Steps Best Documentary Film Fraser Syndrome & Me A Better Life Becontree: 100 Years On Cinema Now Cry of the Forests Micropubs – The New Local One last Spin The Tears of Bea Scmidt Best Short Film The Magician Colossus Divertimento Human Trash Old Windows The Other One Time & Tide Wool Best Foreign Language Film Human Trash Beats Dana Moskover Forever Swamp Sweet Disaster The Lady The Other One Best Local Film Visitor Becontree: 100 Years On Cinema Now Collier Row Then And Now Fortina 2 In Two Minds My London Lullaby See What She Did Best Animation Live. Claws Crappy Christmas Family Tree Fortina 2 Best Director Keyvan Sheikhalishahi (Divertimeto) Julian Richards (Daddy's Girl) Kenichi Ugana (The Empty Flowerpot) Laura Lehmus (Sweet Disaster) Lukas Baier (The Other One) Marcel Walz (Pretty Boy) Micky Cornwell (Court Number 5) Best Screenplay Old Windows Human Trash New Material Pretty Boy Sweet Disaster The Empty Flowerpot The Lady The Other One Best Actor Larry Lamb (Old Windows) Arlos Acrrekootxea (Human Trash) Costas Mandylor (Daddy's Girl) Eddy Munoz (Consequences) Kazuki Abe (The Empty Flower Pot) Paul Bradley (The man at the bottom of the Garden) Sebastian Somma (The Lady) Sebastian Edtbauer (The Other One) Best Actress Tiggy Bayley (Tildypops) Friederike Kempter (Sweet Disaster) Jamie Windstone (Court Number 5) Laura Bayston (Old Windows) Nera Elizalde (Hikikomori) Paula Gallego (Accomplices) Sarah-Jane Potts (The Magician) Vey Straker (Wool) Best Supporting Actor Joey Rasdien (New Material) Bambadjan Bamda (Wasted Seed) Bob Barrett (The Magican) Jason Segade (Wool) Jesse Moss (Daddy's Girl) John Neisler (Colossus) Julian Lehr (Beats) Matthew Ventre (Dinner for Two) Best Supporting Actress Lena Urzendowsky (Sweet Disaster) Britt McKillip (Daddy's Girl) Desiree Noferini (The Lady) Giulia Goldammer (Beats) Heather Grace Hancock (Pretty Boy) Julia Heinze (The Other One) Natalie Martins (Shear) Sammy Winward (Lead Belly) Best Cinematography Sweet Disaster Divertimento Pretty Boy Steps The Empty Flowerpot The Magican The Other One Old Windows Best Score The Other One Divertimento Human Trash Moskover Forever Pretty Boy Sweet Disaster You Might Get Lost Commendations Anonymous Dana My London Lullaby Pretty Boy The Empty Flower Pot Wool

2023 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Out and About Coyote Good Guy with a Gun Publish or Perish The Wife and her House Husband Walking Against the Rain Best Documentary Film Danny's Red Box And Outside Life Goes On Drawn To War Langford Tales Morning Without Evening Ray of Hope HAWFC – The Gym of Champions The Stevie Project Queen of Hearts Best Short Film The Magic World of Miracles Care Five Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-Seven Pounds My Dear Aunt Sally Roises Unicorn Delight Sensibility Under The Influence Wanderland Wild Angel Best Foreign Language Film A Butterfly's Heart Beloc The Blind Broken Wings Denali Left of Chopin Moja No Kidding Rolling Marbles The online Shop Best Local Film Black and White Duppy Mothers and Daughters Playing Away Split Check Walking Against The Rain Best Animation Triskelion Fig Leaves Morning Without Evening Best No or Low Budget Film A Touch of Vengeance Claudia Danny's Red Box Delirum Tremens Encore Split Check Best Director Peter Callahan (Out and About) David Liban (Publish or Perish) Dustin Curtis Murphy (Coyote) John Mossman (Good Guy with a Gun) Nicole Sarah Fry (Desires and delusions) Simon Smith (Murmur) Tom Procida (My Dear Aunt Sally) Best Screenplay Little Mary (Duncan Paveling) Everything Is Out To Get Me (Dustin Curtis Murphy) Left of Chopin (Sayoko Kitamura and Yoshino Takemoto) Out and About (Peter Callahan) Pig Killer (Chad Ferrin) Publish or Perish (David Liban) When The Clapping Stops (Sam Briggs) Best Actor Ralph Ineson (Waving) Alfie Stewart (Monico Perseus) Brody Stowers (My Dear Aunt Sally) Jake Busey (Pig Killer) Leigh Gill (The Fifth Generation) Michael Begley (Care) Mindaugas Balabonas (A Butterfly's Heart) Reece Douglas (Walking Against the Rain) Best Actress Becky Lindsay (Burnt Toast and Cigarettes) Ailish Symons (Coyote) Bronaugh Waugh (Murmur) Claire Louise Frost (Sister Karras) Jemma Moore (Eric) Katherine Casto (Weak) Therica Wilson-Read (Coyote) Best Supporting Actor Sam Barnard (Monico Perseus) Craig Conway (Burnt Toast and Cigarettes) Jack Cain (Good Guy with a Gun) Rory Wilton (Encore) Sule Rimi (Stillness) Best Supporting Actress Tiffany Bedwell (Good Guy with a Gun) Bridget Regen (Weak) Emily Wyatt (The Last Heist) Rhea Bailey (Stillness) Best Cinematography The Light That No One Sees (Pasindu Goldmann) Beloc The Blind (Yaroslav Prokhorov) Blue Boy (Jannis Schelenz) Encore (Elliot Millson) Five Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-Sven Pounds (John Orphan) Best Score Langford Tales (Christos Andreou) Beloc The Blind (Nerea Alberdi) Borrowed Time (Kristen Price) Encore (Reuben Squirrel) Everything is out to get me (Thom Robson) Little Mary (Adam Radmall) Out and About (Jano Manzali) Stillness (Jered Sorkin) The Jury Prize Encore Audience Choice Best Feature Film – Coyote Best Feature Film – Left of Chopin Best Feature Film – Publish or Perish Best Short Film – Care Best Short Film – Eric Best Documentary – Drawn to War}} Best Performance – Danny Ashkenasi (The Pit and Pendulum – A Musciabre) Best Performance – Alan Cooper (Claudia)

See also

• Spencer Hawken
• Romford Horror Film Festival

External links

• Official Website
• Romford Film Festival on FilmFreeway
• Romford Film Festival on IMDb
• Romford Film Festival on Mubi
• Romford Film Festival on Facebook
• Romford Film Festival on Twitter
• Romford Film Festival on Instagram
• Romford Film Festival on Threads
• Romford Film Festival on YouTube