UAL Future Fashion Film Festival: What to Expect

The UAL Future Fashion Film Festival has received almost 300 short-film entries this year from London’s next generation of fashion filmmakers. East Bank will host the event that will run from the 3rd to 5th June. The production process is gathering momentum as University of the Arts London students bubble up with emotions ahead of the festival.

UAL’s innovative approach is to underscore and highlight structural inequalities and social issues through their showcase. Students will place emphasis on a plethora of socio-cultural issues through the love affair of Fashion and Film.

Pitching to NOWNESS

The East Bank spectacle will feature the short films in their evening ceremonies. UAL students that fall in the shortlisted categories could be selected by NOWNESS to have their project screened internationally.

This year’s categories include Best Fashion Film, Best Fashion Animation, Best Fashion Documentary, Best Fashion Performance, Best Fashion and Digital Innovation, Best Activism in a Fashion Context and Overall Winner.

Let me bring you up to speed. The filmmakers are pitching their ideas to NOWNESS right now. For some, this is their first time putting an idea forward in an industry setting. Each panel of judges will then come together to agree on a winner in their respective category at the end of this month. The festival will therefore showcase the winning artists.

"The Trick is to Walk Through the Fire"

Vicky Mather, a Curator of the UAL Future Fashion Film Festival and a mentor for the students, gives updates on how the students are getting on. The curator said: “The trick is to walk through the fire,” after she acknowledges that there have been creative challenges along the way.

A fundraiser has been organised to help raise funds for the film production costs. A commercial director in London offered access to his studio space to facilitate this during the cost-of-living crisis where materials are excessively priced.

UAL students work closely with their mentors to produce ‘portfolio-worthy work.’ The festival is a core part of the university experience. In the competitive world of arts, the festival opens doors to internships or funding, which can be a turning point in their professional career.

The Festival's Purpose

The aim of the festival is twofold. Mather said student development is one aspect with audience engagement closely linked.

“By focusing on visual activism and socially responsible fashion, students can push the boundaries of their craft while also gaining valuable industry insights through mentorships, workshops, and networking opportunities with industry professionals.”

Mather added that whilst the showcase is an opportunity for these students to advance to the next level by testing their boundaries as fashion focused filmmakers, they naturally engage with an audience where ‘culture, innovation and social purpose’ means something to them.

Mather said the students are working with HIDDEN AGENCY, a London and Tokyo-based agency, to incite purpose in this visual activism. The agency aims to provoke discussion among the creatives that will allow for cultural dialogue within the fashion industry.

Anticipated Themes

Themes across the board have been in response to modern cultural shifts. Students have been touching on fashion sustainability, the rise of AI in the global fashion world, and the redefining of luxury as an ethical craftsmanship.

UAL embeds ethics into fashion and film education to ‘mirror to the values, beliefs, and assumptions of young people.’

Mather said: “This approach not only prepares students to be innovative and responsible in their work but also ensures they understand the profound cultural impact of the fashion they create.”

What will set true students apart will be their dedication to offering their authentic self. Pouring individuality and collective action in a harmonious manner.

A recurring debate is how important the role of Fashion is in the cinematic story telling of activism. She said: “Fashion is a visual conversation as much as Film is. The whole point in the festival is to bring these two cultural entities together and watch them flourish.

Words from the Judge, Rhea Thierstein

I spoke with Creative Director Rhea Thierstein, this year’s treasured judge for the Best Fashion Film category who touches on the balance of Fashion and Film.

Thierstein said: “Fashion is central, but it’s not about glossy imagery alone, it’s about how fashion becomes a narrative device, a character, a metaphor or even a provocation.”

With pure creative freedom over their projects, I asked Thierstein what themes she anticipates this year. She said: “Whether it's the environmental impact of fashion, questions around identity, representation and inclusivity, or the digital transformation of the industry, we expect the films to reflect the urgent, curious and rebellious spirit of the next generation of creatives.”

The short films will be judged based on different components. For Thiersten, storytelling is the key to a stand-out entry. Technicalities also come into play for the judge, but she made it obvious that having a ‘clear creative voice and a sense of risk taking’ is at the forefront of her judge-making decision.

In the depths of the creation process, students should embrace their unique take on visual activism, introducing personalities, metaphors, or thought-provoking ideas to deepen the purpose of their films.

The East London festival is free of charge, so get ready to watch, feel, and discuss the compelling fashion films this June. There will be drinks flowing, Greenspace workshops, industry creatives present, and friendly UAL faces there, so do not miss out.