MAKE IT SHORT AND WE'LL MAKE YOU BIG

SILENCE IS GOLDEN WINS TCM CLASSIC SHORTS COMPETITION 2006

London, 1st November 2006.  Silence is Golden was announced as the winner of TCM Classic Shorts seventh annual short film competition in an award ceremony as part of The Times BFI 50th London Film Festival.   BBC radio, TV broadcaster, and Radio Times Film Editor Andrew Collins presided over the ceremony during which the decision as to which of this year’s entrants would share the £10,000 prize money was announced. The ceremony is being televised on TCM for the first time this year.  Over 340 films were whittled down to a final five and the top three places were decided by an illustrious panel of judges including Richard E Grant, Imelda Staunton, Terry Gilliam, Matthew Modine, Sally Potter, Stephen Poliakoff and Pierce Brosnan.

Directed by Liverpool born Chris Shepherd and produced by Maria Manton, Silence is Golden has already enjoyed plenty of exposure at international film festivals including Zagreb International Film Festival, where it won the audience award.  Starring Conor Morris, who also appeared in Ashes, one of TCM Classic Shorts finalists 2006, the film uses live action and animation to tell the story of a young boy’s fixation with his unorthodox neighbour. 

A hit with the Classic Shorts judges, Imelda Staunton described the film as ‘wonderfully surreal’, Matthew Modine called it ‘a wonderful combination of mixed media, strong storytelling and talented actors’ whilst Terry Gilliam thought it a ‘terrific, strong, non-sentimental kid’s story’. Jason Solomons ‘loved the talking wallpaper and the brilliant animated flights of fantasy and fine dialogue’ and Stephen Poliakoff thought it, ‘technically extremely impressive, full of wit and imagination’.

Second place went to Tokyo Jim directed by Jamie Rafn and produced by Doug Wade which turned racial stereotyping on its head with hilarious consequences.   Jason Solomons commented that it was, ‘funny, like a short should be, well-acted and with a good punchline finish’ whilst Imelda Staunton thought it was, ‘beautifully and economically told’.   Venom directed by John Hayes and produced by John McDonnell took third place with their dark and intriguing story about the insect world wreaking its revenge.  Matthew Modine thought it, ‘Beautiful, strong, artistic and simplistic’ whilst Terry Gilliam commented that it was, ‘Technically brilliant with good storytelling’.

The five short listed films can be viewed at 9pm, 5th November as part of a special weekend of programming on 4th and 5th November to celebrate TCM Classic Shorts during which the excerpts from the ceremony will be broadcast alongside landmark films and interviews with stars and filmmakers.

Further information is available at: www.tcmonline.co.uk/classicshorts

For further information about The Times BFI 50th London Film Festival, log on to: www.lff.org.uk

TCM (Turner Classic Movies) is a Time Warner company launched in Europe in 1999. The channel draws on an extensive library of timeless movies presenting them in a contemporary style.  The channel is available via cable, satellite and digital terrestrial and reaches over 10 million UK households.  In 2005 TCM was the 2nd highest rated movie channel in the UK.

For more information please contact:

Ann Rosen            Tel: +44 20 7693 1117    Email: ann.rosen@turner.com     

Catherine Hayes  Tel: +44 (0) 7693 0648   Email: catherine.hayes@turner.com