Not to play favourites, but amongst those shorts making their inaugural bow at the event was the debut offering directed by Dan Auty (he of the now tragically retired Mondo Movie podcast). Aphelion Point will strike a chord with all those who love retro, atmospheric sci-fi as it follows a damaged space craft through deep space, hurtling towards a malevolent celestial entity. In true Solaris style, the closer the ship gets to this giant star, the stronger its grip, influence and power becomes over the few surviving crew members.
Using a combination of green screen, animation and various other crude yet stylish effects, Auty has successfully crafted a haunting and atmospheric little gem, which echoes everything from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Dark Star, Sunshine and even, rather bizarrely, Dead Man's Shoes. We are very happy to be able to share it with you below, so let us know what you think, and definitely go and check out the incredible archive of podcasts Dan and his co-host Ben Howard recorded over a number of years.