The Miserables is a short film (20 minutes) directed by Benjamin Taylor and written by Alex Lipman. Released in 2010 by University of Westminster, the film was a finalist at The 38th Annual Student Academy Awards in Beverly Hills,[1] and has been screened at festivals in the UK, USA, China, Russia, Germany and Italy.[2] The film won Best Drama at the 2011 Royal Television Society Student Awards where the short was considered by the jury to be outstanding. A very good emotional script, had been creatively executed with sensitivity, flair, restraint, and imagination.[3]

The Miserables
Directed byBenjamin Taylor
Written byAlex Lipman
Produced byPeter Hort, Alex Lipman
StarringMaggie Steed, Ian Hogg
CinematographyCenay Said
Edited byKieran Waller
Music byAnne Chmelewsky
Release date
  • 27 October 2010 (2010-10-27)
Running time
20 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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Struggling to cope with his wife Evelyn's (Maggie Steed) terminal illness, Murray Pickleton (Ian Hogg) constructs time machines out of their furniture in his efforts to relive their past and escape the present. Evelyn is skeptical, but when her doctor insists she is to be moved to a hospice, she joins her husband in remembering their life together and attempts to discuss his life after hers.

Cast

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Awards and nominations

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Category Result
Student Academy Awards[1]
Best Foreign Film Nominated
Royal Television Society Student Awards[3]
Best Drama Won
International Film and Video Festival of Beijing
Audience Award Won
International Film Festival
Best Fiction Film Nominated
Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival[4]
Best Film Nominated
Screentest Student Film Festival
Best Film Won
Best Drama Nominated
Best Script Nominated

Festival screenings

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In addition to receiving various awards and nominations, The Miserables has also been screened at many short film festivals around the world, including the following:

  • 2011 – Big Sur Film Festival in California, USA.
  • 2011 – IULM Film Festival in Milan, Italy.
  • 2011 – No Limits Film Festival in Sheffield, UK.
  • 2011 – Up and Coming Film Festival in Hannover, Germany.[5]
  • 2010 – VGIK International Film Festival in Moscow, Russia.
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References

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  1. ^ a b "Latest Academy News". Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 10 September 2014.
  2. ^ "University of Westminster The Miserables".
  3. ^ a b "Student Awards 2011". Royal Television Society. 28 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival 2011 : Juried International Shorts". mvfilmfest.festivalgenius.com.
  5. ^ "2011 Up and Coming Film Festival Programme" (PDF).