A Confluence of Firsts in St. Albans

Among the winners at this past weekend's St. Albans Film Festival in the UK was short film Gracious Awakenings. Which is entirely appropriate, because at what was the first edition of this city event, this was also Ben Jacobs' narrative-short directing debut.

But that's not part of the story that is going to garner headlines elsewhere. Per an article in The Independent, it is the budget of photographer Jacobs' film that catches the eye. Here's how the filmmaker summarized the cash outlay needed for his tale of a man who inexplicably wakes up naked in the countryside:

"The £10 [$13.03 U.S.] covered a jar of jam - a prop for the film - a four-pack of beer for our mates who were helping us, and the petrol to get to the location.”

Making it all the sweeter is the fact that Jacobs is a native of St. Albans. So out of the gate, with a ten-pound note and lots of help, he lands the Special Mention (runner-up) prize in the Short Film category. That's some solid grassroots work in a town largely associated on the cinematic front with the great Stanley Kubrick. Jacobs has previously made a number of promos and music videos.

[Benji Photography]