Aesthetica Short Film Festival

One of the UK’s most interesting film-focused events, York’s Aesthetica Short Film Festival returns for a 13th edition this November. Known for its innovative, expansive view of the industry, the festival continues its expansion with independent shorts and features, alongside virtual reality and immersive works, and a brand new Games Lab scheduled for 2023.

There are so many industry events, masterclasses and discussions that it’s hard to know where to start. From scriptwriting events from the BBC Writersroom, to iconic animation from the team at Aardman, and numerous opportunities to learn from Ridley Scott Associates. There are practical conversations planned, such as What is the Role of the Intimacy Coordinator?, as well as some more theoretical — but no less instructive — discussions, including The Female Gaze: Women Depicting Women.

A chance to hear from Cornish filmmaker Mark Jenkin (Bait) should prove inspirational to filmmakers hoping to make their mark, while the likes of Tom Knights, Senior Narrative Designer at Ubisoft will also be at the festival to talk about interactive narrative design in video games. Indeed, whether your interest lies in fashion photography, sound engineering, film marketing or some other corner of the industry, there’s something for you here.

Of course, this is a film festival — and there’s plenty to see on the big screen too. The international programme covers documentary, fiction and everything in between with works of all genres spread across five evocatively titled including “Now, in this Very Moment” and “Standing at the Threshold of Change”. Those familiar with Aesthetica will know what to expect, but newcomers can look forward to daring, innovative work that tends to engage viewers on an aesthetic or political level.

As mentioned, there’s also a VR & Immersive Experiences Lab that showcases cutting edge, experimental technologies that bring audiences closer to the action than ever before. Plus, there’s the new Games Lab which showcases 35 new games by developers driving narrative forward using interactive media.

For 2023, the festival continues to operate a hybrid model, with in-person events scheduled across the city (the Festival hub being the foyer of the Picturehouse City Screen) from 8 – 12 November, and online content such as films screenings and recorded events available online for the rest of the month.