Frizz

Unfortunately none of my photo's from the Festival came out very well. This is producer Christine Vachon in conversation with Festival director Sandra Hebron.

Labels: London Film Festival

Peter Gantzler talking after a screening of Lars von Trier's new film The Boss of It All, a very funny comedy along the lines of the Office, but not. They used a computer (automatic randomised camera), instead of a director of photography to work out where to put the camera, so there are some pretty odd shots, but it works.

The other Danish film I saw was Susanne Bier's After the Wedding, I was really hoping it was going to be as amazing as Open Hearts, but sadly it's not.

Labels: London Film Festival

One of the most depressing things I saw was not a film in itself, but a clip within the film Bobby, of Robert Kennedy sitting in 1968 talking to a group of school children about the environmental problems facing the world, that's almost 40 years ago and it could easily have been a politician speaking today.

Labels: London Film Festival

It really seemed to be a good year for documentaries, one of the most powerful films I saw was Thin by photographer Lauren Greenfield. It follows a group of girls and women in an eating disorder programme, it's beautifully made, very powerful and ought to be compulsory viewing for American insurance companies, who consistently and heartbreakingly cut funding before the women can have any real chance of recovery. Greenfield has also done an accompanying book of her photographs covering further stories with journal entries and artwork by the women and some essays by those working in the field. It's been bought by Channel Four, so watch out for it next year.

Labels: London Film Festival

I saw two really good films today Catch a Fire and Day Night Day Night. But really I'm all filmed out. Please let it end soon.

Labels: London Film Festival

I'm going to do a round up of films at the end of the Festival, although I think I might be a bit embarrassed to count up the number I've seen.

Other than seeing films I've bumped into a colleague from years ago, I've met a guy who looked extremely familiar, but who ignored me when I asked where I might have known him from, twice. I've had an odd conversation where I semi lied about my work and didn't defend blogs and I don't know why. I've repeatedly sat next to a well-known director to the point where it's becoming a bit farcical. I've discovered a great place for sushi and eaten tons of it (I'm a little worried about the Mercury count). I've drunk lots of hot chocolate and I've only walked out of one film.

Labels: London Film Festival

I saw a beautifully restored version of Dr. Strangelove this afternoon as part of the Festival. I don't think I have ever seen it before; it was very funny, but ultimately very depressing. This was the first screening of the restored print, which has taken over a year to complete, three of the people who worked on it were at the screening and it's a real shame that the cinema wasn't full.

On the way home it felt like I was in a movie... I slouched in first class on the train to Clapham Junction and then there was a replacement bus service the rest of the way home. Of course there was the mandatory drunk on the bus who unfortunately got abusive and then got into a fight with two of the people I was sitting with, luckily I managed to get out of the way just in time. We were at a stop, but the South West Train's guy was completely useless, just standing watching, even when he got on the bus he didn't do anything whilst the drunk guy was attacking a passenger, it took another passenger to get the drunk off the bus. You would think that South West Train's, train their employees to deal with this kind of situation, it's not like it's rare in London on a weekend.

Labels: London Film Festival

I've lost count of the films; I'm a zombie with a spinning head. Too tired to write more – need to sleep.

Labels: London Film Festival

It's been an 'I'm living in a channel five afternoon film' week and I have to thank A who’s been wonderful. In between the melodrama I've been doing the festival. So far I've been surprised by the films I've seen. Stranger than Fiction was great, in that feel good sort of way - don't read anything about it - just go and see it. The US Vs. Lennon, I saw by mistake and it turned out to be fascinating; I have a whole new respect for Lennon and Ono. I left the cinema thinking; where’s our Lennon? The Dixie Chicks certainly didn’t take up the baton. I didn't get The Wedding Director, but I was very tired at that point. The Boss of it All is a laugh....

Labels: London Film Festival

These are some that I'm thinking look interesting*: The Wedding Director, A Comedy of Power, The Boss of It All, The Ground Truth, Black Book, No. 2, Longing, Container, Wild Tigers I Have Known, The Caiman, Shortbus, Little Children, Half Nelson, After the Wedding, Dans Paris, Falling, Thin, Meanwhile, Beyond Hatred, The Year After, Bebel, Bobby, Breaking and Entering, Fast Food Nation, Stranger than Fiction, Catch a Fire, Close to Home.

* There is no order to this madness.

Labels: London Film Festival

I've just finished going through the London Film Festival brochure... I'm not sure there is anything amazing that stands out... yet; my list of requested films is a lot shorter than usual. I saw Dixie Chicks: Shut up and Sing, my first film - a little bit confusingly edited, but quite fun - S is going to pick up the album for me from the Library... it's amazing the effect that one sentence could have had - it's slightly unbelievable, but true.

Labels: London Film Festival