Straight 8 Goes Supersize with BFI IMAX Premiere

Photograph: No Ball Games by Sam Brewster, straight 8 2023

From the smallest celluloid format to the UK’s largest screen, the 25-years-young super 8 filmmaking competition straight 8 brings its 2024 Top 25 premiere to BFI IMAX for the first time. 

Following two sold out years of their annual Top 25 premieres at BFI Southbank’s NFT1, straight 8 are collaborating with BFI again, to put on possibly the largest presentation of super 8 ever. 

Each film is a carefully selected mini masterpiece made only with in-camera edits on a single 50 foot cartridge of super 8 cine film. The soundtrack must be made blind and the first time successful filmmakers see even their own work is at its public premiere.

Filmmakers anywhere in the world are invited to rise to this now even more epic challenge - but should hurry. Exposed but unprocessed cartridges need to be with straight 8 in London by Feb 21st 2024. To take part, you must first enter to get a unique slate number to include in the first shot of the film. Entry ASAP, only at www.straight8.net/2024 

The films are processed and scanned by world renowned Cinelab Film & Digital in London, therefore sharing chemicals with some of the world’s top feature films. 

The Top 8 films of the year are screened at Cannes Film Festival in May (for straight 8’s 16th time) - these are selected by the straight 8 jury which has included the likes of Robbie Ryan, Asif Kapadia, Justine Wright and more. 

A few days later, on Saturday 25th May, the Top 25 will be unveiled on the UK’s largest screen. Each 8mm frame of celluloid will be 25 metres wide. Think about that for a moment! 

The idea was only confirmed when straight 8, Cinelab and the BFI IMAX team carried out tests to check how super 8 held up at that size with a 4K DCP digital projection. That exercise in due diligence can best be described in one word: EPIC! 

May 25th will be even more of a celebration than usual… The screening will be almost 25 years to the day of the first ever straight 8 event in 1999, when 22 people’s films were shown in the Metro Cinema (beneath what is now Picturehouse Central) at 11pm on a Friday night. Ever since that night, what started as an experiment has grown into a cult rite of passage for filmmakers of any background and experience to compete on an extremely level playing field. 

Notable past entrants include Edgar Wright (Last Night in Soho, Baby Driver), Alice Lowe (Prevenge, Horrible Histories), Steve Oram (The End of the F***ing World, Sightseers). 

Become one of the 3000+ filmmakers that have taken part in straight 8 in its first 25 years by making a straight 8 film by February 21st 2024. All are welcome. Entry and past winning films are all at straight8.net. 

KEY DATES: 

• Enter - now! 
• Film by - Feb 21st 2024 
• Selections announced - by 1st May 2024 
• Top 8 premiere Cannes - w/c 20th May 2024 
• Top 25 premiere at BFI IMAX and 25 year celebration - Saturday May 25th 2024