New film festival puts region in the spotlight
A TOUCH of Hollywood glamour added sparkle to Wednesday’s launch of Newcastle International Film Festival.
The newly-announced festival – a first for the city – is set to turn the spotlight on the North East when it makes its debut next year.
Movie star Caroline Goodall flew in for the launch, starting the clock ticking on the countdown to the grand affair which will bring big names from across the world to Newcastle in a celebration of filmmaking.
The roof terrace of The Vermont hotel was the location for the action on a sunny Wednesday morning where the tone was set with a red carpet, movie memorabilia, Oscarstyle gowns and tuxedos.
Hollywood actress Goodall – whose film credits include Cliffhanger; The Princess Diaries and Schindler’s List, in which she played Oskar’s wife – travelled over from her home in Italy for the occasion.
The British talent, who also has a house in LA – where she made her name in Steven Spielberg’s Hook; Hollywood’s first $12m film – was delighted to be a part of the ambitious event.
“It’s important to have a northern connection but also to reach out a little further,” she said.
“We need to have a film festival which not only can show the extraordinary talent in the North but also bring world cinema here as well.”
Preparations are already well under way for the festival – intended to be the first of an annual starstudded treat – to take place next year from March 29 to April 1 at venues, not just cinemas, across the city. Its programme will range from features and shorts to documentaries and LGBT films, while regional talent will have a platform of its own.
It will include a filmmakers’ competition, while a special festival theme of “women’s issues” will highlight the achievements of women including local heroine Gertrude Bell.
Add a complementary programme of workshops, party events and a closing exclusive gala dinner and the festival is set to ignite the whole city over its four-day run.
The main emphasis is on having fun, says its director, North East business pioneer Jacqui MillerCharlton. The idea behind the festival initially came from media director and producer TJ Gill who was keen to showcase the ideal film locations of a region he has adopted as his home.
On meeting Miller-Charlton, the idea took off and now their “dream team” of organisers includes Kirsty Bell; another homegrown talent, with expertise in film finance and distribution. In a few short months, the plan has snowballed and the festival’s Newcastle launch follows a promotion at Cannes on board a yacht which attracted huge interest and secured collaborations with filmmakers as far afield as Australia, South Africa, the US, China and in Bollywood.
Gill said: “We’ve already had 1,000 entries from 73 countries and we’re expecting 1,000, maybe 2,000, more.”
These will be whittled down to around 200 by an independent panel of judges from around the world.
Miller-Charlton said the focus is on creating something for the people of the North East which will capture the essence of the region and its people and leave a legacy.
While some people have asked not only where is Newcastle but why Newcastle, she answered simply: “Why not?”, pointing out that Cannes Film Festival – which this year celebrated its 70th birthday – started as someone’s idea.
“We’ll achieve something which will make people feel proud,” she said.
Bell also works with local actor Craig Conway in London-based production company BB88 and he too was back in Newcastle to support the launch.
With London over-burdened as the centre of filmmakers’ attention, he said Newcastle offers everything, in terms of location, in one spot.
The film, TV and stage star said: “London is packed and we need alternatives and this alternative is better suited to the industry.”