2024
For our 15th Anniversary, Watersprite grew to be the World’s Largest Student Film Festival.
We achieved the most submissions yet, with over 1700 submissions from 94 countries and our audience grew to reach 21,000 attendees from 79 countries.
As a part of the 2024 programme, we launched Watersprite Hubs: a free training scheme for emerging filmmakers across the UK. We also launched our Ambassadors Programme which saw students from universities across the UK become a part of the Watersprite family and take part in year round opportunities as well as the festival weekend itself.
Alongside the new opportunities, we continued to deliver events that widen accessibility into the screen industries. Highlights included a masterclass on stop-motion animation with Aardman’s Lucy Izzard, a deep dive into the incredible VFX of Poor Things with Union VFX and an in conversation with the writer of The Split, ERIC and Suffragette, Abi Morgan.
2023
Building from our expanded reach in 2022, 2023’s festival hit a huge milestone of gaining 1500 submissions from 106 countries. The festival continued its hybrid approach and worked to highlight independent film and unsung heroes of the industry through a diverse programme of events.
Highlights from 2023 included insights from some of the best Casting Directors and Agents in the country, an opening conversation with independent film director, Carol Morley (Typist Artist Pirate King, The Falling), and a spectacular and dynamic closing event with puppeteers Lousise Gold (The Muppets, The Dark Crystal), Warrick Brownlow-Pike (Sesame Street, CBeebies) and Dave Chapman (Star Wars, Spitting Image).
2022
2022 was Watersprite’s first ever hybrid festival - allowing us to reach more people than ever before from all corners of the world. As a part of the festival programme we included more events than ever before to champion the diversity of the industry including a Women’s Gala event, and a panel event of Women Filmmakers from Afghanistan that raised money for the Yalda Hakim Foundation, supporting women’s education in Afghanistan.
Highlights from the events of the festival weekend included an opening celebration with the director of Loki, Kate Herron, a deep dive into the world of intimacy coordination with industry leader Ita O’Brien, and an Awards Ceremony hosted by Sex Education, and Deep State star, Alistair Petrie.
2021
With the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 saw Watersprite adapt to having the first ever online version of the festival.
The pandemic did not put a stop to the incredible lineup of events for the festival weekend that included a masterclass on costume with the designers of Noughts and Crosses, and an In Conversation with Tamsin Greig (Friday Night Dinner, Episodes).
2020
Watersprite 2020 saw a major investment in the accessibility of the film industry for 16-18 year olds through the creation of our Creative Futures programme. Spear-headed by then Festival Producer, now Production and Development Executive and member of the Watersprite Steering Committee, Anna Keeley, the Creative Futures Day saw the backing of companies such as BBC3 to demystify the film and TV industries for young people and bring them together with industry professionals.
Other event highlights of the weekend included a deep dive into BBC and HBO’s His Dark Materials, and a masterclass with the director of Peaky Blinders, Anthony Byrne.
2019
In March 2019 we celebrated 10 years of supporting the future of film and were able to screen our incredible nominated films in the historic venue of the Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge.
In this 10th year we saw some truly inspiring events such as a masterclass on making the dragons from Game of Thrones, a panel with the newest in British talent with the BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, and a conversation between Harry Potter star and director, Evanna Lynch and David Yates.
2018
In 2018, the ninth edition of the festival, there was a steady rise to 400 submissions from across the world. Exciting additions to this year’s festival included a VR experience as a part of the festival Hub, and an open film studio where attendees could experience what it means to be on a film set.
Key speakers from the 2018 festival included a deep dive into the world of acting with I Wanna Dance With Somebody’s Naomi Ackie, a panel event on international series making with writer and director Matthew Parkhill, and a fascinating insight into the incredible career of director, Mike Leigh (Vera Drake, Mr Turner).
2017
Between 10th - 12th March 2017, Cambridge saw the eighth edition of the Watersprite Film Festival with screenings following themes of family, borders and New Queer Visions.
We were delighted to welcome key speakers such as director of Notting Hill, Roger Michell and Game of Thrones star, Jacob Anderson.
2016
The festival returned in 2016, running from 4th-6th March with a schedule packed with screenings and events from all different genres and careers across the film industry.
Some event highlights included an opening speech from Oscar nominated producer Finola Dwyer, insight into the business of filmmaking with Chair of BAFTA, Anne Morrison, and discussions on meaningful filmmaking with our festival chair, Hilary Bevan Jones, and Sir Lenny Henry.
2015
W is for Watersprite…
For the sixth iteration of the festival we built a truly interactive experience for our audiences with insight sessions into stop-motion, hair on film and the chance to pitch film ideas to industry professionals.
Event highlights from 2015 included a Q&A with Call The Midwife’s Jessica Raine, and a panel on how to get your film seen with Bankside Films and Studio Canal.
2014
Our first big milestone! In 2014, Watersprite turned 5 years old and slowly began confirming itself as a staple of the international student filmmaking scene.
To celebrate this, the festival welcomed speakers such as Richard Curtis and Rob Brydon, as well as a masterclass on costume design from Academy Award Winning Costume Designer, Jenny Beavan.
2013
Watersprite 2013 saw a particularly star-studded lineup, with the festival being led by the formidable Helen Simmons who now works as a Producer, Writer and is a part of the Watersprite Steering Committee.
Highlight events from the 2013 festival included Q&As with Olivia Colman, Eddie Redmayne and a masterclass from Neil Gaiman.
2012
For 2012, highlights of the events calendar included a masterclass on approaching production companies with HBO; a deep dive into film criticism with Anna Smith (Girls on Film Podcast) and an insightful interview with David Yates on the responsibility of directing box office hits such as the Harry Potter series.
Watersprite: 2011
In honour of the first winning film ‘Who’s Afraid of the Watersprite’ (William McGregor dir.), the festival found a new name: Watersprite Film Festival.
In it’s second year of running, Watersprite saw some fantastic guests from Bill Nighy, to Tom Hollander, and key supporters building up in the film industry.
A new era begins: 2010
In 2009, a group of students from Cambridge University were frustrated with the lack of opportunity for student filmmakers to have their work shown or recognised. They decided to come together to make change this. In June 2010, with the guidance of Hilary Bevan Jones, the first ever ‘Cam-Era Film Festival’ took place, showcasing 72 films from 21 countries from student filmmakers across the world.
It was at this first festival that William McGregor took home the first ever Best Short Film Award for his dark fantasy short:
‘Who’s Afraid of the Water Sprite?’