News / 10 Nov 2026
Filmmaking student’s documentary shortlisted at international festival in Sofia
BA (Hons) Filmmaking
A documentary by final year BA (Hons) Filmmaking student Leo Fernandez Gonzalez was shortlisted for Best Documentary at the Early Bird international student film festival in Sofia, Bulgaria. Leo wrote and directed the film, ‘Creatures’, which was produced by second year BA (Hons) Filmmaking student Daria Vynohradova.
‘Creatures’ follows Pazur Mazur, a queer Polish tattoo artist who lives in Amsterdam and creates creatures that become part of other people’s bodies. Through stories of migration, identity and transformation, the film asks whether these creatures are merely drawings, or reflections of an artist who has spent a lifetime becoming one themselves.
The idea began with a tattoo by Pazur Mazur, one of Leo’s favourite tattoo artists. Leo has long been interested in illustration and tattooing, and after talking with Pazur about their work, he proposed making a documentary about them. Leo crowdfunded through Kickstarter, raising around £1,500 for travel and equipment rental. Most of the filming took place on location in Amsterdam.
“I never thought that what started as a small project in my second year would become something much bigger and important for my emerging filmmaking career. It’s almost like a before and after in my student life. It’s a project that defined and influenced my style and approach to filmmaking.”
Leo Fernandez Gonzalez, BA (Hons) Filmmaking student
Leo travelled to Sofia for the awards, where he was able to network with people from the industry and from different backgrounds. Although he didn’t win this time, the film received a special mention during the ceremony. ‘Creatures’ was also nominated for Best Independent Documentary at the Reale Film Festival in Milan.
Following the success of ‘Creatures’, Leo plans to keep making documentaries. His next project will explore the experiences of an Indigenous community in his home country of Mexico, including the impact of missionary activity on their way of life. Leo is still developing his approach to the subject and hopes to start filming next year.
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