Disability Arts Online

Sarah Pickthall enjoys sheltering from a stormy, windy afternoon watching the latest animation work at Oska Bright 2009 in Hove

Arriving late for the first screening of the afternoon, I was greeted by the neon orange shirts and smiles of the Carousel crew, handed the delicious programme of delights, and swiftly ushered in the back with a torch and a friendly pat on the back.

I’m an old fogey when it comes to Oska Bright; and that’s what the festival is all about: sinking into your seat, and letting the wind and rain wail outside while you lose yourself in the wonder that is learning disabled creativity at its complete boogie best! The festival always has the ability to bring out the filmmaker in each and everyone of us. It’s exclusively inclusive.

Oska Bright is such a charming and delicious thing to go to – I haven’t missed a fest so far: a set of filmic titbits, where you can eat crisps on the quiet, and laugh your head off at the slickest of shorts with the assembled crowd, this particular sitting being the North and West shortlisted flicks

I spoke to several in the interval about Oska Bright. For Shoot Your Mouth Off Films (Gateshead), being shortlisted and attending Oska Bright is just second nature. ‘We love coming here’ they chimed and they didn’t go home empty handed as their ‘Hope Springs – Episode 1’, won one of the fantabulous Andy Kee-original statuettes for Best Acting at the awards ceremony later that night.

My personal favourites were ‘The Real Goldfinger', by The Skyway Club, Belfast, a wholly new take on the Bond classic and ‘Merry’ by Stella Rogers and Leigh Court Day Centre Creativity Group which was the best animated-reindeer rendition of a Xmas carol I’m ever likely to hear!

I also loved the totally brilliant ‘Mr Stephenson and The Leaves’ – a flurry of autumn shed and laughter, not to mention the home grown Oska Bright Bus Appeal 30-seconder which was, in itself a right little masterpiece!

There is simply no better film fest around and it will no doubt be coming to a town near you soon, so check out the uber-friendly website, donate five pounds to put wheels on the bus and get this show on the road!

Read more about the 4th International Oska Bright Film Festival on their website