The 2016 winner of the London Short Film Festival was a truly European bringing together of filmmaking talent - a Russian, British and Czech co-production, seeing a collaboration between the London Film School, Prague’s FAMU and the SiberiaDOC development scheme, helmed by LFS grad Sofia Safonova and filmed in her hometown of Krasnoyarsk in Southern Siberia.

The short follows female bus conductress, Tamara, introducing her teenage son to the colleague she’s dating, which inevitably does not go well, son and suitor jarring. The film makes subtle comments on the interplay of gender, labour and our perception of ‘strength’ at this axis, as well as class and aspiration in the communities at Siberia’s peripheries, and ends with a pretty rousing karaoke number you definitely didn’t see coming. Safonova is one to keep your eye on.

The London Short Film Festival returns for the 14th year from 6th - 15th Jan 2017, taking place across various venues. Check out this years programme here: ... http://shortfilms.org.uk/lsff2017/events