world reviewer
How to sit with Brad Pitt: Best Film Festivals
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Whether you’re an out and proud cinemaphile, a film fan or a movie go-er, you can’t have failed to notice the glamorous photos of film stars lounging casually on their yachts at Cannes, and thought ‘Well that looks like a nice life, doesn’t it.’. I’m sure they slog it out behind the scenes somewhere, under the harsh lights of the set, delving deep for the scripted emotional response, as directors tear their hair out, scriptwriters cower and editors, in their dark little rooms slowly go blind over a seconds worth of footage; but by the time the press and then the public get to them their blood sweat and tears have been reduced to an ‘Oh, he/she was an absolute pleasure to work with’ gush of poise and warmth all round. The international film festivals are where some of the best performances have to take place, as in front of the gnashing jaws of the press and public, the pressure is on and the big guns make their decisions about what we’ll be watching at our local cinemas in the following year. For as well as an opportunity for a big love-in about how great everyone is, a film festival is also a place to see the best new film making talent, ask some difficult questions of some big names, and see some films which aren’t quite there yet, while hamming it up and swaning round town pretending you’re the next big thing. Each festival has its own angle. Cannes dazzles in the chic, sun bronzed glamour or the French Riviera, Toronto and Berlin showcase their own national industries, but with a global view, you love our films, we’ll love yours, and Sundance, struggles to retain it’s edge as the promoter of new and documentary talent, despite the encroaching fat wallets of Hollywood. If you can’t get tickets for the big ones, Lapland’s Midnight Sun Film Festival, held over 120 consecutive hours in the height of summer, is one of the new kids on the festival circuit, but quickly attracting a star studded crowd looking for the next big thing. The London Film Festival treads the fine line between red carpet splendour and art house intelligentsia, and is on in October, so there is still time to get tickets if you’re inspired by the idea of sharing some popcorn with the icons of your screen. |
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If you can't make it to a festival what about a film location? » Rub shoulders with the stars
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Sundance Film FestivalFestivals in Mountain States, United States If you enjoy independent or documentary films or you just like seeing the weird and the wonderful on screen then you have probably already heard of or aspire to attend the Sundance Film Festival. Founded by Robert Redford in 1981 to promote creativity in independent film making, Sundance has become one of the premier showcases for American and international independent films. Although it started as a low-profile event for mainly newcomers and Hollywood insiders looking to make a different kind of cinema, Sundance is now attended by celebrities, actors and film makers from the larger film companies, so the atmosphere has become a bit more glamorous. Like the film festivals in Venice, Cannes and Berlin, Sundance is a competition and festival winners are supported by the Sundance Institute which helps develop new independent film making talent. Well known film makers like Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), Kevin Smith (Clerks), Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights) and Steven Soderbergh (sex, lives and video tape) have all been given their big breaks at Sundance, so there’s a chance you’ll see the next big thing. If you come to Sundance but can’t get tickets for the films you want to see you can always go skiing, Park City is also a large ski resort.
Review by Photo by flickr user jurvetson |
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Midnight Sun Film FestivalFestivals in Lapland, Finland For five days in June, Midnight Film Festival rages - showing films without a break all day long. Begun in 1986 by local film makers, the festival guests include film industry giants but the focus is on new film makers and the atmosphere sunny (for 24 hours) and informal. There are no fancy cocktail parties just films all day every day. Films shown are a blend of classics by directing greats, great efforts by new comers and silent films put to live music. There are also discussions, where the informal attitude prevails and famous directors are quizzed on their desert island film selection for example and a festival competition.
Review by Photo by flickr user hellochris |
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The Toronto International Film FestivalFestivals in Toronto, Canada If you’d like to go to Cannes or the Oscars, but haven’t managed to get your name on the guest list, the Toronto International Film Festival is as close as you can get. It’s the first of the North American film festivals held in the lead up to the Oscars and the largest festival open to the general public. As well as new and independent features, the Toronto International Film Festival features national retrospectives and showcases Canadian films to an international audience. The festival is also known for featuring important Asian, African and South American films. Though still true to its independent and international film roots, in recent years the festival has had a more Hollywood atmosphere with more celebrity interest. Begun over 30 years ago as a showing of the best films from other international festivals and held in a local hotel, recent festivals have shown films in more than 20 city centre cinemas. Famous films which have premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival include ‘Chariots of Fire’, ‘The Big Chill’, ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Crash’, so visitors have a good chance of seeming the premiere of a future award winner. The annual ten day festival begins on the first Thursday in September - red carpet attire optional.
Review by Photo by flickr user aubreyarenas | phtgrphr |
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The BFI London Film FestivalFestivals in London, United Kingdom The cooler than thou BFI (British Film Institute) and building on the South Bank isn’t a cool enough venue for all the events of the BFI London Film Festival. Events spread out around both the jazziest and most bohemian venues in town as the London Film Festival treads that fine line between red carpet splendour and art house intelligentsia chic. Some events are hounded by paparazzi and some events the stars the paparazzi are trying to catch can’t even get tickets to – they’re just not cool enough. Each year the festival is critisised for being either too-British or not-British-enough, depending on how many important British films are included in the main schedule, but this festival is intended to be an event in world cinema. The London Festival feed off the other major Film Festivals in Cannes and Venice etc. by showing their best offerings in an accessible way – yes, it’s cool, but so cool that it’s not actually that hard for members of the public to get tickets, the aim being that we, the public get a chance to see some great pieces of cinema that wouldn’t normally get a showing down your local Odeon. As well as the crème de la crème of other festivals, cinemaphiles can also see advance screenings and premieres, some old classics you may not have seen on the big screen, works and shorts by up and coming film making talent and attend lectures and Q&A’s with film makers. It’s also a competition and the opening gala, the awards ceremony and the festival closing do London proud with their black tie turn out and air thick with dirty, geeky film talent and sleek, flashing, glamour. The London Film Festival runs for two weeks in October, if you’re in London you can’t miss the hype and press coverage. To get the tickets you want either become a member of the BFI and take advantage of advance ticket sales, check down the bottom of the programme for the smaller events or lay your rug our early at one of the free outdoor venues. “I laughed I cried, I enjoyed it more than Cats. Five Stars”.
Review by Photo by flickr user anaru |
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Cannes Film FestivalFestivals in Provence-Cote d'Azur, France Sun bronzed and glamourous on the outside many of the big names in film are sweating underneath it all at the Cannes Film Festival, and it’s not just because of the May warmth of the French Riviera. This is one of the most influential of the International Film Festivals and early on the calendar, and many big decisions about which films will be showing in your local cinema will be made over the two weeks of the event. As well as twenty films nominated for the main competition competing for the Palm d’Or - now considered a very valuable addition to the front of a DVD case - a selection of Cannes classics, twenty original and culturally different films, a season of shorts and short works by major film schools, a selection of the best in world cinema and a run of ‘out of competition’ screenings flood the town with moving images. And names big and small come to take part and grace red carpets, running the gauntlet of a huge press contingent. Sunny days are packed with back to back interview calls and photo shoots and companies publicise new releases and evenings are filled with glamour. But it’s not inaccessible to the general public. There are so many events at the festival, both screening and lectures and symposiums that there are plenty of tickets on sale to less star studded audiences as long as you book your accommodation well enough in advance, and as well as it being a way to dip your toe into the glamour of the film industry it’s also a pretty nice time and place to take a holiday, assuming of course you don’t attempt to actually stay in Cannes.
Review by Photo by flickr user Montrasio International |
If you can't make it to a festival what about a film location? »