Salford launches first ever Film Festival

Salford, the city which gave birth to film classics such as 'Gandhi', 'Churchill' and 'Jesus Christ' is to get back to its celluloid roots next month.
Salford, one time home of Robert Powell, Albert Finney and Ben Kingsley, not to mention 'Taste of Honey', 'East is East' and 'Love on the Dole', is to host its first ever film festival.
And as well as a host of classics, the completely free three-day event (November 19-21) will showcase local talent – including the world premier of a film made in Langworthy which is to get a Hollywood screening before Christmas.
'Talking with Angels' is a hard hitting examination of the stigma of schizophrenia. It was directed by Salford man Yousaf Ali Khan and is based on his childhood experiences.
The film has been nominated by Fox Searchlight (20th Century Fox) to the Academy Awards (Oscars) panel in the category of ‘Best Short Feature’.
The festival will take place at the Red Cinema in Salford Quays. It will also see the premier of local films 'Gas & Air' and 'Wrecked', which was premiered at the Lowry this summer. And there will be workshops for local businesses, seminars on film making, short film programmes and the best of Salford TV clips.
The event ‘Talking Movies’ offers local companies the opportunity to act out scripts from films to improve their presentation skills and boost confidence, and the event ‘Into Films?’ guides budding film buffs in the right direction for getting into the industry.
Salford City Council leader John Merry said: “We’ve got a great film tradition in Salford, and it’s a great tradition which we’re determined both to continue – and to build on. We’re going to celebrate the past, present and future of a place which has given birth to so much film talent.”
Director of Salford Innovation Park Jo Heeley said: "This is the first major cultural project by the Salford Innovation Park, an exciting new partnership which aims to harness bright minds and big ideas.
“The aim of the Park is to get Salford up there as a top city…but what makes us different is that we’re going to use the skills, talents and imagination of the people who live and work here to do it.
"The three-day movie fest, focusing on new Salfordian film makers and actors drawn from the community, shows one way in which this can be done.
“The Salford Film Festival can only grow from here and will return next year with more fresh, incredible talent.”
Mike Knowles, producer of Talking with Angels, added: “The festival will feature the best of Salford film history and the cream of future film making in the North West.
“Looking at the selection it's amazing the power and history of filmmaking in the city. Hopefully with films like Talking with Angels and the programme of community films by new filmmakers this vein of talent will continue.”
Tickets to all screening are free and can be picked up at the box office at the Red Cinema, The Lowry Outlet Mall, Salford Quays from Friday October 24 from 10am.
(GB)