ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
“Virtual Collaborators was founded in March 2020 by Danusia Samal as a response to the closure of the UK theatre industry due to COVID-19. Over the course of April and May, Danusia organised teams of one writer, one actor and one director to create a new piece of theatre under lockdown conditions. Over 50 creatives were involved. The Guardian served as media partner for this inaugural Virtual Collaborator programme, featuring selected pieces over three weeks. The initiative was hugely successful, with the Guardian articles receiving over 25,000 views and the films being being over 20,000 times.
For the next stage of Virtual Collaborators, Danusia has partnered with Olivia Munk of Part of the Main Productions to deliver a festival of work from Aug 17th – 31st 2020. Whilst the first version of Virtual Collaborators largely consisted of monologues shared online, Danusia and Olivia are keen to support freelance artists to experiment with the next stage of socially distanced theatre. Participants will be challenged to create socially distanced films, audio dramas, Zoom plays, and — most excitingly — socially distanced live theatre performed outdoors. Performances will be streamed, publicised, and will take place live. The Virtual Collaborators network will also be given access to workshops with leading theatre and television companies. We are thrilled to be working with Shoreditch Town Hall, Theatre503, The Space, Finborough, Coney, Little Door, Balloon Entertainment, and many more companies and freelance creatives.” (Source: https://virtualcollaborators.co.uk)
WATCH OUR SHORT FILM BELOW
ABOUT THE SHORT FILM
Created in a month exclusively for the Virtual Collaborators Festival. Filmed with 2 phones at home, the creative process and rehearsals happened via zoom. It gives an insight into the common perception and misperceptions of familial relationships and how warped memories can have an impact on even the strongest of bonds.
Being torn apart by their parents' divorce, two sisters try and reconnect. A short film about how memories are rewritten and how we need to be loved in our most difficult moments.
CREDITS
Writer: Mark Fenton
Actor: Megan Farquhar and Lotti Sofia
Director: Anne-Christelle Zanzen
Edditor: Anne-Christelle Zanzen and Mark Fenton
Music and Sound Mixing: Mark Fenton