Our re-release of Luis Buuel’s mischievous, satirical The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie has been garnering some excellent (and creative) press. In the Guardian, Peter Bradshaw’s 5 star review hailed the “surreal masterpiece” as an “exotic and brilliant hothouse flower of a film” whilst screenwriter Jean-Jacques Carrire, interviewed by Ryan Gilbey, called it “the most daring film” he made with Buuel. In Little White Lies, David Jenkins’ review stated “It’s still very harsh and bitterly funny, but there’s a dark, messy humanism at its core that makes it so special, so interesting and so worthy of a re-release.” The Quietus’ fascinating article mentioned anecdotal evidence that Marilyn Monroe’s ennui may have inadvertently inspired the film… ! And, our favourite: this comic-strip review by Electric Sheep, beautifully documenting the film’s “slippery and surreal” appeal.
The last nationwide screening from our Made in Britain season is tomorrow, with Hammer Films‘ cult classic Quatermass & The Pit showing at 47 venues throughout the UK. As Close-Up Film asks: How can you not like a film that starts on the Central Line and ends up on Mars?! Adam Scovell, previewing the film enthusiastically on The Double Negative, says Roy Ward Baker’s finest film for Hammer is the ideal introduction to the studio: “the chance to see one of their best films makes this an essential screening.” And star Julian Glover sat down for an interview about his experiences on set – “They were spending a hell of a lot of money on locusts” – and his pleasure at the film’s enduring appeal to audiences.
For the full list of screenings, click here.
In other news
- We’re very gratified that our Cultural Cinema Exhibition course has been awarded the Creative Skillset Tick, Skillset’s new kitemark of quality for training courses or institutions of remarkable quality and with strong industry links. The Cultural Cinema Exhibition course will return this autumn in its 13th year. Pick the tick!
- MEDIA has sent out a reminder about its Digitisation of Cinemas funding scheme, which offers a flat rate of 20,000 euros per screen to cover the side costs of installing a digital projector. Applicants can apply for the digitisation of 1, 2 or 3 screens; and to be considered eligible must have screened a minimum of 50% European films in 2011. Deadline: 31 July 2012.
- The historic Curzon Community Cinema in Clevedon, Somerset is through to the semi-finals of The National Lottery Awards 2012 and needs your help to win! Click here to vote, the poll is open until midnight on Sun 22 July.
- An English version of Manice, the French guide to digital cinema techniques, equipment and economics, is now online. Hailed as a useful tool by French exhibitors and distributors, the English Manice has about 50 articles including a glossary of digital cinema jargon and an overview of the main issues of the business. Articles will be added regularly – if there’s something you’d like to see included, complete their online questionnaire, made in association with Europa Cinemas and UNIC.
Good reads
- The experimental artist filmmaker Jeff Keen sadly died recently. Will Fowler at the BFI wrote this piece compiling tributes to the “playful and visceral artist and filmmaker” as well as a thoroughly inspiring obituary in the Guardian. You can see some of Keen’s work on his website.
- Some interesting thoughts around audience engagement prior to the box office.
- From the LUX blog, a nostalgic read by Margaret Tait on the founding of her DIY film festival in the 1950s.
Calls for applications / submissions
- Calling all education officers & programmers: do you know any young people keen to break into the industry who would benefit from an insiders guide to exhibition and distribution? Weve joined forces with First Light to offer a free Second Light Exhibition & Distribution Lab to aspiring filmmakers aged 16-25. Taught by industry experts, the Lab will include sessions on pitching and selling, distribution, marketing, and cinema programming. A really great opportunity, it will equip young emerging talent with invaluable industry know-how. Initial deadline for applications: Tues 17 July. More details.
- Entries to Watershed’s super-short filmmaking competition DepicT! will close at 5pm on Monday 9th July. Open to anyone, on any budget, from anywhere in the world, your films must be 90 seconds or under, completed after Sept 2011, and distinctive and imaginative in style. The main prize is 1,500 and UK distribution via the DSN.
- Are you a young film critic with something to say? Cinemagic has launched its annual call for 25 youthful film buffs to help select films for the Cinemagic International Film & Television Festival programmes for young people, taking place in Belfast this autumn. Deadline: 11th July.
- Glimmer 2012, the 10th Hull International Short Film Festival is calling for submissions. Films must be under 45 mins and made after 1st Jan 2010. Deadline: noon on 20th July.
- LUX has issued two calls for applications – firstly, for its 2012/13 Associate Artists Programme, a year long post-academic development course for artist filmmakers, deadline: 5pm on 20th Sept and secondly, for (dis)chorus, the LUX AAP Residency, deadline: 5pm on 2nd August.
- Applications are open for the EAVE European Producers’ Workshop 2013, a year long programme aimed at producers already working in the film and TV industries who are interested in expanding their knowledge of producing and co-producing in Europe; deadline 1st Oct.