It is such a special festival because, much like Edinburgh itself, it is just the right size. I was completely speechless and my legs turned to jelly. I had to quietly continue participating in the event as if nothing had happened! Ben Sharrock and past EIFF Artistic Director Mark Adams pose with the Michael Powell Award for Best Feature Film for Pikadero in 2016
I was also lucky enough to be part of the EIFF Talent Lab programme some years previous to Pikadero, so I’ve always felt a real bond with the festival from that as well. My number one highlight of course has to be when Mark Adams pulled me to one side during an event and whispered in my ear that I’d won the Michael Powell Award. It was the first film festival I ever went to as a kid and I always had an awareness of its prestige and the impact it has on the city growing up. It’s been four years since Pikadero screened at EIFF, taking home the top accolade! What were the highlights of your EIFF experience, particularly as a Scottish filmmaker? We spoke to Ben about his memories of winning the Michael Powell Award, the timely and engaging inspirations behind his new film and his own tips for staying creative whilst living in a state of limbo ourselves… Named part of the Cannes 2020 Official Selection earlier this year and with the UK and Irish rights acquired by MUBI, Limbo is now gearing up for its UK premiere next week at BFI’s London Film Festival. Combining absurdist humour with genuine sincerity, this melancholic comedy depicts the feared and frustrating ‘limbo’ state that many refugees face with a necessary warmth and humanity that speaks to shared experiences. Limbo tackles the refugee crisis, following young musician Omar and his fellow Syrian asylum seekers as they await news of their asylum status on a remote, weather-hardened (fictional) Scottish island. Sharrock’s sophomore feature, and latest project, brings us somewhat closer to home. The film has since screened at over 40 international film festivals, with Sharrock’s visually striking and intelligent Basque-language story widely lauded and enjoyed by audiences worldwide.
Following its debut at the San Sebastian Film Festival, it was awarded the coveted Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature in 2016 following its UK premiere at EIFF. Scottish filmmaker Ben Sharrock, a Screen Academy Scotland graduate and EIFF Talent Lab alumni, made waves with his debut feature film Pikadero (2015).
it was only one facet of that person’s life." "I wanted to tell a story where becoming a refugee wasn’t a conscious choice.
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