BIRMINGHAM FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS

ONE of Britain’s premiere film and television events, the Birmingham Film and Television Festival, will be returning for its 16th year from November 15 to 25.
The Festival will preview new world cinema, along with a wide array of discussions, masterclasses and special events focusing on both film and television.
This year’s festival will announce four different Gala Films highlighting the programme strands. The Carlton Opening Gala will showcase Elias Merhige’s ‘Shadow of a Vampire’, as part of the mini vampire section within Screen Extreme. The Mid-Fest Gala will be ‘What’s Cooking’ by local girl Gurinder Chadha. ‘Everything Put Together’ will herald the special Digital Babylon weekend. Closing the festival will be a world premiere screening of director Mani Ratnam’s latest blockbuster ‘Alaipayuthey (Waves)’ showing for the first time with English subtitles.
Special events at the festival include the Digital Babylon Weekend, with the support of patron Mike Figgis exploring the possibilities presented by digital technology, with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, Mill Film, Aardman Animation and World Productions.
Television highlights include ‘An Audience with Roger Law,’ ‘Spitting Image’ and ‘Black Cab’ an event looking at the possibilities of DV drama.
Movie Mahal will showcase the best in Asian cinema, plus various shorts. As a Tribute to Mani Ratnam it will include five of the director’s colourful feature films and a Ratnam Masterclass. Joining Ratnam will be his long-time collaborator, composer AR Rahman, who will also be hosting a music workshop as the focus of this year’s Sound on the Screen.
For further details on the festival or a free festival brochure contact the festival hotline on tel. 0121 2120999.