NoBudge: independent films on your doorstep

NoBudge.com is a site started by Kentucker Audley to support new and independent filmmakers who create low budget works.

Audley, who is himself a filmmaker and actor, claims that he was motivated to start this collection of works because “there’s so many interesting films being made right now in that spirit. I started NoBudge to try and give those filmmakers a voice of support.”

Audley watches and selects all the films that go onto the website. The films he chooses are simply ones that he enjoyed: “I’m not necessarily trying to curate for a specific audience, but I try to find a balance between some of the more off-kilter stuff, and the more accessible stuff, which I think has been achieved.”

Scrolling through the now daily updated film selection gives the user a wide range of choice, mainly including short films, which is a medium I hadn’t appreciated outside of the Pixar Shorts I’d grown up with.

NoBudge shares many films and is worth scrolling through every so often, as films are updated daily, I don’t doubt that you’ll be able to find a film to watch and enjoy.

One film I’ve recently enjoyed is entitled Sundays; at 11-minutes this short film captures a pivotal moment in two New York City Firefighter’s lives – Jonny and Tommy. The story doesn’t flow seamlessly, but shares glimpses separated by black screens that feel jarring much like the story that follows.

The film starts in a driving lesson, a relatable experience where advice is being shared about how to prepare to drive. This eases you in with light-hearted conversation, and plenty of close-ups of the two characters creating a sense of familiarity and intimacy. After this preparation, the drive that ensues has a real sense of joy and euphoria created with the combination of the soundtrack and the characters’ beaming smiles with the sun shining through the car window.

The story moves beyond a driving lesson, and these simple pleasures. The two characters share a kiss in a car park, which is filmed by an onlooker and intentionally shared on social media.

“My husband, the firefighter is gay” is what we’re greeted to next, and we see Tommy turn away from his old life without saying goodbye. The perceived masculinity of certain professions, such as firefighting, can categorise people and lead to further judgement exasperating the problem which this film shows.

We follow Tommy as he drives away into the night, while he withholds his emotions.  The film shows it’s easy for others to be unaware of what we’re feeling, should we choose not to share. A scene I found effective was a phone call shared between son, Tommy, and his Mum talking about her day while he is not telling her he is gay and has been kicked out of his house and family. He is crying softly and she doesn’t realise. I’m glad that this film doesn’t shame a man for crying; this response is sometimes be portrayed as feminine in media and it is still important to show that it is just a natural emotion, for all genders.

This short provides a lot to be thought about after the brief but encapsulating story has ended.

4/5.

NoBudge shares many films and is worth scrolling through every so often, as films are updated daily, I don’t doubt that you’ll be able to find a film to watch and enjoy.