Starring…the people of Salford

13 October 2009

Salford Film Festival is returning for its sixth showing and film buff or not this is a chance to get the popcorn in, sit back and revel in the wonder of Salford.

 

Born in 2003 the Salford Film Festival paid special attention to the huge variety that Salford communities are famous for, and in encouraging their involvement in film-making both on screen and behind the camera, paved the way for five more seriously successful festivals - it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

 

Screenings are free across venues such as The Lowry and Salford Arts Theatre and films not to be missed include the film ‘A Boy called Dad’, a harrowing story of a troubled childhood, premiere screenings of international films ‘Act of Grace’ and ‘Kandahar Break’ and a celebration of the work of the great Soup Collective. The line-up will not only celebrate Salford’s cinematic history but will also champion its up and coming stars – move over Hollywood, this is the real thing.

 

For those who watch any of the six feature film previews or ride the new wave of micro budget feature filmmaking – North West Underground - and find inspiration to create new and lasting images of the city for themselves, there will be a huge choice of creative opportunities including training events and workshops for novice and established Salford filmmakers alike.

 

Salford Film Festival is not content to rest on former glories so whether you’re interested in the latest cinematic trends, gaining a clearer understanding of the culture and history surrounding them, or you just want to experience an entertaining mixture of classic films with Salford connections you won’t have to look beyond the Salford borders to find it.

 

Rub shoulders with an eclectic cast list ranging from local community stars and the city itself to Hollywood legends, Robert Donat, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Cliff Twemlow, alongside Ewan MacColl, Ian Hart, Shane Meadows, Jarvis Cocker and Stuart Maconie. Who could fail to be impressed with a line-up fit for the red carpet?

 

While the focus is certainly local, the view is widescreen and the perspective is international, so come and feast your eyes on five days of the gritty, the uplifting and the downright original at this year’s Salford Film Festival.

 

Highlights of this year’s festival include:

  • A Boy called Dad, follows fourteen year-old Robbie who has just become a dad and been reunited with his own estranged father, Joe. But Joe lets him down once again, and an angry Robbie snatches his baby son and goes on the run, leaving violence in his wake.
  • Premiere screenings of Drawn and Kandahar Break.
  • A chance to discover the fiercely independent low-budget filmmakers of the North West Underground
  • A retrospective to celebrate ten years of Soup Collective 
  • Caught Short – four programmes of short films from around the world
  • A tribute to the great Robert Donat, a local boy who took Hollywood by storm, with screenings of The 39 Steps’ and ‘Goodbye Mr Chips
  • The return of cult legend Cliff Twemlow, writer, producer, soundtrack composer and star.
  • Guest programmer Radio DJ, Author, cultural critic and professional northerner Stuart Maconie, who will be exploring the issue of northern identity in a series of specially-selected screenings.
  • Dirty Old Town - BBC Philharmonic and Rawchestra project combines live music and film in a a specially-commissioned multimedia piece built around the work of Salford's legendary singer, songwriter, playwright, and folk archivist, Ewan MacColl.
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For more information, take a look through the website or call 0161 848 8601.

 

 

STARRING…THE PEOPLE OF SALFORD

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