Royal Society invites game developers....

 to bring research to life at Summer Science Exhibition

 

The Royal Society is looking for experienced games development studios to take part in new initiative that will turn some of the research on show at its annual Summer Science Exhibition into video games.  The Royal Society will host a 12 hour game jam on 24^th May that will see developers work with the scientists behind exhibits to produce five exciting new games.

 

Unity Technologies, a games development software company, will support the Royal Society in creating fun interpretations of the science that will be on show at this year’s Exhibition. Of the 23 exhibits taking part this year, 5 will be selected to take part in the game jam.  The Royal Society is partnering with indie game distribution portal, IndieCity, to share the games produced at the jam.  

 

The game jam will take place at the Royal Society in London. Five development teams of up to 4 developers will be partnered with the selected exhibitors for an all-day game jamathon from 10am - 10pm.  Each development team will receive £2,000 to further develop their games after the game jam so that they are ready to be played at the Summer Science Exhibition which runs from 1^st – 7^th July. The games will be available free online and at the exhibition itself so that the public can cast votes for their favourite game.  The team that receives the most votes will receive an additional £2,000 to further develop the games once the Exhibition closes. 

 

Professor Peter Sadler, chair of the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition selecting committee, said:

 

“The Summer Science Exhibition is one of the highlights of the Royal Society’s year. It provides a unique opportunity for members of the public to interact with scientists and ask them questions about their work. We’re very excited to be introducing a new element to the Exhibition this year in the form of the Games Jam. An increasing number of exhibitors have used games as a way of communicating their science over the last few years and we’re hoping that by giving some of them an opportunity to be part of the Games Jam it will bring state-of-the-art creativity and innovation to their video games and some fantastic news ways of bringing their cutting-edge research to life for our visitors. I’m really looking forward to playing with what’s created on the day!”

 

The Royal Society invites the UK's talented games development sector to join it in communicating the fun and fascination of science.  Interested developers can find out more about the competition and how to apply from the Royal Society's website at bit.ly/RSgamejam .The event's Twitter hashtag is #RSgamejam

Up and coming filmmakers called upon to launch National Transplant Week 2013

National film competition urges public to talk to loved ones

about their organ donation wishes

NHS Blood and Transplant has launched a short-film competition urging people to pass on their organ donation wishes to family and friends. 

The competition, ‘Organ donation through A Lens’ will focus on the importance of having  ‘The Donation Conversation’ and will culminate in the launch of National Transplant Week which runs 8 to 14 July. The winning film will encourage more people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and more crucially highlight the importance of talking to family and friends about your wishes.  

Over 90% of families will agree to donation if a loved one is registered and has discussed their wishes. This drops to around 40% if donation wishes aren't known.

The competition follows the success of a similar competition held for the first time last year.  Jemma North, producer and director of ITV current affairs series, Tonight, and one of the judges for this year’s film competition comments: “I’m absolutely delighted to be supporting this year’s National Transplant Week film competition. I know first-hand what a huge impact such films can make, having recently produced and directed a one hour documentary for ITV on the importance of organ donation.

“Not only do these films do a fantastic job of encouraging people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, they also showcase the amazing dedication of the medical teams involved, as well as the bravery of the donor families and the life-changing experiences of the recipients.

“Organ donation is such an important cause and one that can’t be publicised enough in my opinion, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what creative films this year’s entrants come up with!”

Fellow judge Cat Lewis, Executive Producer on the Bafta winning programme Me, My Dad & His Kidney, said: “Film and television can do much to raise awareness of the huge benefits of organ donation and this competition is a great way to encourage young creatives to think about this important subject.”

The competition is open to all film makers from 25^th March to 17^th May. The winning films will be announced at the start of this year’s National Transplant Week in July.  The makers will also receive £1,000 worth of camera equipment.

Last year’s winner, Paul Dallison from Liverpool, said: “I couldn’t believe it when my name was read out as the winner. I didn’t know much about organ donation before making my film but through my research and the inspiring people I interviewed, I’ve now become a real champion. This competition really gets people thinking about the importance of signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and passing on the message to their family and friends.”

Sally Johnson, NHS Blood and Transplant’s Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation, added: “After the success of last year’s competition, we are really looking forward to seeing more powerful, moving films. This year, the focus is on telling loved ones about your donation wishes.  

"We want these films to help everyone, individuals and families, to be proud to say yes to organ donation, when asked. We want everyone to be proud of our donation record in the UK. The first step is having a conversation with your loved ones about your wishes."

To join the NHS Organ Donor Register please call 0300 123 2323, text DONATE to 62323 or visit www.transplantweek.co.uk

For more information and to enter NHS Blood and Transplant’s ‘Organ donation through A Lens’ competition, simply email NTWfilmcompetition2013@redconsultancy.com or call 0207 025 6611 and you will be sent a briefing pack containing further information and guidance.

Don’t forget to keep watching out on www.facebook.com/organdonationuk and follow us on twitter @NHSOrganDonor for more information about the ‘Organ donation through A Lens’ competition and this year’s National Transplant Week.

For further information about National Transplant Week and the ‘Organ donation through A Lens’ competition, go to http://www.transplantweek.co.uk/.

Additional £10m skills boost to support growth

Employers in Creative Media across the UK welcomed the Government's additional boost for skills development of up to £10m over two years announced in today’s Budget. This boost to skills will support sectors, key to UK economy, in their ambitious plans for growth. This adds to the £6m already announced in The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. The Chancellor has now ear-marked new Government co-investment to a total of £16m to match industries’ leading to a total of £32m. This will provide entry and professional level training for over 5,000 individuals working in film, high-end TV, animation, video games, and additionally, now the key sector of VFX(Special Visual Effects). The investment will support additional employer led proposals over and above the commitment to levies and new collective arrangements in video games, agreed as part of the Government’s consultation on the tax reliefs. Large employers with interests across these industries, and groups of small companies collaborating together, will be enabled to bid for co-investment for proposals that meet the key skills and training challenges that have been identified by the industries as being priorities. Creative Skillset has been charged with managing this investment through its Skills Investment Fund and will work with representatives of each industry across the UK to ensure that all investments made will be targeted at areas of priority. Stewart Till CBE, Chair of Creative Skillset and CEO of Sonar Entertainment said: "Our industries have identified the UK's skills and talent as one of the principal drivers of growth and of our global reputation. We applaud the Government for incentivising co-investment and providing this much needed injection to support growth in our priority economic sectors.  Crucially, this news is totally aligned with employers’ ambitions to develop an innovative industrial partnership for the Creative Industries to take end-to-end responsibility for skills in our sectors." Creative Industries Minister Ed Vaizey said: "The UK has a world class content production sector. Today’s package of measures, announced in the Budget, recognises the significant economic contribution made by our highly skilled creative content industries. It demonstrates Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovation and investing in talent to help keep the UK ahead of the game when it comes to creative excellence." Alex Hope, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Double Negative, Co-author of the ‘Next Gen’ Report and Creative Skillset Board Member said: "The Government's recognition of the content production centre and visual effects' position within that is hugely welcome. The measures announced today offer significant opportunity to drive this sector forward and invest in our greatest asset - the tremendous talent existent in the UK.” Stephen Garret, Chairman of Kudos, Executive Chairman of Shine Pictures and Creative Skillset Board Member said: "The UK Creative Industries are renowned for having a world-beating skills base. A new challenge is making sure that we can boost growth and properly resource increased levels of production so that we compete even more successfully on the global stage.  It is fantastic to see today's additional financial commitment from the Chancellor to support the skills and talent development we need to help our industries step up to this challenge." The investment will be routed through Creative Skillset's Skills Investment Fund which currently manages film industry investment and will now extend its scope to the new beneficiary sectors of video games, animation, high-end TV and VFX. The announcement is an endorsement of the model of public and industry co-investing together, through industrial partnership, to take a co-ordinated approach to identifying, funding, and addressing skills gaps critical to future success. The investment will be available from April 2013.

DJANGO UNCHAINED

Quentin Tarantino’s Global Box Office Smash Starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson 

Available for Pre-Order Now and on Blu-ray^™ and DVD with UltraViolet™ May 20th
 

 Vengeance has a new name in the Oscar®-winning, global box office hit DJANGO UNCHAINED, riding in on Blu-ray^™ and DVD with UltraViolet™ May 20^th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. This epic, action-packed Spaghetti Western from writer/director Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds) was nominated for five 2012 Academy Awards® (Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing), taking home awards for Best Original Screenplay (Tarantino) and Best Supporting Actor (Waltz). The film, with US theatrical rights held by The Weinstein Company, has grossed more than $400 million globally and features a stellar cast, including Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx (Best Actor, Ray, 2005), two-time Academy Award® winner Christoph Waltz (Best Supporting Actor, Django Unchained, 2012 and Best Supporting Actor, Inglourious Basterds, 2010), Academy Award® nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception), Kerry Washington (Ray, TV’s “Scandal”) and Academy Award® nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Best Supporting Actor,Pulp Fiction, 1994; The Avengers). 

 
DJANGO UNCHAINED is a classic Tarantino revenge story about a slave (Foxx) who, with the help of a German bounty hunter (Waltz), rises up from the brutality of his former life to exact his own brand of personal justice in his quest to free his slave wife (Washington) from an evil plantation owner (DiCaprio).
 
The Blu-ray comes with two exclusive featurettes: “Reimagining the Spaghetti Western: The Horses & Stunts of Django Unchained,” giving viewers a look at the making of the film. “The Costume Designs of Sharen Davis” chronicles the costume choices of designer Sharen Davis, who imagined, designed and created every article of clothing and accessory featured in the film, from Django’s first outfit as a free man in vibrant blue to Calvin Candie’s three piece suits. Both the Blu-ray and DVD come with the featurette “Remembering J. Michael Riva: The Production Design of Django Unchained,” giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the selection of settings and style that Riva, who was the driving force behind the set design, used to visually tell Django’s story. The Blu-ray and DVD also come with the “Django Unchained Soundtrack Promo”.  
 
DJANGO UNCHAINED was produced by Stacey Sher (Pulp Fiction), Reginald Hudlin (TV’s “The Boondocks”) and Pilar Savone (Inglourious Basterds). Executive producers are Bob Weinstein (Inglourious Basterds), Harvey Weinstein (Inglourious Basterds), Michael Shamberg (Pulp Fiction), Shannon McIntosh (Death Proof) and James W. Skotchdopole (True Romance).

DJANGO UNCHAINED has a run time of approximately 165 minutes on Blu-ray and 159 minutes on DVD and is rated 18.
 
DVD and Blu-ray Bonus Features:

• Remembering J. Michael Riva: The Production Design of Django Unchained
• 20 Years In The Making: The Tarantino XX Blu-ray Collection
• Django Unchained Soundtrack Promo

 
Blu-ray Exclusive Features:

• Reimagining the Spaghetti Western: The Horses & Stunts of Django Unchained
• The Costume Designs of Sharen Davis
• Remembering J. Michael Riva: The Production Design of Django Unchained
• 20 Years In The Making: The Tarantino XX Blu-ray Collection
• Django Unchained Soundtrack Promo

 

www.facebook.com/DjangoMovie
#GoDjango
 

HEMLOCK GROVE

ELI ROTH’S GOTHIC THRILLER

DEVELOPED BY BRIAN MCGREEVY & LEE SHIPMAN

AVAILABLE ONLY ON NETFLIX APRIL 19

All 13 Episodes of Original Series, Based on Brian McGreevy’s Novel,

Will Be Available Simultaneously in All Netflix Territories

Twitter Pitch: First look: @Netflix Original series #HemlockGrove from director @EliRoth http://youtu.be/rlZUsPcChgI

(Beverly Hills, CA – January 9, 2013) – The Netflix Original Series “Hemlock Grove,” a riveting and eerie mystery from executive producer Eli Roth and based on Brian McGreevy’s novel of the same name, will be available for members to watch instantly and in its entirety beginning April 19, 2013.

All 13-episodes of the series, which stars Famke Janssen (“X-Men”), Bill Skarsgård (“Simon & The Oaks”), Landon Liboiron (“Terra Nova”), Penelope Mitchell (“6 Plots”), Freya Tingley (“X”), and Dougray Scott (“Mission Impossible II”) will debut concurrently in all territories that Netflix is available – U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Latin America, Brazil and Scandinavia.

“‘Hemlock Grove’ is unlike anything else in its genre,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “It’s sexy, gripping, emotional and twisted, and we’re certain viewers are going to be captivated by its intensity.”

The series revolves around the eccentric residents of a dilapidated former Pennsylvania steel town and the murder of 17-year-old Brooke Bluebell.  Through the investigation, the town’s seamier side is exposed, revealing that nothing is what it seems.

“Hemlock Grove” marks the first foray into television by internationally acclaimed horror master Eli Roth (“Hostel,” “Cabin Fever”), who also directed the first episode. The series is executive produced by Roth, McGreevy & Shipman, Mark Verheiden, Deran Sarafian, Eric Newman and Michael Connolly. The series was developed by Brian McGreevy & Lee Shipman. This one-hour murder mystery is produced by Gaumont International Television for Netflix.

Danny Boyle returns to Stratford City

for EXCLUSIVE preview of Trance and live Q&A session at VueXtreme 

Oscar winning British film director Danny Boyle will host an exclusive preview screening and live Q&A session of his new film Trance at Vue Stratford City on the evening of Friday 22^nd March – marking his first visit back to Stratford since he masterminded the opening ceremony of London’s Olympic Games last year.

Film fans will get to see an exclusive first screening of Trance a week before its UK release, followed by Danny Boyle appearing in the VueXtreme screen, answering questions from members of the audience and discussing his work with host presenter Amy Raphael, author of his recent biography. 

Starring James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson and Directed by Boyle, Trance is a psychological thriller about a fine art auctioneer, mixed up with a criminal gang, who join forces with a hypnotherapist to recover a lost painting.

The film re-unites Boyle with many of his frequent collaborators including screenwriter John Hodge (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave) and Underworld’s Rick Smith who has composed the original score.

Stuart Boreman, Film Buying Director at Vue Entertainment, comments, “We are delighted to welcome Danny back to Stratford for this one-off event which promises to be an unmissable experience. With an Oscar under his belt and global praise for his role in the Olympic opening ceremony, Danny is one of the UK’s national treasures and should provide a very interesting and entertaining evening.”

Limited tickets for this exclusive event are still available from www.myvue.com 

Trance will be released nationwide on 27 March 2013. 

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE IN FILM?

Nation invited to share their life changing film moments…and pass them on with a Universal DVD and Blu-ray

Remember how you stopped skipping carefree into the sea after you saw Jaws or decided to seriously overhaul your knicker drawer and look beyond a bad jumper for the man of your dreams after Bridget Jones’ Diary? Movies make memories and can take you back to a time and place like nothing else.

Now Universal Pictures (UK) is inviting the nation to create their own movie time-line, chronicling their lives through the films that matter the most. From the first film you saw with your partner that brings back that rush of excitement when your hands grazed over the popcorn, to the film you laughed at so hard you cried and the one you just couldn’t wait to show your child when they were old enough – everyone’s story can be told through the movies they’ve loved.

From April Universal Pictures is celebrating its impressive catalogue of films by inviting groups, individuals and celebrities to create their own movie memory timelines and reveal their own unforgettable film moments that have a special place in their affections; those that just have to be passed onto others with a DVD or Blu-ray. From films that your children need to see to learn a thing or two about life – or even why you dance the way you do - to films that dictated the way you dressed or wore your hair way back when.

Did you never look at the police in the same way after Hot Fuzz or take up bowling after The Big Lebowski? Is that scene when Elliot and E.T. fly over the moon one of the most inspiring ever and did you feel short changed at your mate’s wedding because you got some sugared almonds and not the Labrador puppy party favours like in Bridesmaids? Universal wants to know.

A spokesperson for Universal Pictures (UK) said: “ My Universal is not just about celebrating films but also key moments in films that take you back in time, make you remember who you were with and where you saw it. We want the UK to share their movie memories with us using Universal catalogue titles to inspire them. With Universal DVD and Blu-ray there is no excuse not to re-live those memories and share them with friends and family.”

Go to www.facebook.com/universalpicturesuk to find out more.

FLATPACK FESTIVAL 2013

21-31 March - Birmingham 2013

 ‘Magnificently eclectic.’ Time Out

‘Flatpack feels like an essential component in Birmingham’s cultural life.’ The Quietus

‘Putting invention and unabashed imagination front and centre.’ Little White Lies

Flatpack Festival returns to Birmingham from 21-31 March 2013, spreading across two weekends for the very first time. Firmly established as one of the most atypical and inventive events in the UK's cultural and film calendar, Flatpack 2013 looks set to provide the stimulating array of experiential cinematic treats that its growing legion of fans has come to expect.

Mixing brand new talent with forgotten classics and the usual dose of eccentricity, Flatpack festivalgoers can expect live scores, late night parties and cycle-powered screenings all while exploring some of Birmingham’s more unusual venues and locales. Screenings and events are just as likely to be found in warehouses and churches as more traditional venues like the century-old Electric Cinema. This year will also see an extension of the popular Film Bug programme, with free screenings, events and installations in Birmingham city centre kicking off the festival from 21-23 March.

Once again the Flatpack Palais will provide the festival’s beating heart; a place to meet people, eat cake, pick up a brochure and sample the programme. In the past it has taken over a warehouse, a gallery space, and a disused dance studio. In 2013 it will be found in a Victorian building which started life as the Deritend Free Library. Flatpack will be collaborating with students from Birmingham School of Architecture to transform it into a screening space and social hub. A Kickstarter campaign is underway to help make this ambitious project happen.

FLATPACK FESTIVAL 2013 FEATURE FILMS & DOCUMENTARIES INCLUDE:

ONE MILE AWAY - After shooting a hip-hop musical in north Birmingham, director Penny Woolcock stayed around to make a documentary about some of the young non-professional actors who appeared in her film. The result is One Mile Away, a candid portrait of two gang-members and their attempt to forge an unlikely truce.

THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC – Featuring an unforgettable performance by Maria Falconetti, Carl Theodor Dreyer’s startling 1928 silent film has recently been restored and will be screened at Birmingham Cathedral with a new live score by pianist Paul Shallcross.

THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED - Lotte Reiniger’s beguiling 1926 cut-out fairy-tale is refreshed for Flatpack 2013 by a new live score from Dutch ensemble the Sonja Van Hamel Trio.

The programme of feature films also includes: MONDOMANILA, an unhinged, hilarious and defiantly scuzzy voyage through the Philippino underground; ONLY THE YOUNG, a documentary about two Christian skate-punks in the Californian suburbs; VANISHING WAVES, a bold Lithuanian sci-fi film about an experiment to enter the consciousness of a coma victim; and CONSUMING SPIRITS, Chris Sullivan’s small-town portrait combining a number of different animation style.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

SHYNOLA – the legendary filmmaking collective present a selection of their mould-breaking music videos, and talk about their long-awaited feature film The Red Men.

DEMDIKE STARE – An opportunity witness the duo’s dark, hypnotic powers in a live AV set, complete with a visual barrage of obscure VHS horror. Their stated aim is “get a load of ingredients, throw them in a cauldron, set fire to it and see what happens.”

CYCLOMANIA - Pedal-powered screenings and an archive programme exploring Birmingham’s bike-building heritage.

GANGLAND STYLE - In anticipation of a new six-part BBC series about Birmingham’s Edwardian roughs, the Peaky Blinders, historian Chris Upton will lead a walking tour through the city’s forgotten battlegrounds.

THE MIND OF EVIL – Thanks to a painstaking restoration by the BFI as part of the show’s fiftieth birthday celebrations, this landmark Doctor Who serial can now be seen in full colour for the very first time.

SON OF MAN – Screening at Carr’s Lane Church a few days before Easter, Flactpack provides a rare chance to see Dennis Potter’s 1969 television play, a stark and controversial retelling of the story of Christ,

REVISITING THE ARTS LAB – Although labs sprang up across the UK throughout the 60s, Birmingham’s Arts Lab flourished long after the others had died out and became fertile ground for new talent across a range of artforms. Flatpack will pay tribute to the Lab and its legacy, gathering key contributors, screening relevant works, and displaying some of the mind-bending posters that emerged from their screen-print workshop.

GANGLAND STYLE - In anticipation of a new six-part BBC series about Birmingham’s Edwardian roughs, the Peaky Blinders, historian Chris Upton will lead a walking tour through the city’s forgotten battlegrounds.

3D DELIGHTS – A strand containing a beautiful selection of 1960s Soviet animation and a climactic 3D Party complete with A/V performances and stereoscopic activities as well as a screening of Vincent Price’s THE MAD MAGICIAN

COLOUR BOX - This year, Flatpack’s family strand coincides with Easter weekend, and boasts an even bigger and more varied line-up of screenings and activities for younger viewers and doers.

www.flatpackfestival.org.uk / www.twitter.com/flatpack / www.facebook.com/flatpackfestival

DISNEY TO RELEASE OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

IN IMAX® 3D IN THE U.K. STARTING MARCH 8

LONDON – March 5, 2013 – IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX) and Disney today announced that the much-anticipated fantasy-adventure film Oz The Great and Powerful, from acclaimed filmmaker Sam Raimi, will be released to IMAX® theatres throughout the U.K. beginning on March 8, 2013. Oz The Great and Powerful stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams.

“Disney and Sam Raimi’s films have transported millions of moviegoers to magical places and we’re looking forward to having his imaginative vision of the Oz story as part of our 2013 film slate,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. 

Directed by Sam Raimi, Oz The Great and Powerful imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved wizard character. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful wizard but into a better man as well.

Oz The Great and Powerful is produced by Joe Roth and written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire. Grant Curtis, Philip Steuer and Palak Patel are serving as executive producers.

The IMAX release of Oz The Great and Powerful will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of An IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL An IMAX 3D Experience®, is scheduled to play at the following IMAX theatres beginning March 8:

·         Birmingham – Cineworld IMAX Birmingham

·         Cardiff – Odeon Cardiff Bay IMAX

·         Crawley – Cineworld IMAX Crawley

·         Edinburgh – Cineworld IMAX Edinburgh

·         Enfield - Cineworld IMAX Enfield

·         Gateshead – Odeon Metrocentre IMAX

·         Ipswich – Cineworld IMAX Ipswich

·         Kingston Upon Thames – Odeon Kingston IMAX

·         Liverpool – Odeon Liverpool ONE IMAX

·         London – Odeon BFI IMAX

·         London – Odeon Swiss Cottage IMAX

·         London – Odeon Greenwich IMAX

·         Manchester – Odeon Manchester IMAX

·         Nottingham – Cineworld IMAX Nottingham

·         Norwich – Odeon Norwich IMAX

·         Renfrew – Odeon Braehead IMAX

·         Sheffield – Cineworld IMAX Sheffield

·         Southampton – Odeon Southampton IMAX

·         Uxbridge – Odeon Uxbridge IMAX

·         Wimbledon ¬– Odeon Wimbledon IMAX

·         Dublin – Cineworld IMAX Dublin

St Albans Film Festival

Christiane Kubrick, wife of legendary filmmaker, to open first St Albans Film Festival this Friday

First UK screening of Vinyl to kick off city's inaugural festival
  

Christiane Kubrick, the wife of the late, iconic filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, is to open the first-ever St Albans Film Festival this weekend (www.stalbansfilmfestival.com).
Christiane will be at the festival’s official opening ceremony on the evening of March 8, international Woman's Day, at Cafe Rouge in the city centre.
Stanley and Christiane got married in 1958 after they met on the set of the Paths of Glory, which Stanley directed. They moved to England in the early 1960s finally settling in Childwickbury Manor, just outside St Albans.

Christiane trained as an actress before pursuing a career in painting, going on to become an highly accomplished artist. Her work was featured in two of Stanley Kubrick films, A Clockwork Orange and Eyes Wide Shut.

Stanley created some of his most famous work in the St Albans area. His house, Childwickbury Manor, was used as a nerve centre for his film productions: The Shining was finished there, and Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut were started and completed there. 

The festival, which takes place from March 8-10, kicks off with the screening of the feature film Vinyl on March 8. Director Sara Sugarman will introduce the film at the screening.

Leoni Kibby, Film Festival Director, says: "I am thrilled that two such significant women in the world of filmmaking are going to be part of the opening day, on International Woman's day, too. Kubrick is such an iconic name and we are honoured to have Christiane open our festival. Sara Sugarman's film Vinyl is a wonderful warm story about the music industry and I am delighted to welcome her to St Albans ahead of the film's UK release." 

The closing film of the festival will be Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures, directed by Jan Harlan, Christiane’s brother and one of Kubrick's producers on Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. He will also be giving a talk about filmmaking at the festival.

Speaking about the significance of the St Albans Film Festival, Jan says: "This lovely city of St Albans is anaemic when it comes to film culture – and this is the city where Stanley Kubrick lived for 20 years. I applaud the efforts of Leoni and her team of organisers and will certainly take full advantage of the rich offering."
 

Other famous names at the festival include legendary stuntman Roy Scammell, who was the stunt double for Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only and Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye. 

Roy, who also doubled as Michael Caine in The Italian Job and drove the iconic red mini through the streets of Turin for the legendary chase scenes in the film, will be looking back over his life as a stunt man in film at a talk on Friday evening.

The short film competition has attracted 300 entries, made by filmmakers from 30 countries, making the festival a truly international event.