Belfast’s First Annual Yellow Fever Independent Film Festival

Yellow Fever Productions is an independent production company based in Belfast. In 2008 they produced the award winning Battle of the Bone – a zombie flick set in Belfast on the Twelfth of July and featuring two rival communities forced to put aside their differences and come together to vanquish a marauding horde of the living dead. Not content to produce award winning films, Yellow Fever have organised their own independent film festival right here in Belfast, which kicked off this weekend at the Stormont Hotel. Amongst the film screenings on offer, attendees have also been treated to exclusive workshops, Q&A sessions and a number of special guests. Festival organiser and founder of Yellow Fever Productions, George Clarke, set up the event as a means to support and promote local independent filmmakers and provide them with a platform to showcase their work; as well as giving those in attendance the opportunity to see what other independent filmmakers from around the world are producing. 

The line-up of exclusive screenings included a broad range of genres including action, horror, comedy, drama and martial arts. A plethora of short films, both local and international, were screened, and feature titles included the creepy Scottish horror The Dead Outside, stylish vampire flick Shadowland, 80’s Italian exploitation movie throwback Isle Of The Damned, and the premiere of George Clarke's own latest film, The Knackery. The special guest at this year’s festival was Impact Magazine editor Mike Leeder, who has also worked as producer and casting director on films such as The Mummy 3, Fearless and Blood The Last Vampire. Leeder hosted a number of workshops providing exclusive insight into the workings of the independent film industry and offered advice to those keen to become involved in filmmaking. As well as a shed-load of film screenings, the festival was also home to White Dragon Tattoo and an Arts Market featuring the work of local artists including Art Not Names, Spiral Threads, Divinus Photography and Big Hammer Productions. 

The message of the weekend was one of encouragement. Providing not only inspiration, Yellow Fever Productions also offered practical advice and support for local filmmakers who want to get involved in the world of film making. YFP maintain that all you need to realise your ideas is self belief, grit and determination to succeed. Click here to visit the website of Yellow Fever Productions and click here to sign up to the YFP social networking forum.

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