Finding Joy — Best Feature at the Liverpool Lift-Off Film Festival
Finding Joy received the Best Feature award at the Liverpool Lift Off Film Festival. The award marked an important moment for writer and director Neil Dowling and the team behind the film. Following this recognition, the film continued its festival run with screenings planned in London, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
A Collaborative Production
Neil Dowling wrote and directed Finding Joy. I worked on the film as cinematographer. From the outset, the project relied on close collaboration between departments. The aim was to support the narrative through a restrained visual approach that served the characters and locations without drawing attention to itself.
Between Berlin and Seoul
The story unfolds between Berlin and Seoul. Lukas, a writer struggling with personal and professional expectations, leaves Germany after meeting Joy, a Korean dance student. His search takes him to Seoul, where unfamiliar surroundings and encounters gradually reshape his sense of direction. Rather than focusing on plot mechanics, the film follows emotional shifts and moments of connection.
Festival Screenings and Reception
Finding Joy premiered as a work in progress at the Galway Film Fleadh and later screened at the Dublin International Film Festival and the Third Eye Asian Film Festival in Mumbai. Audiences responded to its understated tone and character-driven structure. The Best Feature award in Liverpool reflected this sustained reception across different contexts.
Themes and Approach
At its core, the film looks at uncertainty, displacement, and the search for meaning. The relationship between Lukas and Joy unfolds without clear resolution. Instead of presenting transformation as a goal, the film observes how change emerges through movement, distance, and encounter.
Continuing the Journey
The recognition at the Liverpool Lift-Off Film Festival added momentum to the film’s circulation. For everyone involved, Finding Joy remains a project shaped by collaboration, location, and attention to detail—both in storytelling and in how the film was made.
