THE MöBIUS TRIP
THE MöBIUS TRIP is a darkly intimate and surreal portrayal of a chaotic family unit, confined in their car and fated in their familial roles.
Written, directed and edited by Simone Smith. Produced by White Stag Films. Production award funding from Short Circuit, with support from Screen Scotland and BFI Network.
Starring Fiona O’Shaughnessy, Andrew Flanagan, Mirren Mack & Stephen McMillan.
Now in the festival circuit, it had its world premiere in March 2023 at Bafta-qualifying Glasgow Short Film Festival.
Awards:
Glasgow Short Film Festival - WINNER - Jury Special Mention
Chicago Underground Film Festival - WINNER - Grand Jury Award
Arizona Underground Film Festival - WINNER - Best Experimental Short
Encounters Film Festival - WINNER - UK Award Special Mention
Festival screenings:
Glasgow Short Film Festival - NAVIGATIONS block - March 26th
Stockholm Int. Fantastic Film Festival Monsters of Film - April 2nd
Athens Int. Film + Video Festival - COLD SWEATS block - April 12th
Shorts on Tap's Women in Revolt- May 30th
New Scottish Shorts at Queens' Park Arena! Paired screening with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - July 11th
HollyShorts Film Festival - MIDNIGHT MADNESS block- Aug 19th
Edinburgh Int. Film Festival - August 20th
Directors Notes curated guest programme DARK HEARTS, UNHINGED MINDS @ Lytham Int. Film Festival - August 26th
Women X Film Festival - Sept 9th
Chicago Underground Film Festival - ELEVATED EXPERIENCES block - Sept 16th + 17th
Arizona Underground Film Festival - DISPATCHES FROM THE UNDERGROUND block - Sept 18th
Shortscape Film Festival - THEN//NOW - screening with SLAP - Sept 23rd
Torino Underground Cinefest - INSANE block- Sept 27th
Encounters Film Festival - TRAUMA APOCALYPSE block - Sept 28th
Buried Alive Film Festival - Oct 1st
Beyond Fest - AT FIRE YOU COME AT LAST AND OTHER FOLK TALES - Sept 30th
Bolton International Film Festival - MARMITE block - Oct 7th
Sunderland Short Film Festival - HORROR block - Oct 20th
Nightmares Film Festival - MIDNIGHT SHORTS - Oct 26th
+ more festival announcements coming soon!
Press + Juries:
"The gnarliest Scottish film of the year." - THE SKINNY https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/interviews/simone-smith-mobius-trip
"The best of Encounters 2023" - SHORT OF THE WEEK
"Sits some place between Tarantino and Scotland." - EYE FOR FILM
"Arthouse horror at its best - a compelling watch." - BLOODY FLICKS
"Such a delightful brain twist of a film."- DIRECTORS NOTES
"The Möbius Trip is, without a doubt, a beautiful and efficient experience." - CENAS DE CINEMA
"The jury gives a special mention to a film that really had a strong impact on us in its radicalism. We were very impressed by the strong and adventurous cinematic vision of the director, and their visceral film that felt like a unique and peculiar viewing experience. We are trapped with characters in a never-ending loop and final descent into madness, finding its climax in what feels like the liberation of the female gaze. We are excited by the potential of the filmmaker’s artistry, and are looking forward to her contribution to the future of female filmmaking." - GLASGOW SHORT FILM FESTIVAL JURY
Click here for more press info.
SHOWREEL
SLAP - School, gum and teddy bears. An unsettling and surreal girl-pop tale about a nine year old feeling the pressures to fit in. Devoid of acceptance from her peers, Melissa’s mind unravels.
Starring Charlotte McDougall, Ian Watt, Lauren Hunter, Olivia Easton, Keira Thomson, and Dionne Cameron.
Written, directed, produced, edited and sound designed by Simone Smith. DOP David Lee.
I could only afford to submit to a small number of festivals but thankful for the wonderful BAFTA & Academy-qualifying festivals I did submit to, and who gave it a home. I'm forever grateful and immensely proud.
WON Jury Special Mention at Glasgow Short Film Festival - 2019
Nominated for a Scottish BAFTA - 2018
Audience Award WINNER - Southside Film Festival
Voted TOP-PICK by Eden Court at Inverness Film Festival - 2019
Best Scottish Short Film Award Nominee
Best British Short Film Nominee - Leeds International Film Festival
Sonic Siren Nominee - Underwire Film Festival
Best International Short Film Nominee - Cork Film Festival
Best International Short Film Nominee - Cinequest
Festival screenings:
Underwire Film Festival - 2018
Cork International Film Festival - 2018
Blueprint (in association with Glasgow Short Film Festival) - 2019
Two Rivers Film Festival - 2018
London Short Film Festival 2019
CINEQUEST Film and Creativity Festival - 2019
Crystal Palace International Film Festival - 2019
Glasgow Short Film Festival 2019
The CineSkinny On Tour 2019
Inverness Film Festival - 2019
Leeds International Film Festival - 2019
Shortscape Film Festival - THEN//NOW programme - screening alongside THE MöBIUS TRIP - Sept 23rd 2023
Press:
"an impressionistic knockout" - BFI Sight and Sound
"It settles deep under the skin. I’ve never seen anything quite like it." - Eden Court IFF Perspectives @ Inverness Film Festival
"The Jury were struck by the work of this director who is pursuing her own sensory style in design and narration. We want to encourage her in developing her individual take on the world and look forward to her next projects." - Jury at Glasgow Short Film Festival
RED
RED- A psychological hue which resembles that of blood evoked in the human observer. BAFTA New Talent award winning short film. Red is an experimental psycho-drama about war and desensitization. Written, directed, produced, edited, sound designed by Simone Smith. DOP David Lee.
Winner BAFTA New Talent Award
Nominated BAFTA New Talent 'Best Sound Design'
She's En Scene: Glesga Women Make Films, Glasgow - Nov '18
Face of the Earth Exhibition, Argentina 2018
Festival screenings:
Anthology Film Archives New Filmmakers, New York 2013 + 2014
Winner Best Short Film Shorts on Tap
Underwire Film Festival
Nominated Best Sound Design Sonic Sirens
Ickle Film Festival 2013
Nominated Best Short Film -Southside Film Festival
Nominated Best Experimental Film - LimeLight Film Awards London
Nominated Best Thriller -Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner 2012
XX
XX
- An expressionistic, non linear film which explores the dark obsessional relationship between two women as they confront their hedonism, sex, age and insecurity. One is a photographer and one is a subject and the film simultaneously explores the nature photography and its philosophical impact. Co-wrote and co-directed by Simone Smith & Nicola Stead. Produced and edited by Simone Smith.
To watch film in full, contact us for link and password.
Awards / screenings:
Official selection Blueprint (in association with Glasgow Short Film Festival) at GFT, Glasgow, June 21st 2018
Nominated 'Best Editor', UnderWire Film Festival, London, 2017
Premiered Barbican Centre, London, 2017
Memoirs of a Female's Existence - Vol I
Memoirs of a Female's Existence - Vol I -
An expressionistic short non-linear film that explores a female's consciousness... a place of intimacy, tenderness and violence. Written, Directed, edited and sound designed by Simone Smith.
Screenings:
Made as part of an art installation formed of film, sculpture and print. Exhibited at Cass Art Gallery, March 2018.
I’d like to turn the whole world on just for a moment -
- short visual art poem made complementing the words of Edie Sedgwick. Film by Simone Smith.
GUM GIRL HAIR
GUM GIRL HAIR | 2015
- short coming-of-age non-linear film about a girl, gum and hair. Made in 2 days as part of a work-in-progress multiples art project at the Glasgow School of Art. Direction, camera, sound, editing by Simone Smith. Screened at Under the Floorboards in London 2016.
THE RINSING
THE RINSING | 2014
- short psycho-drama starring Daniela Nardini. Directed, written, produced and edited by Simone Smith.
Awards/Screenings:
Premiered on Random Acts, Channel 4, UK Television.
Best Short film WINNER at Shorts on Tap, London,
Official selection at Aesthetica Short Film Festival, York UK.
Nominated 'Best Experimental' film.
Official selection at Salem Film festival, Massachusetts.
