Filmmakers Lab Session #3: Short Film Screening of THE SERMON and Director Q&A

Filmmakers Lab holds regular monthly social meet-up sessions at Exeter Phoenix, the multi-arts venue in the heart of Devon. We offer a regular programme of creative workshops, guest speakers, masterclasses and film screenings for members top expand their knowledge and practice. There are also opportunities for members to discuss and explore ideas around their current filmmaking project in a constructively supportive environment.

Totnes based Writer/Director, Dean Puckett, will be screening his latest short film The Sermon. After which he’ll be joined by BFI.NETWORK South West Talent Executive, Alice Cabanas, to talk about his journey as a Writer/Director, including his progression through Creative England’s funding schemes.

THE SERMON (2018)

In an isolated church community in the English countryside, a powerful hate preacher prepares to deliver a sermon to his flock, but his daughter has a secret that could destroy them all

Dean Puckett – Writer/Director

Dean Puckett is a writer/director from London, based in Plymouth. For ten years he took a ‘Gonzo’ approach to documentary filmmaking, often living with and immersing himself in his subjects. From his adaptation of Dr. Nafeez Mohammed's book The Crisis of Civilization, through to his three ethnographic documentaries, Grasp the Nettle, Honey at the Top and The AutistiX (The Guardian). He has shown a passion for telling gripping stories about people living on the edge of mainstream society.

In 2015, with backing from Creative England and the BFI, he made the move into fiction with an award-winning short film called Circles and then most recently, The Sermon, a rural set ‘folk-horror’ dealing with sexuality faith and oppression which had its world premiere at BFI-Flare and has screened at Overlook film festival, Palm Springs short-fest and many more. In addition to this, he recently directed a ‘Straight8’ film called Satan’s Bite, which was shot on one roll of super8 film with no editing and selected to world premiere at the Cannes film festival. He has a production company called Grasp the Nettle with Producer Rebecca Wolff.

Tickets

Additional Information

Filmmakers Lab is a membership-based filmmaking talent development initiative, dedicated to providing networking and skill building opportunities for filmmakers in Devon, and further field across the South West. The membership scheme is open to all, but targeted at early-career filmmakers who have an aspiration to develop themselves further as practitioners. Providing a platform for creative exploration and collaboration within the local film industry.

We hold regular monthly social meet-up sessions at Exeter Phoenix, the multi-arts venue in the heart of Devon. We offer a regular programme of creative workshops, guest speakers, masterclasses and film screenings for members top expand their knowledge and practice. There are also opportunities for members to discuss and explore ideas around their current filmmaking project in a constructively supportive environment.

Our long-term ambition is to support a growth of regional filmmaking talent and increasing the quality of locally produced films. Raising awareness of the South West as a central hub for film production, to ultimately attract more productions to the region and create local job opportunities.

We are a not for profit organisation, any income generated from membership fees is spent on programming and developing the initiative and filmmakers involved. We are funded through support from Exeter City Council, Film Hub South West, and our partner organisation Exeter Phoenix.