Events (W.C. 10 April)
1.London Independent Film Festival 2023
The London Independent Film Festival (LIFF) returns to Genesis Cinema, for the festival’s 20th-anniversary edition. Showcasing eight incredible independent features, a dynamic line-up of short films and a programme of knowledge-sharing events chaired by industry leaders to help indie talent connect with peers and develop new expertise.
LIFF is devoted to the advancement of first- and second-time filmmakers telling amazing stories with limited budgets. Hosted every spring at the Genesis cinema – repeatedly voted the best cinema in the UK – the 2023 London Independent Film Festival will screen the work of almost 100 filmmakers from around the world.
Stretching over 10 days with numerous industry events, LIFF offers an unmissable opportunity for networking and building collaborations for future projects. It’s little wonder that Time Out Magazine has called LIFF “a treasure trove of undiscovered cinematic gems, one of Europe’s top indie film fests”.
With a reputable support system for emerging filmmakers, LIFF includes popular training programs run by industry professionals who understand the ins and outs of moving a filmmaker’s career to the next level. Follow LIFF @londoniff on Instagram and Twitter, and we connect with us at London Independent Film Festival on our Facebook page and our Facebook group
Book your tickets HERE
2. The Man Without Desire+ intro by Josephine Botting, BFI Curator
Sunday 16 April 2023 15:10; BFI Southbank – NFT1
A wonderful combination of sci-fi and costume drama by Adrian Brunel and starring Ivor Novello.
One of Adrian Brunel’s most intriguing films is this blend of sci-fi and costume drama. It concerns a grief-stricken 18th-century Venetian gentleman (Novello) who is thwarted in love and placed by a magician friend into suspended animation. When he wakes up 200 years later, his attempts adjust to modern times are humorous, but he finds the experiment has more serious unexpected consequences.
Book your tickets HERE
3. Queer East Opening Night Film : I Love You, Beksman + intro
Mahal Kita, Beksman
Tuesday 18 April 2023 18:15; BFI Southbank – NFT1
Glamorous make-up artist and fashion designer Dali is assumed by his friends, colleagues and his queer family to be gay. But when he falls for Angel, a beauty pageant queen, Dali comes out as straight. The problem is, nobody believes him – not even Angel. This super-camp comedy follows the hapless Dali as he attempts to win his true love’s heart.
Book your tickets HERE
4. Preview: Polite Society
Friday 21 April 2023 20:40; BFI Southbank – NFT1
- DirectorNida Manzoor
- WithRitu Arya, Priya Kansara, Nimra Bucha
- UK 2023. 103min
- Digital
16-year-old Ria is an aspiring stuntwoman, dreaming of her future excelling in the film business while her older sister Lena becomes a world famous artist. But Lena has been withdrawing from her art, and instead becomes swept up by a charming suitor, heading into a marriage at speed. Ria doesn’t trust her future in-laws – can she use her martial arts training to stop Lena’s wedding and rescue her in the name of sisterhood? Nida Manzoor’s (We Are Lady Parts) creative and original feature directorial debut is a fun, fast-paced Austen-esque comedy packed with smashing action and shenanigans. A perfect night out at the cinema!
Tickets £14, concessions £11 (Non-Members pay £2 more) on sale Thursday 13 April to BFI Patrons and Champions from 11:30, to BFI Members from 12:30 and on general sale from 16:00.
Book your tickets HERE
5. Northern Voices Forum+ panel and Q&A with Sunetra Sarker, Christopher Eccleston, Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Some of the north’s major film and television talents discuss northern creativity.
Sunday 23 April 2023 15:00; BFI Southbank – NFT3
- Total running time 100min
There is little doubt that talent from the north of England has made a major contribution to the film and TV industries over the decades (not least through the enduring appeal of Coronation Street). It has helped shape our culture. For this illustrated discussion, we bring together some of the north’s most innovative and inspiring creatives who will explore how and why northern culture drives so many of our most successful stories across the large and small screens.
We’re please to welcome actors Sunetra Sarker (Ackley Bridge, Broadchurch, Sherwood), Christopher Eccleston (Our Friends in the North, The A Word) and writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce (Butterfly Kiss, 24 Hour Party People) for a panel discussion and Q&A.
Book your tickets HERE
6. London Film Career Summit – 15 April
The summit will include a series of seminars and panel discussions on the topic of finding work and clients in the Film & TV industry.
About this Event
Are you looking to build or expand your career in the film industry? Then the London Film Career Summit is the event for you! This full day event will be packed with seminars, talks, discussions and networking. You can expect to leave the event with a huge amount of insight into how to find work in the film industry. We will go through topics such as finding an agent, working with recruiters, building the perfect CV & portfolio, finding clients as a freelancer and much more!
Please find a list of seminar and panel discussion topics that we will be covering below. The speakers and full event schedule will be announced soon.
FINDING YOUR CAREER PATH:
We will begin the day with an introduction to the film industry and discuss the best ways to find your own unique career path. We’ll outline the variety of sectors and jobs within the film industry to help you decide which one might be the best for you.
FINDING AN AGENT:
Whether you’re an actor, director or camera operator, if you want to have a steady stream of jobs as a freelancer an agent can really help. We will hold talks with both freelancers and agents to show how the relationship works, how to find an agent and how to make sure that you get the most out of that relationship.
CLIENT ACQUISITION & FINDING FREELANCE WORK
Learn the ins and outs of how to find a consistent stream of clients to support your freelance career. We’ll discuss how successful freelancers build their client data base and how you can do the same!
FINDING FULL TIME WORK
Freelancing is not for everyone. Constantly looking for your next job can get exhausting and some filmmakers prefer a full time job in the industry. We will discuss what kind of full time jobs exist, what you can expect and how to find and apply for them to maximise your chance getting employed.
CREATING THE PERFECT CV & PORTFOLIO
Whether you’re a freelancer or looking for a full time job you will need a CV and portfolio. We will talk through what each of those should contain and how they should be presented depending on what kind of job you’re applying for.
NETWORKING
Finally the event will be a great networking opportunity. Come along to meet and network with like-minded filmmakers, actors, film financiers and indie-film marketing specialists. Whether you’re on the hunt for cast and crew, new projects, or are looking to explore your financing and marketing options, this is the perfect time and place to discuss all your current and future projects, with a drink in your hand and some great company!
At the end of this content-packed day you can expect to walk out with a good understanding of all the different strategies you can use to find freelance or full time work in the film industry.
Find out more about Cine Circle here: www.cinecircle.co.uk
7. Chat Discuss Collaborate: Informal Meet up on Filmmaking – 18 April
Film-makers, or anyone who has an interest in making films, we welcome you!
This is a Meet-Up group for anyone who is interested in the art and appreciation of making movies. Whether you are producer, actor, director, writer, cinematographer, sound engineer, editor or anyone else interested in film-making, come and join us!
London Filmmakers Society welcomes all skill levels, and anyone willing to get involved. Whether you are professional, or thinking of making your first film, come along and bring your passion for making movies. Share your knowledge, mentor those less experienced, or learn from those who know more. Help others with their projects and find collaborators to help with your own.
They want to bring together all passionate film-making enthusiasts in London and start making movies.
We also have a close relationship with Finchley Film Makers (FFM), a social and educational club for filmmakers, who meet for talks, workshops, movie-based entertainment and to socialise with other film enthusiasts. The Organiser of this Meetup has been involved with FFM for many years making films and running workshops and presentations, and was Chairman for 2 years, 2017-2019.
Find more about it HERE
8. In Focus: Helena Solberg
Fri 14 – Sun 16 April 2023; Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Brazilian filmmaker Helena Solberg has built a unique filmography featuring an impressive array of themes with aesthetic and political consistency and coherence for nearly sixty years.
Her first film The Interview (A entrevista, 1966) launched one of her keenest interests: grappling with the condition of women in society. It was a pioneering film in various senses, not only in Brazil but worldwide. The Interview foreshadowed themes that would sustain the second wave of feminism, and it is usually regarded as the first Brazilian feminist film. This was followed by the poetic Noon (Meio-dia, 1970). Both convey a strong atmosphere of rebellion and nonconformity against the established powers, no small feat in a country amidst a civilian-military dictatorship. This strengthened Solberg, who was the only woman to participate in the watershed Cinema Novo in Brazil.
Her first fiction feature Diary of a Provincial Girl (Vida de menina, 2004), was based on the memoirs of a young woman at the end of the nineteenth century as Brazil underwent profound transformation with the end of the monarchy and the abolition of slavery. The protagonist is another rebellious and defiant character depicted by Solberg.
The ICA In Focus, jointly with the Embassy of Brazil in London, represents part of this major shift in the wake of a welcome revisionist push towards writing a more inclusive cinema history. Helena Solberg’s transnational experience, in addition to her political and feminist activism, ensued in an unmissable complex and bold oeuvre, mindful of the world’s ebbs and flows, challenging the film viewer to engage, react and act. May the broad and reinvigorated circulation of her films reverberate, inform and inspire generations now and in the future.
Find more about it HERE