Brett Harvey (English director)

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Brett Harvey
Occupations
Years active2003–
Notable workWeekend Retreat (2011)

Brett Harvey is a film writer and director based in Cornwall. His debut feature film Weekend Retreat (2011), which premièred at the Cornwall Film Festival won several awards.[1]

Early life[edit]

Harvey grew up in Malabar, Truro[2] He attended Richard Lander School[3] and later studied film at St Helens College and Truro College.[4] Harvey has two brothers: Simon Harvey and Dan Harvey. He later starred alongside them in the play Superstition Mountain.[5] Simon founded Rough Cut, a regular film night organised by o-region in association with DOGBITE film crew, which Brett is currently the programmer and regular contributor to.[6]

Career[edit]

"I became a film-maker by mistake...I'd always loved films but never dreamed of making one myself. The first film was a joke, just something to do one night. We didn't have a script, we didn't even have a story, just some costumes and tomato ketchup. The resulting film, Zombies, was premiered at a house party to a room of 80 drunk college students. From that moment on I was a film-maker."

Brett Harvey in Western Morning News (2010)[7]

Harvey has created more than 30 short films.[1] Harvey released a DVD in 2010, What I've done while I look for a real job which showed a collection of his short films.[4] It featured 15 shorts between 60 seconds to 15 minutes long.[7]

Harvey's first notable film The Curse (2003) was made for a Rough Cut film event and later won Best Amateur Film 2004 at Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films.[8][9]

The 'o-region' production Weekend Retreat which was funded by 'Feast' was written and directed by Harvey.[10] It was promoted as a "Cornish black comedy thriller"[1] and was described in The Cornishman as "Pulp Fiction meets Shaun of the Dead without the zombies".[11] It stars Esther Hall, Dominic Coleman and Dudley Sutton.[1] Harvey won Best Director for the film at the London Independent Film Festival which was celebrated in Truro with two consecutive showings of Weekend Retreat.[12] He has also won the Slate Golden Chough Award[2] and awards at "Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films, Fresh Five, Viewfinder, Cornwall Film Festival, International Film Festival of Wales,[13] Frightfest, Total Film magazine and was nominated for a BAFTA."[4]

Harvey's film An Jowl Yn Agas Kegin (The Devil in Your Kitchen) was an English subtitled film with spoken Cornish.[14]

Harvey is an associate lecturer of film at Falmouth University.[15]

Filmography[edit]

  • The Curse (2003, produced for Rough Cut, Winner of 2004 Delta Film Award)[9]
  • Me and Alfie (2003, Cornwall film festival winner)[4]
  • Pop Chorus (2006, BAFTA runner-up in the 60 seconds of fame award 2007)[4]
  • An Jowl Yn Agas Kegin (The Devil in Your Kitchen) (2007)[4]
  • Flight of the falcons (2007)[16]
  • The Lovers (2008)[17]
  • Bandages (2008, Zone Horror CUT! Short Film Competition runner-up)[18]
  • Displacement (2009, Cornwall film festival)[19]
  • Superstition Mountain (2010)[5]
  • The Venus Flower (2011, film documenting a Global Gardens production)[20]
  • My Truro (2011, Short film)[21]
  • 12 Hours (2011, Cornwall College production)[22]
  • Weekend Retreat (2011, Winner of Best Writer Director at London Independent Film Festival, Best Director at the International Film Festival of Wales,[23] and Best Feature Film at Edinburgh Bootleg Film Festival)[24]
  • Dementia Uncovered (2012)[25][26]
  • Paradise (2013, music video for Black Books)[27]
  • Dog (2013)[28][29]
  • Brown Willy (2016)[30]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Parker, Simon (28 October 2011). "Western Morning News: When the shooting stops... Cornish movies on target for 10th film festival". Plymouth, England: Western Morning News. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Brett has his eyes on the proze". Truro, England. The West Briton. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Future film-makers get technical at the library". Truro, England: The West Briton. 4 February 2010. p. 5. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Trewhela, Lee (27 January 2010). "Award winner releases DVD". Cornish Guardian. Truro, England. p. 50. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Western Morning News: Sibling rivalry emerges in earthy Cornish play". Plymouth, England: Western Morning News. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Shorts travel a long way". Penzance, England: The Cornishman. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Western Morning News: Lack of 'real' job leads to a proper job DVD". Plymouth, England: Western Morning News. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Movie Competition Winners for 2004". The festival of Fantastic Films. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Rough Cut above in Bar 200". BBC News. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Film: Weekend Retreat". O-Region. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  11. ^ "What a bloodbath - but oh, what a scream". Penzance, England: The Cornishman. 30 June 2011. p. 42. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  12. ^ "Weekend retreat sell-out". Truro, England: The West Briton. 21 June 2012. p. 36. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  13. ^ "The Film Festival Guild | IFFW 2014". Film Festival Guild. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Western Daily Press: This must be a sign of something". Bristol, England: Western Daily Press. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Brett Harvey". Falmouth University. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  16. ^ "Flight of the Falcons". Festival Genius. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  17. ^ "The Lovers". Festival Genius. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  18. ^ "GOING POSTAL WINS MAILMAN FILM PRIZE". AMC Networks International: Zone. 26 August 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  19. ^ "Displacement". Cornwall Film Festival. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  20. ^ "Cornish dance company's film premiere this week". Cornish Guardian. Truro, England. 26 October 2011. p. 46. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  21. ^ "Western Morning News: City is the big canvas for artistic celebrations". Plymouth, England: Western Morning News. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  22. ^ "Futuristic student film will have its world premiere on Friday". Penzance, England: The Cornishman. 7 April 2011. p. 18. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  23. ^ "The Film Festival Guild | IFFW 2014". Film Festival Guild. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  24. ^ "Weekend Retreat". Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  25. ^ "Dementia uncovered A series of films giving a voice to people living with dementia". Sensory Trust. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  26. ^ "Dementia Uncovered". Cornwall Film Festival. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  27. ^ "Black Books - Paradise (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  28. ^ "NEW SHORTS #2 LO‑BUDGET MAYHEM". London Short Film Festival. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  29. ^ "Plymouth Film Festival: Best South West Film Nominations" (PDF). Plymouth Film Festival. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  30. ^ Brown Willy is Cornwall’s answer to Withnail & I: Brown Willy is Cornwall’s answer to Withnail & I, accessdate: 2 May 2016

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]