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Stream begins March 29, 2024 1:19 AM UTC
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Please note there is a £5.95 delivery fee, unless you have a B, WV, DY, WS, WR or CV postcode. Delivery will be on Saturday 29 May. Check your confirmation email for a link to submit your address.


The deadline for bookings is Thursday 27th May at 10am so that we can make sure your beers get to you in time.


Sipping on a beverage whilst taking in a selection of shorts has long been a tradition at Flatpack having set up pop-up screenings in many a watering hole - and we’re not going to let the pandemic disrupt this long held festival custom this year. We’ve teamed up with the wonderful folk at one of the Midlands’ finest establishments, independent brewery DigBrew, and not only curated a special programme of off-the-wall, brilliant short films (including the greatest short of all time!), but carefully picked out some accompanying beers to drink with them! Below are the details of the five short films matched with their beers written by Head of Programme, Sam Groves:


Beer: Von Kreepsula Runs Amok Pale 3.9%

Film: Oh Willy...

(dir. Emma De Swaef & Marc James Roels) Belgium, 2012 - 17 mins

So the links here are twofold: when I first chatted to Oli (founder of DigBrew) about this beer, it didn’t have a name, although there was a first attempt at one: ‘Your Mom’. This got me thinking about matriarchal figures, and Oh Willy… came to mind (if I’m honest, it’s never too far away from my consciousness - it’s just so bloody good). When I tasted the beer, the maltiness felt like a big warm hug, and reminded me of drinking ovaltine before bed when I was younger. I’m not sure if I’ve ever come across a film that feels more like a big hug and a soothing bedtime story than this one. It’s also the greatest short ever made, and yes, I’ve screened it many times before, but I make no apology for that - it gets better with every viewing. 


Beer: 23-19 Sour 5.2%

Film: Timecode

(dir. Juanjo Giménez) Spain, 2016 - 15 mins

The link here is all about numbers. The name of this sour ‘23-19’ is taken from the code in Monsters, Inc when Charlie announces "we've got a 23-19!" - to alert a 'contamination', and George is promptly shaved and showered. With that in mind, this Palme D’or winning short film sprang to mind. Full of number codes, it tells the story of two car park security guards who form an unlikely bond.


Beer: Buffet Island Milkshake IPA 6.0%

Film: The Proposal

(dir. Det Sporadiske Filmkollektivet) Norway, 2018 - 7 mins

I love this film. It’s made by a collective in Norway, and their approach to making films is to try and do it in one day, which I also like. Anyway, the link here comes from the bittersweet storyline - at times saccharine, but with just a slight tartness too - a perfect combo, and how I felt after swigging back some Buffet Island. Upon clearing the film with the filmmakers, they approved of the pairing:


“Milkshake IPA sounds like a perfect match;) Cold, creamy and a little bit different!“


Beer: Cancun Lager 4.5%

Film: Roughhouse

(dir. Jonathan Hodgson) UK, 2018 - 16 mins

The only lager in the mix, it immediately got me thinking about this BAFTA-winning short by Brummie Jonathan Hodgson. It tells the story of a group of lager-drinking students in the 80s, and deals with issues around bullying and manipulation. A sub-link here comes in the way of Digbeth - obviously Digbrew is based in the Birmingham suburb, and the area also played a big part in Hodgson’s formative years, with his band Cult Figures even naming one of their albums Deritend (named after the area that Digbeth forms a part of). 


Beer: Waka/Jawaka DIPA 8.0%

Film: Prometheus’ Garden

(dir. Bruce Bickford) US, 1988 - 28 mins

On discovering this double IPA was named after Frank Zappa’s fourth album, Bruce Bickford popped into my head. Bruce was an incredible animator - he looked like a wizard and made films which had an out-of-this-world vibe about them. He was also Frank Zappa’s collaborator and worked with him on various music videos. He specialised in claymation, and made some pretty bonkers stuff. This is perhaps his masterpiece, but you might feel you need an 8 percenter to make any sense of it.



For the live screening we’re using Skittish - a brand new platform designed for collective film watching and chatting with friends (and strangers!). You’ll be able to explore the virtual space around you, join a conversation, or just drink and watch - and you get to do it all as a badger, an owl, a racoon, or one of the other 75 animals available. Joining instructions and all other important information will be sent once you’ve booked. If five beers over 90 mins is a little too much however or you're busy on the night, the films will be available to view after the event until the end of the festival.