respect Festival
10-17 July 2003
a celebration of diversity through film
First ever respect film festival launches with gala screening of Raising Victor Vargas
RAISING VICTOR VARGAS by award winning director Peter Sollett will have an exclusive screening at the opening gala for the very first respectfilm, a week long season of films celebrating diversity from around the world, at cinemas across London from 10-17 July. Raising Victor Vargas tells the story of young love in New York's Lower East Side and has received excellent reviews in the States. The film will be screened at the Curzon Mayfair on Thursday 10 July.
respectFilm is being programmed by Marc Boothe on behalf of the Mayor of London and will be one of the highlights of respect week , a wide-ranging programme of arts, community and educational events taking place across the capital in the run up to the Mayor's respect anti-racist festival at the Dome, Greenwich on 19 July.
Amongst several premieres and exclusive screening are STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN, the documentary and live performance film about the pivotal role played by the Funk Brothers in the musical legacy that spawned the once ubiquitous 'Motown sound', which changed the course of music around the world, will close the festival at the Ritzy, Brixton, on Thursday 17 July.
There will be world premiere screenings of SCARRED, TASVIH and A LONG WAY FROM PICCADILLY, three films made by and for refugees living in London and funded by the Princess Diana Memorial Fund and the Prince’s Trust. Other festival highlights include Rick Famuyiwa's hip-hop tale BROWN SUGAR and Rick Elgood and Don Letts' Jamaican feature ONE LOVE, about love across religious and social borders.
There will also be an exclusive preview screening of THE MAKING OF 1 GIANT LEAP, the Duncan Bridgeman-Jamie Catto movie record of their musical tour of 25 countries, including a Q&A with Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman.
Other special events include Q&As with Sophie Fiennes (director, HOOVER STREET REVIVAL); Michael Ocelot (KIRIKOU – THE SORCERESS); Safina Uberoi (MY MOTHER INDIA), whilst One Love will be introduced by directors Rick Elgood and Don Letts.
Also due to take part in education events are screenwriter Tony Grisoni at a special screening of Michael Winterbottom's IN THIS WORLD and broadcaster Henry Bonsu, who will be talking to actor Chiwetel Ejiofor from Stephen Frears' DIRTY PRETTY THINGS. Playwright and critic Bonnie Greer will be interviewed by film critic Peter Curran at a special showing of her favourite film, THE THIRD MAN.
Marc Boothe says: 'The respectFilm festival provide a unique and much needed platform for London's multi-ethnic communities to celebrate the wealth and diversity of stories from the around the world on the 'Big Screen. It's a great honour to be part of something that is so positive and inclusive.'
respectFilm takes place from 10-17 July at the Curzon Mayfair, the Other Cinema, Ritzy Cinema, Brixton, Rio Cinema, Hackney, Genesis Cinema, Mile End, and the ICA.
The festival programme is as follows:
RespectFilm
THURSDAY 10 JULY
RAISING VICTOR VARGAS OPENING NIGHT GALA
Peter Sollett/US/2003/88mins/cert 15
Victor Vargas (Victor Rasuk), is a self-styled lower east-side teenage Casanova who, despite his adolescent hubris, has a lot to learn about love. Caught between regaining his grandmother’s trust and helping his kid brother and sister negotiate the oft-baffling ways of the world, Victor discovers that there’s a difference between acting like a man and becoming one.
Plus
SCARRED World Premiere
UK/2003/12mins/cert 16
See special events
Curzon Mayfair Thursday 10 July 6.30pm £8.50
FRIDAY 11 JULY
THE CLAY BIRD (Matir Mona)
Tareque Masud/Bangladesh/2002/100mins/English subtitles/cert 15
Cannes award-winning story tells of family life during the upheavals of East Pakistan in the 1960s.
Check Box Office for details 020 7780 2000
Genesis Friday 11 July at 3pm 6pm 9pm £5.50/£4.50/£3.65
MY MOTHER INDIA
Safina Uberoi/Australia/2001/52mins/no certificate
Delightful portrait of the director’s family introduces us to a kitsch academic father, an Australian mother and their Indian neighbours. What begins as a humorous documentary unfolds into a complex commentary on the social, political and religious events of the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, which tore this family apart. Includes Q&A with director Safina Uberoi
ICA Friday 11 & Friday 18 July at 7pm £6.50/£5.50
SATURDAY 12 JULY
SERIOUS ABOUT SHORTS: DIASPORA SHORTS SHOWCASE
Produced by B3 media
A short film showcase featuring the best in short films from the UK’s Black and Asian filmmakers. Shot on film and digitally the showcase will provide a unique opportunity to discover tomorrow’s hot talent today.
Curzon Mayfair Saturday 12 July 11am £3
COWBOY BE-BOP: the Movie
Shinichiro Watanabe/Japan/2003/115mins/English subtitles/Cert 12A
In the days leading up to Halloween 2071 the bounty hunting crew of the spaceship BeBop are bored and broke. This Bladerunner-esque post-modern anime epic delights with its goony touches and unexpected delicacy.
ICA Saturday 12 July 2pm & 10.30pm £6.50/£5.50
HOOVER STREET REVIVAL
Sophie Fiennes/US/2002/100mins/Cert U
This unique and innovative film takes as its subject life, death and the Word of God as experienced around Greater Bethany Community Church, in the notorious South Central, LA.
Includes Q&A with director Sophie Fiennes
The Other Cinema Saturday 12 July 6.30pm £7/£4
SUNDAY 13 JULY
'MY FAVORITE FILM': THE THIRD MAN
Carol Reed/US/1949/105mins/cert U
Playwright and critic Bonnie Greer introduces a special showing of her favourite film: Carol Reed’s classic THE THIRD MAN. Interviewed by Peter Curran from BBC LDN The Big Picture 94.9FM.
Curzon Mayfair Sunday 13 July 1pm £6
Double Bill
HAMMAM - THE TURKISH BATH
Ferzan Ozpetek/Italy-Turkey-Spain/1997/98mins/English subtitles/Cert 15
Rome interior designer Francesco leaves his fading marriage behind when he travels to Istanbul to assess the inheritance left by his aunt, an old-fashioned Turkish bath (or 'hammam').
+ IGNORANT FAIRIES
Ferzan Ozpetek/Italy/2001/105mins/English subtitles/Cert 15
Stefano Accorsi, Margherita Buy.
Contrasting lifestyles and unveiling desires, the third film from Turkish-born director Ozpetek is his first based fully in Italy. An affluent thirtysomething doctor (Buy) is distraught after the death of her husband and shocked to discover that he had long-term male lover.
Rio Cinema Sunday 13 July 2pm £7/£5.50
KIRIKOU – THE SORCERESS
Michael Ocelot/ France/1998/74mins/Cert U
The tiny Kirikou is born into an African village upon which a sorceress called Karaba has cast a terrible spell. His adventure-filled voyage leads him to the forbidden mountain, where the wise man of the mountain, who knows of Karaba and her secrets awaits him. Kirikou's stunning visuals are accented by a traditional music soundtrack by African music giant Youssou N'Dour of Senegal.
plus face painters and live African drumming and Q&A with Michael Ocelot.
Ritzy Cinema Sunday 13 July 4.30pm £5
BROWN SUGAR EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW SCREENING
Rick Famuyiwa/US/2002/109mins/cert 12A
Starring: Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Mos Def, Queen Latifah. Dre and Sidney attribute their friendship and their careers to a single moment - the day they discovered hip-hop. Now some 15 years later, as they lay down the tracks toward their futures, hip-hop isn't the only thing that keeps them coming back to that moment.
Ritzy Brixton Sunday 13 July 7pm £7/£4
MONDAY 14 JULY
BREATH CONTROL: HISTORY OF THE HUMAN BEAT BOX
Joey Garfield/ 2002/ US/ 74mins/cert 15
Forget samplers, drum machines and devices: this is the real deal. Going back as far as the DJ and breakdancing in Hip Hop culture is the art of making music using just the human voice. The first documentary on this skill, using new interviews with those involved, including Doug E. Fresh, Biz Markie (The Diabolical) and The Fat Boys. + Diaspora Shorts
The Other Cinema Monday 14 July 7pm £4
TUESDAY 15 JULY
ONE LOVE LONDON PREMIERE
Rick Elgood & Don Letts/Jamaica/2003/tbc mins/cert tbc
Starring Ky-Mani Marley, Cherine Anderson and Vas Blackwood. A contemporary Jamaican 'Romeo and Juliet', One Love tells the tale of young Rasta reggae musician Kassa and Serena, the gospel singing daughter of a Pentecostal preacher who are brought together through their mutual love of music. Introduced by the directors.
Curzon Mayfair Tuesday 15 July 6.30pm £8.50
MON-RAK TRANSISTOR (A Transistor Love Story)
Pen-ek Ratanaruang/Thailand/2001/120mins/English subtitles/Cert 15
From the producers of Tears of the Black Tiger comes the perfect summer movie, a potent blend of Elvis Presley-style musical, love story and poisonous social satire in Hysteric Glamour t-shirts.
ICA ALL WEEK 8.45pm £6.50/£5.50
WEDNESDAY 16 JULY
THE MAKING OF 1 GIANT LEAP EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW
Duncan Bridgeman, Jamie Catto/UK/2002/155min/cert PG
In 2001, Jamie Catto, film-maker and founding member of Faithless and artist/producer Duncan Bridgeman, joined forces to create the project, 1 Giant Leap. They embarked upon a journey of 25 countries including Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, India, Australia, the United States and United Kingdom, equipped solely with a digital camera and a laptop. This is the story of that journey.
+ Diaspora Shorts and masterclass Q&A with Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman
The Other Cinema Wednesday 16 July 6.30pm £7/£4
THURSDAY 17 JULY
STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN CLOSING NIGHT GALA
Paul Justman /US/2002/116mins/cert PG
Their music is famous around the world, though their names are not. Known as the Funk Brothers, they put the soul into the hits of such legendary performers as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Standing In The Shadows of Motown tells their story, combining exclusive interviews, archival footage and thrilling new performances, the Funk Brothers backing up Chaka Khan, Ben Harper, Me’shell Ndegeocello, Bootsy Collins.
Ritzy Brixton Thursday 17 July 9pm £7/£4
SPECIAL EVENTS
'23:59' Digital Short Film Competition
Calling all 'guerrilla' filmmakers! The rules are simple: 24 hours to shoot; 24 hours to edit. All you need is an idea, a crew and a weekend. For more information contact info@b3media.co.uk.
Ritzy Brixton 18-20 July
Refugee Short Film Project
In partnership with the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, the Prince's Trust has supported The Transient Film exchange to bring together a group of young refugees living in London, to produce short hard-hitting dramas shot on video. The films, Scarred, Tasvih and A Long Way from Piccadilly will be shown throughout the week before our features and documentaries.
EDUCATION EVENTS
Produced by Film Education in association with B3 Media, suitable for people with or without knowledge of film. 15 years and above. All seats cost £1.
IN THIS WORLD
Michael Winterbottom/UK/2002/89mins/cert 15
This highly acclaimed film follows Jamal and Enayatullah as they set out to travel overland to London, passing through Iran, Turkey, Italy and France, in a journey which is so arduous and life threatening that one is constantly aware of the desperation that lies behind it. Includes Q&A with screenwriter Tony Grisoni.
Curzon Mayfair Friday 11 July at 10.30am
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
Stephen Frears/UK /2002/97mins/cert 15
An urban thriller in which an African night porter enlists the help of a prostitute, a chambermaid and a mortuary technician to solve a bizarre murder. Set in a world of asylum seekers that lies behind the familiar urban metropolis, it is a tale of two cities, both set in London. Includes Q&A with Chiwetel Ejiofor (TBC) and Broadcaster Henry Bonsu.
Curzon Mayfair Monday 14 July 10.30am
More information at:
respect Festival
