Bedford Film Festival 2014.compressed

WWW.BEdfOrdfIlmfESTIVal.OrG

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INTRODUCTION 5

VENUES 7

FULL PROGRAMME 10

FEATURE FILMS 12

DOCUMENTARIES 15

SHORT FILMS 17

WORKSHOPS 18

CONTENTS326-28 SEPTEMBER 2014 | BEDFORD FILM FESTIVAL

INTrOduCTION

ADDITIONAL THANKSKatrina Dixon, James Pharaoh, our projectionist Ben Smith, volunteer managers Caroline and Rachel and all our volunteers, Tony and the team at Cambridge Film Trust, Graham and Jim at Bonfire, Mayor Dave Hodgson, Bedford Borough Council’s Property Services and Communications and Marketing team, everyone at The Higgins Bedford and Bedford College, Jacquie Manners, and the ever patient Annie, Francesca and Kayte.

526-28 SEPTEMBER 2014 | BEDFORD FILM FESTIVAL

WELCOME TO BEDFORD FILM FESTIVALSo what have we planned for our second annual event? More on that later. First, let’s have a look back on an incredible 12 months.

The big news is that we’ve been accepted as a member of Film Hub Central East. This puts Bedford on the film festival map, allowing us to network with other organisations in the region, learning what’s needed to grow and create more screening opportunities for Bedford’s film fans.

In March we got together with the excellent Happiness Matters to screen Happy – The Movie at Coffee with Art. We then joined with our friends BedFringe in the summer to screen Songs from Soweto, a documentary about festival music favourites Simply Soweto Encha.

We’ve also developed a strong relationship with The Pad Nightclub. They asked us to screen a charity tribute to Robin Williams, which sold out. This brings us nicely to this year’s festival as The Pad is our venue for the warm up charity screening of Delicious on 23 September. This also includes a performance by Bedford band Cicero Buck, who wrote a song for the film’s soundtrack and a Q&A with the director, Tammy Riley-Smith.

The festival then begins in earnest on Friday 26th with our educational partners Bedford College hosting top class filmmaking workshops. Our official opening that night is the Oscar winning Italian film La Grande Bellezza. The first time it’s been shown publicly in the town.

Saturday starts with our children’s film, Disney’s Aladdin, followed by an Aladdin themed illustration workshop by Circus of Illustration. The rest of the day sees: the return of Polish cinema to Bedford with Ida, Tony Benn: Last Will and Testament and a collaborative screening of Sign Painters with Bedford Creative Arts.

Our Saturday night films feature two big teen indie films from this year. James Franco’s Palo Alto short stories have been beautifully captured on screen by Gia Coppola, and then Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning star in the hauntingly uneasy Night Moves.

Sunday starts with classic cinema treat In the Slums of Berlin, an excellent example of early cinema with a gripping story. Next, back to the present day but still with European cinema in the form of Dutch coming of age drama Supernova, another film we can’t recommend enough for its beautiful use of colour and light.

Some of Bedfordshire’s very own film makers feature on Sunday afternoon in our short film sessions, proving we’ve some promising film making talent on our doorstep. And then we come to our close. 20,000 Days on Earth is possibly the most highly anticipated music documentary of recent years, as a series of interviews, stage performances and conversations with other stars of music and film, discuss Nick Cave’s life and his influence on popular culture.WOW - what an excellent lineup, we’re really pleased to share it with you.

Stephen, Paul, Richard

THE HIGGINS BEDFORDThe Higgins Bedford boasts excellent facilities for schools, spaces for workshops and talks, exhibition galleries and now, facilities for independent film screenings.

Thanks to their dedication to support Bedford Film Festival and the town’s film fans, they’ve invested in a projector housing so that high quality screenings can be made throughout the year.

The ideals of The Higgins Bedford match the ethos behind our festival and we are delighted they have agreed to be our primary venue again.

www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk

BEDFORD COLLEGEOffering creative arts courses in film and media production, plus animation, graphic design, photography and many more, Bedford College aims to produce the next generation of creative thinkers.

Whether you’re leaving school, an international student, interested in degree-level courses, want to study part-time to improve your job prospects, or would just like to take up a new activity, Bedford College offers a fantastic range of subjects in spaces that inspire. www.bedford.ac.uk

THE PADThe Pad is Bedford’s longest standing nightclub, offering live shows, comedy, club nights, film screenings and private hire - an alternative to the commercial stylings of the high street.

The team are also responsible for The Pad Presents which offer live shows from up and coming touring bands, as well as established, high profile artists.

With a plan to show film on a more regular basis, using their intimate town centre venue for some of Bedford Film Festival’s screenings was a logical choice.

facebook.com/thepadnightclub

VENuES77726-28 SEPTEMBER 2014 | BEDFORD FILM FESTIVAL

aT a GlaNCE

This event is founded and run by Bedford Film Festival Limited.ww

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27SEP2014

ALADDIN’S ILLUSTRATIONWorkshop, 120 minutes£2/£1.50

TIME11:00

VENUEThe Higgins, Barbican

23SEP2014

DELICIOUSCharity warm-up screening£7

TIME19:30

VENUEThe Pad

26SEP2014

LA GRANDE BELLEZZAFeature fi lm opening ceremony£8

TIME18:30

VENUEThe Higgins

27SEP2014

ALADDINFeature fi lm, 90 minutes£5

TIME09:30

VENUEThe Higgins

26SEP2014

DIRECTING MASTERCLASSWorkshop, 120 minutes£5

TIME09:30

VENUEBedford College

26SEP2014

MAKING A DOCUMENTARYWorkshop, 60 minutes£5

TIME12:00


26SEP2014

ON-SET MAKE-UPWorkshop, 60 minutes£5

TIME15:00


26SEP2014

APPLE’S FINAL CUT PROWorkshop, 60 minutes£5

TIME14:00


This event is founded and run by Bedford Film Festival Limited.

27SEP2014

IDAFeature fi lm, 82 minutes£5

TIME11:30

VENUEThe Higgins

28SEP2014

IN THE SLUMS OF BERLIN (1925)Feature fi lm, 112 minutes£5

TIME10:00

VENUEThe Higgins

28SEP2014

SHORTS SESSIONLocal short fi lms, 120 minutesFREE

TIME15:30

VENUEThe Higgins

27SEP2014

NIGHT MOVESFeature fi lm, 112 minutes£5

TIME21:00

VENUEThe Higgins

27SEP2014

PALO ALTOFeature fi lm, 100 minutes£5

TIME18:30

VENUEThe Higgins

27SEP2014

SIGN PAINTERSDocumentary, 80 minutes£5

TIME13:30

VENUEThe Higgins

27SEP2014

TONY BENN: WILL AND TESTAMENTDocumentary, 90 minutes£5

TIME16:00

VENUEThe Higgins

28SEP2014

SUPERNOVAFeature fi lm, 102 minutes£5

TIME13:00

VENUEThe Higgins d

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28SEP2014

20,000 DAYS ON EARTHClosing screening£8

TIME19:00

VENUEThe Higgins

23SEP2014

DELICIOUS TIME VENUECharity warm-up screening, £7 19:30 The Pad

New British fi lm Delicious has a strong link to Bedford as Local band Cicero Buck perform their song Heavy Rain for the fi lm’s soundtrack, they’ll perform that song on the night after the fi lm. Director Tammy Riley-Smith will also be available for a Q&A after the fi lm.

Recently released from prison, French chef Jacques pursues an obsession to work for the great British chef Victor Ellwood. He then meets Stella, a curious girl living in the downstairs fl at. As he falls in love with her, he realises she not only has an aversion to restaurants, but food of all kinds. All proceeds for the screening will go to support eating disorder charity B-Eat.

26SEP2014

LA GRANDE BELLEZZA TIME VENUEFeature fi lm opening ceremony, 142 minutes, £8 18:30 The Higgins

Journalist Jep Gambardella has charmed and seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades. Since the legendary success of his one and only novel he has been a permanent fi xture in the city’s literary and social circles.

Then when his sixty-fi fth birthday coincides with a shock from the past Jep fi nds himself unexpectedly taking stock of his life, turning his cutting wit on himself and his contemporaries and looking past the extravagant nightclubs, parties and cafés to fi nd Rome in all its glory: a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.

27SEP2014

ALADDIN TIME VENUEFeature fi lm, 90 minutes, £5 09:30 The Higgins

We’re delighted to bring you Disney’s classic Aladdin. A street urchin, meets Princess Jasmine, who is in the city undercover. They fall in love with each other, but as she can only marry a prince will they live happily ever after?

What better way to remember Robin Williams, an acting legend, than by doing what he loved best. Bringing laughter to everyone. Special off er: Get a ticket to Aladdin’s Illustration Workshop for only £1.50 when purchased with your screening ticket.

27SEP2014

IDA TIME VENUEFeature fi lm, 82 minutes, £5 11:30 The Higgins

Anna, an orphan raised in a convent, is preparing to take her vows when she’s sent to visit Wanda, her aunt and only living relative. Wanda reveals that Anna’s real name is Ida and that her parents were Jews murdered during the Nazi occupation. So the two embark on an unusual journey through the wintry countryside to unearth their family’s dark history.

Pawlikowski has thrilled audiences before but this may just be his greatest achievement yet. Set in a sombre 1960s Poland with its atmosphere of Catholicism, Communism and lingering memories of the Holocaust it’s a vibrant, intimate and subtle portrait of two contrasting women and a deeply humanist work full of thematic and formal grace and composure.

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fEaTurE fIlmS12 BEDFORD FILM FESTIVAL | 26-28 SEPTEMBER 2014


27SEP2014

NIGHT MOVES TIME VENUEFeature fi lm, 112 minutes, £5 21:00 The Higgins

Having proved herself a maestro of lyricism and restraint in her breakout features Wendy and Lucy and Meek’s Cutoff , American director Kelly Reichardt ventures into paranoid thriller territory with this powerful exercise in brooding tension.

A trio of hardcore environmental activists – played by exciting young actors Eisenberg, Sarsgaard and Fanning – conspire to destroy a dam, but frictions within the group threaten to undermine the conspiracy. An exquisitely lensed and cleverly paced fi lm from an important new director.

28SEP2014

SUPERNOVA TIME VENUEFeature fi lm, 102 minutes, £5 13:00 The Higgins

Meis is fi fteen, lives in the back of beyond and aspires to a grand and stirring life. She dreams of a young driver called Brad. Her dad is waiting for the next driver to bring some heroism to his life again. Her mom is waiting for the same moment, so they can permanently move to the city.

Suddenly Meis has a sign that something is going to happen, and during one of her forbidden, dangerous nocturnal visits to a nearby bridge deliverance fi nally arrives....

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28SEP2014

IN THE SLUMS OF BERLIN TIME VENUEFeature fi lm, 112 minutes, £5 10:00 The Higgins

It was not just the children who were treated badly by the wealthy Weimar republic.Robert Kramer is released from prison but struggles to adjust to civilian life. His father disowns him out, his wife has left him for another man.

Robert Kramer is released from prison but struggles to adjust to civilian life. His father disowns him and throws him out, his wife then leaves him for another man.

27SEP2014

PALO ALTO TIME VENUEFeature fi lm, 100 minutes, £5 18:30 The Higgins

A teen movie for the ages, based on the book “Palo Alto: Stories” by James Franco. The fi lm follows four dissolute teenagers as they busy themselves with community service, unrequited love, and sexual escapades in the sun-kissed, Californian city of Palo Alto.

A stand-out performance from Emma Roberts as April, a high school student seduced by her amorously creepy soccer coach Mr B (Franco), the fi lm is a worthy debut feature from Gia Coppola. Not on UK general release until 17 October 2014.



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DOCUMENTARIES AT BEDFORD FILM FESTIVALWhile feature fi lms can transport the audience into a fi ctional world, or another person’s interpretation of reality, documentaries put them right at the heart of someone else’s life.

Whether it be a tale of remarkable people, the history of a social movement, or the struggle by some to overcome adversity, a documentary is a chance to delve into a reality that you may not otherwise have a chance to experience.

It’s with that in mind that we’ve chosen three documentaries this year that are all very diff erent from each other. Even if you attend just one, you’ll have a chance to share another person’s life and take away with you the lessons of their experiences.

27SEP2014

SIGN PAINTERS TIME VENUEDocumentary, 80 minutes, £5 13:30 The Higgins

Bedford Creative Arts present Sign Painters. There was a time, as recently as the 1980s, when storefronts, murals, banners, barn signs, billboards, and even street signs were all hand-lettered with brush and paint.

But, like many skilled trades, the sign industry has been overrun by the techno-fueled promise of quicker and cheaper. The resulting proliferation of computer-designed, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers has ushered a creeping sameness into our landscape. Fortunately, there is a growing trend to seek out traditional sign painters and a renaissance in the trade. An exquisitely lensed and cleverly paced fi lm.

28SEP2014

20,000 DAYS ON EARTH TIME VENUEClosing screening, 97 minutes, £8 19:00 The Higgins

As we bring Bedford Film Festival 2014 to a close, we take a bold look at one of music’s most mysterious and charismatic fi gures: Nick Cave. Although it contains electrifying scenes of performance, both in the studio and on tour, this is no concert fi lm.

Instead it presents Cave’s exploration of his own life and creative processes. He shares humor-ous tales of times past with friends and collaborators, like Kylie Minogue and Ray Winstone during segments that are presented in an almost dreamlike form.

27SEP2014

TONY BENN: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT TIME VENUEDocumentary, 90 minutes, £5 16:00 The Higgins

Until his death in March this year, Tony Benn was the longest-serving Labour MP in history and, possibly, the most popular and respected UK politician of modern times.

Through intimate, quasi-confessional interviews and his personal photographic and fi lm archive, Will and Testament reveals a very human face behind the political mask. The fi lm follows Benn as he criss-crossed the UK, bearing witness to major social and political upheavals and events. A fi tting testament to a forceful orator whose tongue was as sharp as his mind. Not on UK general release until October 3rd.

dOCumENTarIES1526-28 SEPTEMBER 2014 | BEDFORD FILM FESTIVAL


SHOrT fIlmSSHORT FILMS AT BEDFORD FILM FESTIVALWhen we opened up expressions of interest for short fi lms the quality of submissions was exceptional. Sadly we could not choose them all and while it was a diffi cult choice, we were delighted with our fi rst full selection of local productions.

The four short fi lms we present to you are of varying genres and prove exactly how promising the fi lm making talent is in the local area.

We also got together with Bedford Film Making Co-Operative and will screen what we felt was the best of the entries into their 48 Film Making challenge.

‘Our Shorts Session is free, however, we hope audience members will off er a small donation to support Oxjam and Bedford Daycare Hospice, the chosen charity of Facebook page “You’re from Bedford UK if...”

28SEP2014

SHORTS SESSION TIME VENUEShort fi lm reel, 120 minutes 15:30 The Higgins

HITMAN – BFMC 48 HOUR CHALLENGEThe fi lm makers were given a challenge to script, shoot and edit a fi lm in just 48 hours. They also had specifi c lines and props they had to use, and the fi lms were limited to no longer than fi ve minutes long. The creativity of story lines bubbling up from the challenge really impressed us and we felt Hitman showed that there was a strong idea that could certainly be developed further given more time. What was Hitman’s background and his relationship with the other characters? We hope the team will take their challenge idea forward and show us in a future production.

(PRE) MATUREBreakout Films’ clever, almost voyeuristic , look at a relationship breakdown has you switchingsides as you try to work out who’s to blame. Filmed at Sharnbrook Hotel, with a cast of two, we witness a husband and wife seemingly desperate to save their marriage but struggle to deal with whatever has led to their decline. Strong emotional performances leave you with a lump in your throat as the truth slowly reveals itself.

TELLING TIMEBedford and Husborne Crawley provide the backdrop for this Another Short Film production.Rachel is a depressed girl who fi nds comfort from the tramp with the smily face, who shepasses regularly. After a day at work that even the most hard skinned would bear, Rachel fi nd the tramp beaten up one day. Desperate for aff ection herself, she refuses to accept the reality of this man’s demeanour when the police intervene. Telling Time questions the things we often see without really looking.

ESTATEThis social drama fi lmed in Wootton and Cranfi eld, by Hundy Gilbert Media, looks at the issues surrounding life for some on ‘the estate’. Robbie has been beaten up by the local drug-dealing thug and while the police are called, very little can be done and the situation gets worse. As Robbie’s mum and step-dad get dragged into the situation, can anything be done by the authorities to stop the yobs terrorising people on the estate, or will Robbie’s family have to take the law into their own hands?

TO LIVE THE LIFE: IN THE SPACE OF A DAYWith many people living their lives through modern technology, this interesting production by Digi Hero Concepts follows a group of people through the text messages they send each other. On his 30th birthday “T” is broke but desperate to get his ideas for a business off the ground. Being let down by a loan manager at the bank, “T” sets out to get his money back and becomes caught up in an organised loan shark operation, and the police operation set up to bust the fraudsters. Filmed in Bedford and Kempston.

WOrKSHOPS

26SEP2014

DIRECTING MASTERCLASS TIME VENUEWorkshop, 120 minutes, £5 09:30 Bedford College

Award winning director, and one of Bedford Film Festival’s founders, Richard Jobson, will give a unique directing master class in how to make words leap off the script page onto the big screen.

With the help of local actors he will present how he goes about his work by developing a short script, specially written for this event.

Richard, who directed New Town Killers, 16 Years of Alcohol and Wayland’s Song will then deconstruct the process he uses to transfer his vision onto fi lm. The ambition of the two hour session is to fi lm and edit the script, with additional help from students at Bedford College, and show it at Bedford Film Festival before our closing night screening.

26SEP2014

MAKING A DOCUMENTARY TIME VENUEWorkshop, 60 minutes, £5 12:00 Bedford College

Documentary editor and director, Steven Sander, will take us through the process of working with companies such as Google and Channel 4.

His work with new technology and innovation with Premiere Pro led Steven to become the fi rst editor to edit a movie in the “Cloud”.

He is one of the most sought after creative technicians in the business and we are on ‘cloud-9′ that he has taken time out of his busy schedule to come to Bedford and show fi lm makers of the future the tools of the trade that will be common place for very soon.

WORKSHOPS AT BEDFORD FILM FESTIVALOur Shorts Session on Sunday proves Bedford already has some excellent fi lmmaking talent on its doorstep but what about future generations?

Working with our Education Partner, Bedford College, we are proud to bring some of the industry’s most sought after talent in directing, documentaries, editing, and make-up to

give aspiring fi lmmakers their own individual insight into the industry.

Attending these workshops gives fi lmmakers of tomorrow a chance to glimpse a few years into their own careers, to see where they too might be. These workshops really are a rare treat and certainly not to be missed.

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18 BEDFORD FILM FESTIVAL | 26-28 SEPTEMBER 2014


26SEP2014

ON-SET MAKE-UP TIME VENUEWorkshop, 60 minutes, £5 15:00 Bedford College

The role of a Makeup Artist ensures that performers, models, presenters and actors have suitable makeup and hair before they appear in front of the audience or cameras.

Despite what you might think though, the job is not always glamorous. Hard work, dedication, positive work ethics and strong awareness of on/off set etiquette are fundamental requirements to establish yourself within the industry. Most of these skills are learnt the hard way, after you’ve qualifi ed and you’re on set.

Alison Kynoch, is here to help you learn those skills before you get to that stage. Explaining the achievements in her own career, Alison will show attendees how to make the most of their assignments, and how to build good relationships with directors, producers, and many others in all industries, to help you have the skills to create a steady stream of work.

27SEP2014

ALADDIN’S ILLUSTRATION WORKSHOP TIME VENUEWorkshop, 60 minutes, £2/£1.50 11:00 The Higgins, Barbican

Bedford is full of excellent groups of people sharing their hobbies and passions with others. One of these groups is the Circus of Illustration who have put together an excellent fi lm related illustration workshop for our younger audience members.

Tickets for the Aladdin themed event are £2 each (of £1.50 if you buy a ticket with your Aladdin screening ticket) and include a whole range of activities for budding artists to join in with:

• Design your own fi lm poster• Prince Ali’s grand parade wall drawing• Magic lamp tissue paper collage (for the little ones)• Seize the day or take it home activity booklet.

Parents are invited to join in too and help the youngsters fi nd their creative fl air in whatever activity they choose. Suitable for all but ideal for ages 7 to 12.

26SEP2014

APPLE’S FINAL CUT PRO TIME VENUEWorkshop, 60 minutes, £5 14:00 Bedford College

An exclusive for Bedford and a real treat for local fi lmmakers of all levels. Apple ambassador and award winning director and editor Alex Snelling comes to Bedford to give us an insight into one of the world’s most popular editing programmes, Final Cut Pro. Alex takes us through where Final Cut Pro is today and shows us the remarkable work he did on his amazing Tour De France story. He will show how he uses Final Cut Pro X on this type of documentary and run through some of the industry myths and fi ction of editing high end documentaries. This is an amazing opportunity to be part of an Apple supported event and see professionals at the cutting edge of the industry tell us how it’s done. If you’re serious about becoming a fi lmmaker then you do not want to miss this.



Apple are proud supportersof Bedford Film Festival 2014. Apple present Final Cut Pro at Bedford Film Festival 2014. Revolutionary video editing. Powerful media organisation. Incredible performance for 4K video.

https://www.apple.com/uk/fi nal-cut-pro/

www.blackletterpr.co.uk

BEdfOrd fIlm fESTIVal OrGaNISaTIONal ParTNErS

+44 (0)1525 841079 www.bonfireci.com

www.nobadfilms.co.uk

Richard Jobson set up No Bad Films after a ten year stint with Sky as their principle film critic, when he moved into film production. Their first production was an adaptation of his own book 16 years of Alcohol which picked up best director award at the BIFA’S. They then produced The Purifiers as well as A Woman in Winter before completing the Edinburgh thriller New Town Killers. The films Wayland’s Song and The Somnambulists were both filmed in Bedford.

Bonfire Creative Intelligence is a nationally recognised, award-winning, integrated creative consultancy, offering everything from brand development to TV, from web to packaging, from social media to retail interiors. All our work has one thing in common - our approach. To find out more about this why not pop-in, meet the team and see for yourself what makes us one of the fastest growing agencies in the UK. Whether it’s for an informal chat, to discuss a current business challenge or a specific project, the door is always open.

Black Letter PR is the brainchild of seasoned PR consultant Kerry Jack and leading legal journalist Neil Rose. They both know good PR – Kerry because she does it, and Neil because he’s been on the receiving end of poorly targeted and badly executed PR for more years than he cares to remember. This is the PR company they would both want to commission.

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Bedford Film Festival 2014.compressed