A treat for North East film fans
BARBARA HODGSON BRINGS YOU AN AT-A-GLANCE GUIDE TO WHAT TO EXPECT AT THIS MONTH’S FIRST NEWCASTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
EXCITEMENT is building as the days count down to the first Newcastle International Film Festival.
With most of the preparation for the ambitious event having taken place behind the scenes, its March 29 debut is set to have a major impact.
Passers-by in the city centre are in for a surprise over the Easter weekend as the arrival of filmmakers from around the world sets the streets abuzz.
Among the famous faces who’ll be out and about in Newcastle will be musician Jools Holland, actress Caroline Goodall and even The Saint star, Ian Ogilvy.
Over four days, a range of venues will be showcasing films specially selected for the inaugural event.
Screenings of entries from 87 countries will include features, documentaries and shorts, then awards will be made to the winners at a red carpet gala night.
On the programme will be world premieres but there will be classics too, such as Geordie favourite Get Carter and horror Night of the Living Dead, with the festival scoring a coup in securing a restored, remastered version of the latter in celebration of the film’s 50th anniversary year.
And an added treat for film buffs will be a visit from directors Mike Hodges, who shot Get Carter and North Eastborn Neil Marshall, renowned for Dog Soldiers, The Descent and Doomsday.
Audiences will be able to get up close and personal with screen stars, film legends and industry professionals at events across the city during the March 29 to April 1 festival.
To ensure you don’t miss out, here is a guide to the event and some of the highlights to look out for.
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?
It’s the first of its kind and, while ticking the usual film festival boxes of showcasing a range of new work, the Newcastle event is very much about forging connections with film-makers worldwide with the future aim of getting more films made in the region and also firing up local production.
WHEN AND WHERE IS IT?
It will take place in Newcastle over Easter weekend. It launches on March 29 and runs until April 1 with host cinemas including Tyneside Cinema; Cineworld at the
Gate, and The Side Cinema. Among the venues acting as mini cinemas to host events will be The Biscuit Factory; The Mining Institute, and Colonel Porters bar.
WHO’S BEHIND THE FESTIVAL?
Driving the festival forwards are local businesswoman Jacqui MillerCharlton and North East-born actor and producer Craig Conway. Joining them is American Garen Daly as festival director: a talent with 45 years’ experience in the industry including as director of Boston Science Fiction Film Festival.
WHICH BIG NAMES ARE COMING?
Jools Holland; Richard Armitage; Gina McKee, Caroline Goodall; Denise Welch; Dave Johns; Ian Ogilvy; and Jill Halfpenny are among those involved.
WHAT’S ON THE PROGRAMME?
Around 200 films — 40 features and 140 shorts — from 87 countries, including entries by local talents. There also will be workshops, “In Conversation” events with Q&A sessions and panel discussions.
AND THE FILM HIGHLIGHTS?
For Geordies these are bound to be Get Carter, with director Mike Hodges, on March 29; and a “binge screening” of TV classic Our Friends in the North on March 30, attended by its Gateshead-born writer Peter Flannery and the series’ local star Gina McKee.
Then there’s Fright Night featuring Neil Marshall’s Doomsday (plus a Q&A with the director and actors Craig Conway and Sean Pertwee) followed by a midnight screening of the 4K remastered Night of the Living Dead.
Festival director Garen Daly is delighted to have secured the restored version of this horror flick and said its screening will be accompanied by a zombie costume competition.
Another highlight will be Jools Holland in conversation with Geoff Wonfor, the local Grammy award-winner and producer of The Tube, at an event called From City Road to Abbey Road.
Geoff said that the worldwide scope of the festival makes it the biggest thing to have happened in Newcastle.
TELL US MORE ABOUT THE GET CARTER EVENT
The 1971 gangster classic will kick off the festival on March 29 and its fans on the night will be in for a unique treat. The screening isn’t of the DVD but rather the last remaining 35mm print of the film and director Mike Hodges will be attending as well as taking part in a Q&A. A VIP audience will then get to party the rest of the night away at Colonel Porters, along with some star guests.
A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME?
There will be three world premieres including Australian horror film Rabbit; two UK premieres, including epic dystopian stop-motion animation Junk Head, which took one man 10 years to complete; and two English premieres, including independent British thriller The Escape starring Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper.
WHAT WILL THE BIG NAME GUESTS BE INVOLVED IN?
Among a variety of events, Denise Welch will be presenting her acclaimed short film Black Eyed Susan and taking part in a Q&A about women, mental health, disability and diversity.
Dave Johns — star of Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake — will host the closing awards ceremony. He will also star in one of the competition shorts, Howay!
Ian Ogilvy, who played the lead in the Return of the Saint TV series, will attend an industry panel discussion.
Richard Armitage — North & South actor, whose film work includes The Hobbit and upcoming Ocean’s 8 — will present his Indie Leeds-based feature Urban & the Shed Crew. He will also host an In Conversation event with Schindler’s List star Caroline Goodall with whom he worked on the film Berlin Station.
Jill Halfpenny will attend events including a pre-opening Ladies Who Mean Business lunch.
AND OTHERS?
Poet and screenwriter Tony Harrison will present a select filmography.
Social media star Jack Howard of YouTube’s Jack and Dean will present a workshop on online digital distribution.
And look out for North East-based filmmakers Samm Haillay and John Richard Baillie; TV presenters Jane Witherspoon and Dallas Campbell; and Claes Bang, the Danish star of Palme D’Or-winning and Oscar-nominated The Square and the upcoming Spider’s Web.
ANYTHING UNUSUAL TO LOOK OUT FOR?
A three-film retrospective of late East is East actor Om Puri, which will launch with a traditional Indian meal and a Q&A with his widow, Nandita and son Ishaan.
Searching For Light, the story behind the Kielder Observatory and former brick-layer turned astronomer Gary Fildes.
A world exclusive preview of documentary 14 Years: The Making of the Film with No Name, about local filmmaker Ben Race who has spent 14 years directing his still-unfinished debut film.
SO, WHO IS SUPPORTING THE FESTIVAL?
The BFI (British Film Institute); Heathrow Airport; Newcastle Central Labour MP Chi Onwurah, and Environment Minister Michael Gove. Its Royal Patron is Prince Michael of Kent.
ANYTHING ELSE?
The festival also will be celebrating the talents of women. Before the current controversy over the treatment and role of women in Hollywood, the festival already had plans to include a female focus in honour of the UK centenary of women’s suffrage. In the spirit of equal representation, the festival programme will include films written, directed and produced by women.
For the full programme and tickets see www.newcastlefestival.co.uk