“I’ll probably cry if I have to make a speech,” jokes Mafalda Lorijn, director of the upcoming Edinburgh International University Film Festival (EIUFF), a project which has become a highly anticipated appreciation of student filmmaking. “I get really giddy about it,” she says as we discuss the festival’s origins, its aims, and how much it has gained momentum since its pub-table inception in November 2023.
Mafi has always been engrossed in film, and more recently has written, directed, and submitted short films for consideration at various festivals (and yes, she’s a certified Letterboxd warrior). The idea came when she realised that, despite the city’s strong artistic heritage, there was no student-led film festival in Edinburgh. Almost 18 months later, the event will arrive in May for five days of screenings, awards, workshops, and student-oriented networking events.
In a collaboration between the four universities in Edinburgh, the EIUFF was initially aimed towards only the Scottish capital but is now expected to receive submissions from all over the world. Competing short films must be entirely university student-made, with a budget of under £5,000, following the event’s intention to give a platform to small-scale student filmmaking. There will also be a dedicated section for Further Education college students to showcase their work in local Edinburgh venues. “I can’t watch them all!” impresses Mafi as she describes how the competition’s first round will be student-assessed. For the next round a panel of industry professionals will judge a selection of films and award various prizes (although no name-dropping yet, I’m afraid). “We want to bridge the gap between students and the industry, in a healthy, collaborative way”, she notes, emphasising the hope that the festival will connect enthusiastic students with the world of filmmaking. In an industry which can be unforgiving of its young artists, EIUFF sets out to remove some of the barriers which student filmmakers face, such as the high costs of competition submission.
This goal does require funding though, which is why the team has several fundraisers planned in the meantime. The first is a Film Trivia Night on Thursday, 20 February at Raging Bull (£5 tickets), and soon we may even see a club night or a fun run. Funds from these events will go towards the festival’s running costs, ranging from graphic design and cinema hire to legal fees and website domains. “We’re all students, it’s a lot of information to retain”, says Mafi, who continues to remind me how much of a collaborative effort it has been between the 19 team members. “Everyone involved is so hardworking and so interested in making this work, […] we all contribute to each other”, so even though it’s new territory, there is clearly real drive behind the festival. As well as the event’s networking opportunities, there will be a chance to get involved in the festival’s running in the next academic year. The event itself will take place between 28 May and 1 June, celebrating student film and allowing people to “organically” connect with like-minded young artists and the numerous disciplines of filmmaking. “I was really hoping for 25 films in November, and now we’re projected over 700 submissions!”, she tells me, detailing the palpable excitement amongst the organisers.
Beneath the writing, directing, and organising, it’s clear that Mafi has a deep-rooted passion for film, which comes as no surprise when she tells me she’s watched Whiplash at least 11 times. This sort of enthusiasm is at the festival’s core; she hopes that the EIUFF will not only encourage students to continue to engage with filmmaking, but also light the creative spark for those who are yet to get involved. For more information on how to do so, head to the EIUFF Instagram page (@edi.iuff) to stay up to date.
Image provided by Mafalda Lorijn, Edinburgh International University Film Festival for press use.