29th Cambridge Film Festival 17-27 September 2009
“If it keeps growing at this rate, this festival may one day achieve world domination. (A) pretty impressive and packed line-up!” The Guardian
The Cambridge Film Festival returns to the Arts Picturehouse today presenting another “veritable smorgasbord of new and vintage movies” (Time Out). Celebrating all things cinematic, the Festival promises to present its usual eclectic mix of UK premieres, international guests, cult classics, tributes and themed programmes, documentaries and family features.
“This year we are continuing the great Cambridge Film Festival tradition of screening films both in and out of the cinema and literally taking film out onto the streets of the city. We have events planned in venues as diverse as Ely Cathedral and Grantchester Meadows, more riverside screenings with audiences invited to watch films from the comfort of a punt on the River Cam, and a free outdoor silent cinema event in the historic city centre, where we’ll be blocking off the road to traffic”.
“Technically it’s a big challenge for our dedicated team, but we all agree that the enthusiastic feedback we receive from our loyal and adventurous audiences make it all worthwhile, so we’re looking forward to another diverse and energetic festival.” Tony Jones, Festival Director
2009 Film Festival Highlights:
The Spying Game: British Cinema and the Secret State – to celebrate the centenary of the formation of M15, and the 20th anniversary of the end of the Cold War, the Festival explores the adventure, intrigue and locations of the British spy thriller: the great action chases, the heroes and anti-heroes of Harry Palmer, George Smiley and Bond; the acts of betrayal and exile of the Cambridge Spies (Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean and Anthony Blunt) and the tawdry lives, despair and seedy bureaucracy that has captivated some of our greatest directors, writers and actors. We are also hoping to include discussions with amongst others author and Cambridge Professor of Modern and Contemporary History Christopher Andrew whose book, ‘The Defence of the Realm: The Authorised History of MI5’ is published on 5 October.
Jack Cardiff Tribute – A selection of films to celebrate the life of Jack Cardiff who died, aged 94, earlier this year. Almost universally considered one of the greatest cinematographers of all time, Jack Cardiff was also known as “the man who makes women look beautiful”. He was Marilyn Monroe’s favoured cinematographer (The Prince and The Showgirl) but he also worked with Katherine Hepburn (The African Queen), Ava Gardner (Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, The Barefoot Contessa), and Audrey Hepburn and Anita Ekberg (War and Peace). The Festival tribute will include the Powell and Pressburger classics ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ (1946), ‘Black Narcissus’ (1947), and the first digital screening of the newly restored, ‘The Red Shoes’ (1948).
It Came From Kuchar – A tribute to the work of George and Mike Kuchar who were leading figures in the ’60s US underground film movement. The four programmes selected by the Festival feature: recently restored early 8mm shorts (from 1957 to 1963) including ‘I Was a Teenage Rumpot’, ‘The Naked and The Nude’, and ‘Lust for Ecstasy’; a new documentary, ‘It Came From Kuchar’; rarely seen home movies from 1959-1961, and the 1973 black and white feature, ‘The Devil’s Cleavage’, which “still makes me stay up past my bedtime howling with laughter” (John Waters). Acknowledged pioneers of the camp/pop aesthetic, the Kuchar Brothers influenced practically all who came after them, from Andy Warhol to John Waters, to Roger Vadim and David Lynch.
Identity of the Soul – Based on Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s poem ‘Terje Vigen’ and Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish’s ‘A Soldier Dreams of White Lilies’, ‘Identity of the Soul’ is a unique five-screen cinematic installation combining poetry and music in a tale of revenge, reconciliation and the individual. Norwegian director Thomas Hoegh has fused a stirring narrative read by Vanessa Redgrave with strong symbolic imagery and an original soundtrack that marries Scandinavian and Arabic musical traditions. ‘Identity of the Soul’ features archive footage from the BFI National Archive with new work, and will be shown on five high-definition plasma screens, giving the audience a sense of stepping into landscapes where the poems can come to life. We are delighted to welcome director Thomas Høegh and producer Martine Rød to the opening night of IDENTITY OF THE SOUL.
OPENING NIGHT FILM:
The Army of Crime. On limited release from Oct 2 (Gate, Oxford, Liverpool, Brighton) and touring selected other Picturehouse venues through October.
A WEALTH OF FILMMAKER Q&AS INCLUDING:
Creation (director Jon Amiel)
The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (director Rémi Bezançon)
Peep Show: Writers Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, and lead actors David Mitchell (Mark), Robert Webb (Jez) and Matt King (Super Hans), will appear for one night only at the Arts Picturehouse to talk about the brand new series and bring you a special preview episode from series six.
SURPRISE MOVIE
Still some tickets remaining. Surprise films from previous years have included Burn After Reading, Pirates of the Caribbean and A Cock and Bull Story.
BOOKING UP FAST IN CAMBRIDGE AND COMING TO OTHER PICTUREHOUSES THIS AUTUMN:
The Soloist, Creation, The First Day of the Rest of Your Life, Katalin Varga, re-issues of Citizen Kane, The Red Shoes & The Godfather.
Coming to Picturehouses next year: Hierro (from the producers of The Orphanage & Pan’s Labyrinth) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Swedish thriller based on the first instalment of Stieg Larsson’s bestselling Millennium trilogy).
Links
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk
FESTIVAL BROCHURE: Download
TWITTER: Follow them here
FACEBOOK: Cambridge Film Festival page
“Britain’s longest running, micro-budget film festival” The Times
“The poor cousin of Britain’s film festival circuit is playing David to its Goliath-like metropolitan rivals once more!” The Times
“A key screen event in the UK calendar” Empire
