By Isle of Wight Observer
TRAVEL SOCKS, a short film directed by Tess Annan and Joseph Madden, has won the Norman Houston Short Film Award at the Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C. The film tells the story of Orla (“Socks”), a determined young woman navigating an unplanned pregnancy during the early days of COVID. As lockdowns begin, Orla embarks on a solo journey via ferry to England to access essential healthcare, confronting numerous challenges along the way.
The filmmakers faced difficulties securing permission to film on UK ferries until the Isle of Wight’s Film Office, Filmwight, negotiated access to Wightlink’s cross-Solent ferry, Victoria of Wight. The production crew filmed during 20-minute windows between passenger loading and unloading, using masked actors to recreate the pandemic-era setting.
Dave Russell, Film Officer for Filmwight says: “This production was an emotive subject produced by professional filmmakers who are more used to working on James Bond films and movies like the Queen epic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Their ability to make a ferry appear deserted while in full service was a challenge, to say the least, but the resulting footage is very impressive.”
A short video showing the making of Travel Socks is available here.
Louise Lea, Public Relations Manager for Wightlink says: “We were pleased to be involved in the making of this short film and delighted to hear it has been honoured at the Capital Irish Film Awards. The professional crew made the most of their opportunity to shoot onboard a ferry sailing to and from the Isle of Wight and their work resulted in an award-winning production”.
The Norman Houston Award recognizes outstanding short films made by Northern Irish filmmakers within the past two years. The prize includes $2,500, a gala screening in Washington, and an exclusive reception with key figures from the cultural, social, and political spheres.
