Exeter University’s New Film Distribution Label – eXe Film

This year a new film distribution label eXe Film was set up and run by staff and students from multiple programs in the Communications, Drama and Film departments at the University of Exeter. They released their first film into cinemas on June 13^th – playing at Odeon venues across the country. The central aim of the label is to distribute culturally diverse films capable of impact, as well as form a University filmmaking hub through their curated short film channel.

The YouTube short film channel showcases some stunning work by Exeter students, collaborators, and filmmakers from the Southwest. The selection was carefully chosen to create a line-up that is at once compelling and eclectic; from a 2-tone drama set in the midlands in the early eighties starring Vicky McClure, Paddon prize winning student films, shorts from China and a Coen Bros short story adaptation from the film editor of The Guardian.

 

Students and staff run the label together, overseen by Jezz Vernon – senior lecturer in Film, Will Higbee – Professor in Film, and James Woodham – HASS commercialisation Manager. There is an extensive advisory board including Mark Kermode (critic), Don Boyd (director), George Amponsah (director), Damian Spandley (Curzon cinemas) and many more, including several members of the film department.

It is a consumer-focused venture – giving students hands on experience at a professional label, increasing the cultural diversity of film and enrichening the University’s industry connections.

All films are supported with contextual research in order to amplify impact for culturally significant cinema and bring a spotlight onto rich, unexplored areas of world cinema and documentary. Industry studies are a department specialism and the label advances that pathway.

“We want to be participators as well as observers.”

Jezz Vernon, Senior Lecturer in Film

Each title has a focused audience and the potential for cost effective promotion. The mid-June cinema release Romeo N Juliet 4EVA, saw a significant mobilisation of the Jamaican diaspora in the UK resulting in some very high grossing sites, Odeon were delighted as they saw the potential too.

“In cultural terms – it was pleasing to deliver an all-black adaptation to cinemas just weeks after a black actress suffered vile online abuse after being cast as Juliette opposite Tom Holland (Spiderman) – we can join that conversation through positive action.”

Jezz Vernon, Senior Lecturer in Film

Today’s film industry is turbulent – streamers like Netflix and Disney + have placed huge stresses on the economy of independent distribution. If alternate strands of film culture are allowed to wilt, then we will end up with a homogenous blur of film designed to appeal to the lowest common mass denominator. The ambition is to play a fractional part in opposing that – film is a fundamental window into other cultures, philosophies and realities, but only if those pathways remain open. And the vocational aspect is key. Most filmmakers and execs begin their career in the indie sector – so to aid that sector, even in a small way, brings broad benefit.

Romeo N Juliet 4EVA will have further theatrical screenings through until October, and then it will come to Amazon Video on demand for Black History Month. The label will be releasing their next release, Public Enemy: A Greek Tragedy, in late July.

“I must take a moment to talk about what a fantastic project that is, it is an economic thriller about the way the various global financial institutions crushed the Greek government Eurozone revolt in 2015 – told through the lens of then finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and key players like Francois Hollande. It is a nail-biting watch and there’s a concern that we could see it repeated in other national economies before the end of the decade.”

Jezz Vernon, Senior Lecturer in Film

To support the project please sign up to their socials and donate an hour to the short film channel.

 

Written by Jezz Vernon

Edited by Lizzie Blackledge

 

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