Cul-de-sac

A middle-aged misadventure set in suburban Manchester during the mid-1980s, BAFTA-winner Colin O'Toole speaks to us about using tension as the narrative fuel of his multi-layered Sam Spruell starring comedy short Cul-de-sac, where a couple in a waning marriage try an unconventional activity to reconnect with each other.

Office Royale

DN regular Sam Baron returns with his office shootout short and reveals how camerawork, professionally coordinated stunts and top-notch performances combined to enhance the dark comedy of Harry Kershaw & Chris Leask's script as the absurd situation a group of office workers find themselves in rapidly descends into much bloodier territory.

Dig!

If you have even a passing love of music documentaries then you know that Ondi Timoner's Dig! about star-crossed friends and bitter rivals The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols is inarguably one of the best ever made. With the recent release of the revamped 20th anniversary extended edition of the rock documentary DIG! XX, we revisit DN’s 2009 interview with Timoner where she takes us inside the multi-year, 1500 hours of footage, chaotic journey behind her seminal film.

In the Shadow of the Cypres

How did a silent, father-daughter animation crafted over six and a half years in Iran defy odds to win an Oscar? We bring you the second part of our podcast series of interviews with this year’s Academy Award winning short film directors as we speak to Shirin Sohani & Hossein Molayemi, the filmmakers behind In the Shadow of the Cypress who reveal the creative triumphs and logistical battles behind their Best Animated Short Film Oscar winner, and why its absence of dialogue speaks louder than words.