Next wave of filmmakers debut bold new work at Vue Stratford

From an eccentric cowboy dance teacher to a supernatural queer nightclub, University of East London’s (UEL) student filmmakers are pushing boundaries - and their work is heading to the big screen.

On Thursday, 29 May, the BA Film Final Dissertation Screening will light up Vue Stratford Westfield, giving the next generation of filmmakers a chance to share their bold, original stories with a public audience. The screening at Screen 11 starts at 4:30pm, with doors opening from 4pm.

This celebration marks the culmination of the BA Film course, spotlighting a diverse slate of graduate projects. From comedy and horror to poetic experimental work and powerful drama, the line-up highlights there’s no shortage of cinematic vision among UEL filmmakers.

They’ll be joined by fellow creatives from BA Animation, BA Media Production, Media & Communication, Social Media, and MA Filmmaking programmes - forming a rich and varied showcase of UEL’s visual storytelling talent.

Held in one of London’s busiest multiplexes, the event is an exciting chance for audiences - and industry insiders - to sneak previews of the early work of filmmakers who may one day follow in the footsteps of cinematic voices like Jordan Peele and Chloé Zhao.

Among the films being screened is Line Dancing, a quirky British comedy, Squeal, a stylised supernatural horror with political bite, and The Politics of Living, a moving family drama unearthing buried truths.

“These students have progressed significantly each year and have been ambitious since their first term at UEL,” said UEL Senior Lecturer in Filmmaking Julian Alexander. “They have been working tireless this past year on their films to realise their ideas. I hope they look back fondly on their time with us at UEL as they take on the industry.”

Speaking about the experience of making the film Line Dancing with fellow students Harry Gray and Vasileios Karagiannis and seeing it come to life on the silver screen, BA Film student Gurvinder Bharaj said, “Being able to see Line Dancing on the big screen is an incredibly visceral experience. It's the moment our shared vision, crafted over countless hours, comes alive in its most grand and immersive form.

“As producer, it's not just about seeing our names in the credits; it's about witnessing the collective breath of the audience, feeling their reactions, and realising that our story now belongs to them.

This screening at Vue represents the culmination of immense teamwork, dedication, and the belief we all had in this project. What I hope comes from it is a profound connection with our viewers, sparking conversations, evoking emotions, and perhaps even inspiring others in the way we've been inspired by film.”