Ray Jacobs is a UK based artist who uses the mediums of image, film and movement to highlight the beauty, power and presence in the stories that surround us and are within us.
Ray works as a director and facilitator, creating imaginative and powerful works with a wide variety of companies, performers and participatory groups in particular collaborating with disabled artists.
He states. ‘I aim in my work to create movement and image which steps quietly yet powerfully into the human heart’.
Rays background is in dance and performance, trauma from a hereditary heart condition in his thirties led him to begin creating work away from the stage and create visual stories on film.
Recent multi award winning short films include ‘The Sea Reminds Me’ , ‘Bastion’ ,Four Solos in the Wild and Your Rocky Spine. He is currently touring a new film based installation The Cabinet of Secret Lives based on a collection of stories from American Sci Fi author Jeff Vandermeer.
Ray is currently co director of Shropshire inclusive Dance and performance director of Arty Party a charity based in Telford focused on supporting learning disabled artists share work with the public.
Filmography
I Saw a Girl (2008) – Director
Awarded Best Overall Film – Oska Bright Film Festival 2008
The Sea Reminds Me (2012) – Director
Awarded Best Film – Ablevision Ireland
Judges Merit Award – Focus Film Festival
Nominated Finalist – Oska Bright Film Festival.
Awarded Best Film – Sit Down Shut Up and Watch Film Festival, Adelaide, Australia.
Sensibility Award – Assim Vivemos Brazil Disability Film Festival
Audience Award – Premio Cinematografico Fausto Rossano
Bastion (2014) – Director (www.bastionfilm.com)
Best Film – Meeting Rimini Film Festival, Italy 2014
Finalist and 2nd Prize Winner – Cinema Touching Disability, Texas, USA 2014
Best Male Actor (James Doolan) – 7th International Breaking Down Barriers Film Festival, Moscow 2014
Honourable Mention – Picture This Film Festival, Calgary, Canada 2015
Best Story Award – Oska Bright Film Festival, UK 2015
Best in the Fest – Super Fest – California, USA 2015
Short Fiction 2nd Prize – Festival Inclus, Barcelona, Spain 2015
First Prize – The Malta Mental Health Short Film Festival – DIGNITY 2016
Grand Prix Du Jury – Entre ‘2 Marches, Cannes Film Festival 2016
Best Film – Cinque Terre Film Festival , Italy 2018
Four Solos in the Wild (2016) Director (www.solointhewild.com)
Best Film MITS Dance Film Festival Barcelona, Spain
Creativity Award Fiver dance screen festival, Spain
Best Choreography – Oska Bright Film Festival
Best Dance Film – SDSUMF Festival Australia
My Rocky Spine 2019
Honourable mention – Picture This Film Festival Calgary, Canada.
Show of work incorporating – Bastion, The Sea Reminds Me, Four Solos in the Wild, Tate Modern, London, March 2017.
2019 – Outstanding contribution to Cinema Award – Oska Bright Film Festival
Ray Jacobs is currently co director of Shropshire Inclusive Dance and Performance director at Arty Party in Telford.
Director Statement
‘I aim in my work to create movement and image which steps quietly into the human heart’.
