“Christmas with Dad” nominated for Best British Short Film in the 12th British Independent Film Awards 2009

Clarity Productions award-winning documentary “Christmas with Dad” has been nominated as Best British Short Film in the 12th British Independent Film Awards 2009. Directed by Conor McCormack and produced by Sarah Tierney, “Christmas with Dad” follows 23-year-old AJ as he and his family prepare for the festive season and the arrival of an eighth child. With remarkable access and insight, the film reveals a young man struggling to define his role as a father, haunted by his own childhood and facing an uncertain future...

Created in 1998, The British Independent Film Awards celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking, honouring new talent and promoting British films to a wider public. The Best British Short Film Award is open to any British short film that has won an award between October 2008 and October 2009. “Christmas with Dad” is the only documentary in this Category this year, nominated alongside award-winning short dramas: “Leaving” (Dir: Richard Penfold and Sam Hearn); “Love You More” (Dir: Sam Taylor Wood); “Sidney Turtlebaum” (Dir: Tristram Shapeero); and “Washdays” (Dir: Simon Neal). The BIFA ceremony takes place on Sunday 6th December 2009, hosted by James Nesbitt, in London.

“Christmas with Dad” premiered at the 62nd Edinburgh International Film Festival 2008 where it was awarded Best Scottish Short Documentary, the Jury commenting that it was “...a beautifully structured story...subtly observed scenes and unexpected details combined to produce an unforgettable portrait of a modern family.” Since then, the documentary has screened at Encounters Short Film Festival 2008, Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival 2008, London Short Film Festival 2009, Glasgow Film Festival 2009, Hot Docs: 16th Canadian International Documentary Festival 2009, IFI Stranger Than Fiction Documentary Film Festival 2009, 21st Galway Film Fleadh 2009 (where it was awarded ‘Best Short Documentary’), 23rd Pärnu International Documentary and Anthropology Film Festival 2009, 9th Gimli International Film Festival 2009, Branchage Jersey International Film Festival, 28th Uppsala International Short Film Festival, 9th Viscult Festival of Visual Culture, and 13th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival. This month, “Christmas with Dad” screens at the 35th International Filmets Festival of Badalona and the 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival.

“Christmas with Dad” was directed by Bristol-based filmmaker Conor McCormack and produced by Sarah Tierney for Glasgow-based Clarity Productions. For more information, please see Clarity News or join us at Clarity Productions on 38minutes.