Every month, Sparks Film School awards a new Film of the Month award to a production made by students.
Our panel of judges assess films from across all Sparks Film School crews and select one standout entry as their Film of the Month.
May 2026:
Congratulations to the crews behind 27 Minutes (After Rice) from film students at Sparks Film School Highgate
This month, the Film of the Month spotlight shines brightly on filmmakers from Sparks Film School Highgate. The talented crew members from Studios 2 and 3 have taken home the prize with their brilliant short film, 27 Minutes (After Rice).
This fantastic film was created during the recent Spring Term, where the young crews were diving deep into the theme of Raising The Stakes. They spent weeks exploring the mechanics of how to build tension on screen, learning how to make the audience lean in, hold their breath, and wonder what on earth is going to happen next.
The filmmakers behind this production took this challenge and sprinted with it, turning a totally ordinary object into a high-stakes race against time…
What is the film about?
The film follows a bizarre, mind-bending mystery. One night, completely random strangers all across the city dream of the exact same thing: fried rice. A young man wakes up with this unshakable craving and follows his nose to a strangely silent restaurant.
He takes just a few bites, when suddenly, the world feels slightly off. As a strange, hypnotic influence spreads across the city, plunging everyone into a synchronized sleep, our hero suddenly awakens in a dark jail cell. His only clue? A mysterious message written on the wall…
From the Judges…
From the very first frame, it is clear that the crew behind this film had a crystal-clear directorial vision.
The filmmakers have used a dynamic mix of close-ups and smooth tracking shots to follow the action. There is some great cinematography to build the experience of the film (especially the post rice sequence) into something really unforgettable. Throughout, there are fun choices being made by the filmmakers to great effect.
Did you know? Tracking shots (where the camera moves alongside the character) are used by directors to make the audience feel like they are physically walking through the scene with the character. By pairing these with quick zoom ins, the crew successfully raised the stakes and kept the film’s energy fast-paced and fun.
We enjoyed how this film showed that building tension doesn’t mean having to be scary or serious. The crew brilliantly balanced the suspense with a light, fun, and comedic energy, which is very difficult to do. The lighter tone is set perfectly right from the start along with the unique plot, aided by perfectly timed camera movements and fantastic, expressive performances from the cast. Making an audience laugh while keeping them hooked on a mystery is a massive achievement.
The post-production team on this project deserves a massive round of applause. The film features some incredibly clever montage sequences that have a delightfully surreal, nonsensical, yet hilarious vibe.
The editing here is top notch. Our panel particularly loved the shots of the stillness in the playground, the ‘charging’ person and the edits of rice being cooked as our character loses his mind.
Did you know? A montage is a technique where a series of short shots are edited together to condense time or information. The crew used this beautifully to show the strange craving and madness spreading across the city, keeping the audience entertained and engaged.
27 Minutes (After Rice) is a wonderfully unique, creative, and genuinely funny film. The crew should be incredibly proud of how they took the theme of Raising The Stakes and turned it into something so wonderfully unexpected.
Huge congratulations to everyone involved from Sparks Film School Highgate!
About Sparks Film School’s Film of the Month Award
The Sparks Film of the Month Award shines a spotlight on a new film each month from the imaginative filmmaking talents of Sparks Film School students.
Each month, a film production made by Sparks Film School crew members is chosen as Film of the Month.
Our panel of judges – assembled from our team of filmmaking instructors – look at submissions from across Sparks Film Schools nationally and choose one film as Film of the Month that they think stands out as an impressive piece of filmmaking.
They assess based on each film’s impact on screen and explore all its little details to uncover all the things we love about each film chosen.
About Sparks Film School’s Filmmaking Courses
Sparks Film School offers filmmaking, animation and photography workshops for ages 5-18, including term time classes and holiday camps.
We offer free taster classes and there are lots of opportunities to get involved. You can find out more about our filmmaking courses here >>>
