Film Studies Students at Göteborg Film Festival
6.2 Film Studies A Level students had a fantastic few days in Sweden, immersing themselves in the Göteborg Film Festival—the largest film event in Scandinavia and a real highlight of the international film calendar.
Held each year over ten days from late January into early February, the festival offers an inspiring mix of cinema from around the world.
The group stayed at Linnéplatsens Hotel and Hostel, just a short walk from the charming, historic Haga district, which gave students a great sense of the city. Over the course of their trip, they watched eight films in total, including Spanish, Mexican, Icelandic, Danish, Czech and Brazilian productions, as well as a world premiere of the Nordic film The Last Resort, directed by Maria Sødahl.
Students also had the exciting opportunity to attend several Q&A sessions with producers, actors and directors, including the renowned filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, who was presented with the Honorary Dragon Award at the festival. A real highlight was meeting director Anne Pinheiro Guimarães and lead actor Théo Medon from Little Creatures. Théo, who is the same age as our students, was genuinely delighted to see so many young people at the festival.
No trip to Sweden would be complete without sampling Swedish meatballs, and alongside the packed festival programme, students were given daily free time and encouraged to explore the city independently and make the most of this cultural experience.
Supporting an Esher Teacher’s Film Project
Film Studies A Level teacher at Esher, James Goodchild, is also an active filmmaker with a deep passion for storytelling. Alongside his writing partner in the duo Spoon & Driver, James has developed a surreal, magical-realism comedy-drama short film called The Occasional Table featuring two unlikely friends, a magical table, an evil executive—and gnomes. The project reflects the pair’s playful, imaginative approach to independent filmmaking and their commitment to creative freedom.
Now seeking crowdfunding to bring the film to life, James describes this support as “the lifeblood of the independent artist,” explaining that crowdfunding allows them to avoid compromising their creative vision while connecting with like-minded, wacky and wonderful supporters.
Those interested in learning more about James and the project, or in lending their support, can visit Kickstarter for further details.
