I’m excited to announce that Len & His Spitfire has won two awards at the 2023 Saskatchewan International Film Festival (SIFF). I won for BEST DIRECTOR – SHORT FILM, and BEST OF SASKATCHEWAN. I was able to take my mother with me to walk the red carpet, and she had a blast. Then the next day I visited my dad in hospital to show him the awards; he was over the moon! Just goes to show, NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!!!!
During an interview with Global News I was able to explain a bit more about the research that went into my paper puppet film based on my grandpa Len’s time as a Spitfire pilot in WWII. Using snippets from his brother Lew’s book, The Flying Duddridge’s of Hanley, I was able to put stories to his photography. I was also lucky enough to get Great Uncle Lew’s blessing to use his stories in my film.
I was interviewed a few months back by the Regina Leaderpost newspaper, regarding Len & His Spitfire’s nomination for Best of Saskatchewan in RIFFA. Figured I’d share with y’all!
Len & His Spitfire is screening at a theatre near you! If you’re in Maryland, Regina, Baker City, or Fulton, you’ll have the chance to watch this epic prairie story on the big screen. Here’s to hoping I’ll get a few more selections in the future to bring my film to more audiences across the world. Stay tuned!
Reel Puppetry Film Festival held at the University of Maryland, screening date July 19th, 2023. Fun fact, Heather Henson (Jim Henson’s daughter) will be in attendance at this festival and will be presenting a Panel Talk. EPIC! Really wish I could be there, but alas I have not updated my passport since travelling to Mexico a decade ago. Gotta get on that!
Regina International Film Festival Awards, in Regina, Saskatchewan, happening August 1st to 5th, 2023; nominated for Best of Saskatchewan. Screening date TBA.
The 14th Annual We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival in Baker City, Oregon, happening August 24th through 27th, 2023. Screening date and time TBA.
The Art of Movie Making Film Festival in Fulton, New York, tentatively happening June 14-15, 2024.
I recently received a couple amazing opportunities to be interviewed about my short paper puppet film, Len & His Spitfire. The first was for the Yorkton newspaper, talking about the Yorkton Film Festival nomination of Best of Saskatchewan.
The second was an online article for a Canadian Cinema Toronto-based blog, Cinemorata, run by Canadian cinephile, Michael Thede. I was super impressed with how well both articles turned out, so I wanted to share them with y’all! I hope you enjoy. (Click on the pictures to access the article links).
It’s been a busy festival season for Len & His Spitfire. In late May I was in attendance at the Yorkton Film Festival, where Len & His Spitfire was nominated for Best of Saskatchewan. It had been ten years since attending this festival, and it was so lovely to be back. I got to chat with the CEO of CBC, Catherine Tait, while we both grabbed ourselves coffees before her Panel Talk. I also got to reconnect with some University of Regina filmmakers and Film professors who were also screening at the festival, and got to see a friend who I hadn’t seen since she was a guest at my wedding 8 years ago. A great festival filled with a sense of togetherness in the filmmaking community.
Next I was off to OFF (Okotoks Film Festival) in Alberta at the beginning of June, where Len & His Spitfire was nominated for Best Documentary. This was an absolutely lovely festival that put an emphasis on the film screenings. It was the first time that I got to screen in a real theatre, with the smell of popcorn in the air and the buzz of excitement. It was an amazing opportunity to meet filmmakers from across the world. During the filmmakers online meet up I was able to connect with a French filmmaker named Victor whose film, Fortissimo, was one of my favourites and ended up winning the Audience Choice Award. I also met a couple amazing local Calgary filmmakers, Aleisha Anderson and Nathan Horch whose feature film, Father of Nations, opened the festival. And a fun little tidbit, Len’s nephew, Gordon Bohrson, showed up to the screening to see the film and meet me for the first time. It was so nice to have family and friends show up and support me. Just an all around amazing experience.
I had an amazing weekend in Calgary, where I attended the debut screening of Len & His Spitfire at the Calgary Animated Objects Society (CAOS) Festival of Animated Objects, Animovies Screening. It was well received by the audience, and during the Q&A session following the screening, I was able to explain a bit about the creation process.
When the question of how long the film took to complete came up, my timeline was by far the longest compared to the 3 and 4 months it took the filmmakers sitting beside me. Len & His Spitfire has been an absolute labour of love, which I started back in 2013. It took me a good year to do pre-production, researching the story using Len’s brother’s book, The Flying Duddridge’s of Hanley, writing the script and creating storyboards, digitally creating the puppets in photoshop using Len’s photography, printing, cutting out and assembling the puppets and sets; then production took another year to complete, shooting a couple weekends a month with a small crew of 3 to 4; and then I stepped away from the project for 5 years; picture edit took a year, and the sound edit took a good two years to complete, as I had to create the majority of the sounds myself (ie. when a puppet is walking on screen, the footsteps are actually me walking and holding a mic next to my feet).
So all together, Len & His Spitfire took me ten years to complete. That story got a round of applause from the audience, which was really inspiring. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as supported for creating my art, than in that moment. It was pretty special, and it really made it all worth it. I set out to make a film that my grandpa Len would be proud of, and I think I succeeded.
I’m excited to announce that my paper puppet film, based on my Grandfather’s time as a WWII Spitfire pilot, has been accepted into two Film Festivals. The first one is happening this Sunday, March 19th as part of the CAOS Festival of Animated Objects, Animovies screening. This is an amazing festival that happens in Calgary, and is a celebration of mask, puppetry, and animated objects. This will be the second time I’ve been accepted into this festival, the first was for my puppet film, A Gentleman’s Quarrel.
The second festival that Len & His has been accepted into is the DCISFF, Dawson City International Short Film Festival, April 6-9, 2023. I’m really excited for this film festival! As stated on their website, “Happening in Dawson City, Yukon… Among the most northern competitive film festivals in the world, the Dawson City International Short Film Festival has been showing short films of all genres every Easter weekend since 2000.”
EXTRA EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!!!
I’ve finished my prairie paper puppet film based on my Grandpa Len’s time as a spitfire pilot. It feels like forever ago that I started this project, and I’m absolutely ecstatic and also relieved to finally have it in the bag! It’s been a labour of love that I hope my grandpa Len would be proud of.
Next step is submitting it to film festivals for viewing.
I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s coming to a screen near you!
As a young child of the 1920’s, Len sustained serious injuries from a dynamite blast cap. As a young adult, despite his disability, he enlisted in the fight against the Germans in World War II. Adventures and near deaths ensue, after he finds himself in the cockpit of a Spitfire.
Coming soon to an independent theatre near you!
Love on The Prairies – Still
A documentary I made after getting married, just PREMIERED in Winnipeg earlier this October as part of Reel Pride Film Festival.
I created Love on The Prairies to bring light to the homophobic backlash my kid sister faced in the workplace upon returning from my wedding. Things are getting better on the prairies, but we still have a ways to go.
Noelle Duddridge 