Two ten year-old boys are detained by police under suspicion of abducting and murdering a toddler. A true story based on interview transcripts and records from the James Bulger case, which shocked the world in 1993. Detainment is a 2018 Irish short drama film written and directed by Vincent Lambe, about the murder of James Bulger. In January 2019, it was nominated for the Best Live Action Short Film at the 91st Academy Awards.

Critic Reviews

‘True-crime reenactments have been popular fodder for short-film directors of late, but this one is unusually effective, relying on transcripts of police interviews with the two suspects, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables (played by Leon Hughes and Ely Solan in a pair of stunning child performances), to provide a window into their psychology.’ Variety

Awards

Winner Grand Prix, HCA Award, Odense International Film Festival

Winner of the 'Don Quixote' Award, Krakow Film Festival

Winner of the 'Young Director' Award, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2018

Winner of the 'Young Jury' Award, Best of International Short Films Festival 2019

Winner of the 'Emerging Director' Award, Emerging Directors Awards 2020

Award winning New Boy captures the experience of being the new kid in school through the eyes of Joseph, a nine year-old African boy.

New Boy is a 2007 Irish short film based on the short story by Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter, Roddy Doyle. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. The film is about a young boy's experience as he moves from a rural town in Africa to Ireland: a new country, a different school system and a whole new set of customs.

Awards

Academy Awards, USA 2009 Nominee for the Oscar for Best Short Film, Live Action

Amiens International Film Festival 2008 Winner of the Audience Award for Best Short Film

Belfast Film Festival 2008 Winner of the Highly Commended Award

Berlin International Film Festival 2008 Winner of the Crystal Bear - Special Mention for best Short Film

Cork International Film Festival 2007 Winner Audience Award for Best International Short Film

Foyle Film Festival 2007 Winner of the Festival Prize for Best Irish Short

Irish Film and Television Awards 2008 Winner of the IFTA Award for Best Short Film

Kerry Film Festival 2007 Winner of the Festival Prize for Best Irish Short

Manhattan Short Film Festival 2008 Winner of the Grand Prize for Best Short Film

Melbourne International Film Festival 2008 Winner of Outstanding Short Film Promoting Human Values

Rhode Island International Film Festival 2008 Winner of the First Prize for Best Short Film

Seattle International Film Festival 2008 Winner of the Short Film Competition Special Jury Award for Best Short Film

Tirana International Film Festival, AL 2007 Winner of the Audience Award

Tribeca Film Festival 2008 Winner of the Jury Award for Best Narrative Short

Vail Film Festival 2008 Winner of the Best Short Film

The film marks the 2nd instalment of Birdbox.Film’s monthly ‘Film Club’. At 7.30pm on Wednesday the 3rd March, users will be able to tune into a discussion with producer Rachel Prendergast, and exec producer Benjamin Hartley. Director and Writer Richard Prendergast and hosted by The Big Picture Film Club.

Sign up for the Q&A here

A loving family set off in their car on what seems like a carefree family outing. They sing, stop for ice- creams and play eye-spy. However, it becomes clear that this isn't a happy outing after all and only once the car arrives does the actuality of the narrative fully manifest.

Critic Reviews

‘A remarkable piece with a fantastic central performance, Sylvia is a short film much like its namesake: reliable, not faultless but in pretty good condition, and able to provide you with a fantastic journey. ‘ UK Film Review

Awards

Manhattan Short Film Festival 2019 – Gold Medal Winner *Oscar Qualifying

SCAD Film Festival 2019 – Best Editing

The American Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival 2019 – Best Short Film

Cordillera International Film Festival 2019 – Jury Award Best of Fest

Pittsburgh Short Film Festival 2019 – Best Narrative Audience award

New Renaissance Film Festival 2019 – Best Actress

Chelmsford Film Festival 2019 – Best Actress

Top Shorts 2019 – Annual Awards – Best Actress

Top Shorts 2019 – Annual Awards – Runner Up Best Short Film

Elba Film Festival 2019 – Silver Best Actress

Elba Film Festival 2019 – Bronze Best Screenplay

Show Low Film Festival 2019 – Best of Fest

Aguilar Film Festival 2019 – Young Jury Award – Best Film

Sydney Indy Film Festival 2018 – Best Film

Norwich Film Festival 2018 – Best East Anglian Film *BIFA & BAFTA Qualifying

Tri-Force Film Festival 2018 – William Bryne Award for Promising Director

Overcome Film Festival 2018 – Best Director

London Independent Film Awards 2018 – Best Short Film

Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival 2018 – Best Short Film

London Lift-Off Film Festival 2018 – Special Mention for Best Short Film

Heather is a shy lady who works in a helpline call centre. When she receives a phone call from a mystery man, she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever.

The Phone Call is a 2013 British short drama film. It was directed by Mat Kirkby and written by Kirkby and James Lucas. It won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film at the 87th Academy Awards. The film stars Sally Hawkins as Heather, a crisis hotline counsellor trying to dissuade Stanley (Jim Broadbent), an unseen distraught caller, from a suicide attempt following the death of his wife.

Critic Reviews

‘Easily one of my favorite shorts from the 2014 Heartland Film Festival, The Phone Call is a deeply felt and emotionally unforgettable 20 minute short that will stay with you long after you've left the theater.’ The Independent Critic

Awards

Academy Awards, USA 2015 Winner of the Oscar for Best Short Film

American Short Film Awards 2013 Winner of the Jury Award for Best Short Film of The Year

Aspen Shortsfest 2014 Winner of the Audience Award - Special Recognition

Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival 2014 Winner of the Festival Prize for Best Short Film

International Film Festival ASTERFEST 2015 Winner of the Aco Aleksov Award for Best Auteur

Krakow Film Festival 2014 Winner of the Silver Dragon for Best Fiction Film

15-year-old Kyle believes he can save his dying older brother with a plant he's found at the back of a garden centre. Problem is, there's a shadowy government agency out to destroy it first.

Earthy Encounters is a short family action-adventure film about a 15-year-old boy who believes he can save his terminally ill brother with an ancient, sentient plant he’s unearthed in the garden centre he works at.

The film premiered at Tribeca 2018, and has been a big festival hit, playing 40 international festivals and winning awards at Dublin, Seattle, Newport Beach, Hamilton and San Jose.

Awards

Dublin International Film Festival 2018 Winner Fantastic Flix Best Short Film

Hamilton Film Festival, CA 2018 Winner Festival Prize for Best Short Film

Newport Beach Film Festival 2018 Winner of the Short Film Award for Best Family Film

An 8 year old schoolboy is so besotted with his teacher that he challenges her boyfriend to a duel...to the death.

The Crush is an Irish live action short film, written and directed by first-timer Michael Creagh, and produced by Damon Quinn. The film was shot during Easter 2009 in Skerries, north Dublin. Creagh cast his nine-year-old son Oran in the lead role of the story. The story sees an eight-year-old schoolboy (played by Oran Creagh) fall in love with his teacher, Miss Purdy. One day he gives her a toy ring to show his affection. But heartbreak abounds when he bumps into Miss Purdy and her boyfriend having just bought a very real engagement ring.

The film was awarded Best Irish Short at the 23rd Foyle Film Festival. On 25 January 2011, it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 83rd Academy Awards.

Critic Reviews

‘In the heartwarming "The Crush,"  by Ireland's Michael Creagh. A precocious schoolboy takes bold action when he learns he has an adult rival for his beloved teacher's affections.’ San Fransisco Chronicle

Awards

Academy Awards, USA 2011 Nominee for the Oscar for Best Short Film - Live Action

Tribeca Film Festival 2010 Winner of the Special Mention for best Narrative Short

Busy discussing the details of her wedding on the phone, Alicia walks into the first cafe she sees and orders a coffee to go. As fate would have it, she unexpectedly bumps into Javi there.

Awards

Goya Award for Best Fictional Short Film Winner.

Nominations: Goya Award for Best Fictional Short Film, Gaudí Award for Best Short Film

Short film | 15 min | Psycho, Horror

Running Man is a dark yet comedic short film set in the South East of England in 1991 – the heyday of illegal raves. In an attempt to escape the ghosts of his past, Fred Love convinces his mates to take part in a clinical drug trial for cash. But events take a turn as the trial spirals into violent psychosis, forcing Fred to come face-to-face with the very thing he’s been running from.

The film marks the launch of Birdbox.Film first monthly ‘Film Club’. At 7.30pm on Wednesday the 3rd February, users will be able to tune into a discussion with the Producer Sadie Frost, Director Chris Turner and Raff Law, hosted by The Big Picture Film Club.

Sign up for the Q&A here - https://birdbox.film/bird-box-film-club/

Speaking about the film, Sadie Frost remarked “I wanted to make a film about the 90’s rave scene...I wanted it to be authentic and dark. With Johnny Cookes brilliant script and Chris Turner’s spot on direction, along with a stellar cast and a unique rave soundtrack, we have achieved something very exciting! It has been brilliant that so many festivals have reacted so well to it, and ultimately that people are drawn to it and find it an exciting and fun watch”.

We hope you enjoy the film!