Screen School student hailed at international film festival

A Screen School student has won first prize at the 2019 Pesaro Film Festival.

Taking place in Pesaro, Italy, the festival recognises the talents of established and emerging filmmakers, and confers awards covering a range of areas, including a category for university students.

Level 2 student, Vicky Cottrell, won first prize for her video essay, Shutter Island - Truths and Lies, which centres on director Martin Scorcese’s use of motifs and symbolism. In her production, Vicky explores how water and fire are used to represent truths and lies respectively.

The film was commended by the Pesaro judges as a  being ‘a precise analysis’ which emphasises ‘the latent dichotomy of Scorsese’s film.’

Two other LJMU Screen School students, Harvey Long and Samuel Farrow, were also shortlisted in the same category – LJMU students therefore gaining three of the five shortlisted places.

All three of their entries were the outcome of the audio-visual essay module, which formed part of the syllabus for the first time this academic year.