Saturday, September 24, 2005

OCTOBER-DECEMBER LEEDS FILM QUARTER PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

The latest programme from Leeds Film Quarter is a diverse and exciting delve into the extremes of cinema. With special previews, rare archive films and major discoveries from around the globe this season is a treat for all fans of cinema, no matter what you’re interested in.

Carlos Reygadas, one of the world’s most promising filmmakers, is showcased in Emerging Talent: Mexico. The season contains the extraordinary JapĆ³n, garnered enthusiastic reviews and a slew of prizes on the international festival circuit in 2002-3, whilst a preview of his latest film Battle In Heaven proves that Reygadas is a daring talent with a highly idiosyncratic and committed aesthetic.

A shocking yet compelling canon of work is appraised in Confrontation 24 Frames A Second: The Cinema Of Michael Haneke. With has latest film Hidden showing at the GNER 19th Leeds International Film Festival, this will be an opportunity to discover the director’s earlier films with screenings of the disturbing treatise on violence Funny Games and the explicit The Piano Teacher.

In conjunction with the major new exhibition at Leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds Film Quarter contributes a season of films about the varying nature and experience of the city at night in Something Of The Night. With some atmospheric chillers such as An American Werewolf In London and Kontroll, there are also some evocative classics in the shape of Nights Of Cabiria and ‘Round Midnight. Lumen also provide an opportunity to see some rare films, included a showing of the first reel of Andy Warhol’s legendary Empire.


Past master Sergei Paradjanov, who was the most idiosyncratic and controversial of post-war Soviet auteur equalled in artistic achievement only by his contemporary Tarkovsky, is explored with rare opportunities to see such films as The Legend Of The Suram Fortress and Ashik Kerib.

The work of legendary composer Bernard Herrmann is celebrated to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his passing. Working with a veritable ‘Who’s Who’ of the cinema, there’s a chance to see his wonderful music accompanying the work of Welles, Hitchcock and Scorsese.

Finally, the LFQ Specials provide the usual mix of exclusive previews and exciting one-off’s including Jim Jarmusch’s latest film Broken Flowers and the excellent Slovenian war film Valley of Peace.