GSFF Awards: Dutch films dominate

Glasgow Short Film Festival came to a close on Sunday in grand style at Joytown Grand Electric Theatre, a charmingly ramshackle new venue in Glasgow's Chinatown that proved an atmospheric location for several GSFF screenings across the weekend.

Winner of The Bill Douglas Award for best international short film went to Dutch filmmaker Douwe Dijkstra for Green Screen Gringo. Filmed in Brazil, the fleet-footed doc used guerilla green screen techniques to playfully and astutely communicate the narrative of the country's turbulent recent political events while highlighting the persistence of its complex history.

It’s been a good week for the Netherlands. First its people rejected Geert Wilders' alt-right party at the general election on 15 March, and now as well as the Bill Douglas Award, a Dutch filmmaker also picked up The Scottish Short Film Award. Jasper Coppes, who’s currently studying at Glasgow School of Art, won for the stunning Flow Country, which used unworldly sounds and stark black and white imagery to capture a sense of wonder and a new vision of the Scottish Highlands.

[Douwe Dijkstra's Green Screen Gringo]

"Every year one or two nationalities seem to shine out in our selection – this year it’s undoubtedly the Netherlands, with five productions in international competition and one co-production in the Scottish competition,” said Matt Lloyd, GSFF's director. “And our jury has confirmed that by awarding our top prizes to two of those films. We’re delighted for Douwe and Jasper and send them heartfelt congratulations!"

As well as jury awards, GSFF also handed out two audience awards: one for the best Scottish short and one for best International short. The winner of the latter was Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck’s Ten Metre Tower, a brilliantly tense but simple short from Sweden which filmed various people on a pool’s highest diving board deciding whether they will jump into the pool below. Ten Meter Tower is available to watch online over at the New York Times or in the player below:

The Scottish short winner, meanwhile, was Robin Haig’s gentle comedy Hula, notable for its soulful central performance by Blythe Duff, best known as Jackie Reid in crime drama Taggart. As part of the prize, Haig will be commissioned to create the trailer for the 2018 Glasgow Short Film Festival.

GSFF also launched a new prize this year for Best Pitch. The winner was John McFarlane for his film idea Tony and the Bull. McFarlane will now go on to make the film with the support of the award's sponsors, Production Attic.

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Glasgow Short Film Festival took place 15-18 Mar