Ivy named top feature at East End Film Festival

Welcome To Leith wins documentary prize.

by Amber Wilkinson

Psychological drama Ivy (Sarmasik)
Psychological drama Ivy (Sarmasik)
Turkish drama Ivy (Sarmasik) has taken the Best Film award at the 2015 East End Film Festival.

Tolga Karaçelik's film tells the story of a ship's crew who discover, after their boat's owner goes bankrupt, that they are stuck maintaining it until it can be brought to a safe dock - sparking psychological tensions on board.

Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K Walker's Welcome To Leith, chronicling the attempted take-over of a small US town by a far-right group, was named Best Documentary.

Amelia Hashemi's Don't Blame Us Because We're Famous took home the award for Best Short, and the Accession Award - given "to champion a vital craft in filmmaking" - was won by composer Graham Hadfield for his soundtrack to thriller Containment.

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