Thousands of school children and young people across London are being given the chance to enjoy exclusive free films and events as part of the first ever National Youth Film Festival. Between 21 October – 8 November over thirty of the capital’s cinemas – including: the Everyman, Curzon, Odeon, Picturehouse, Vue Cinemas and Cineworld – will be hosting screenings and special events.
The National Youth Film Festival is a new nationwide event on the arts calendar and reaches all corners of the capital. It is a celebration of cinema that aims to educate and inspire about the medium of film; and young Londoners can see a wide range of films and meet industry professionals. Highlights include previews of new titles such as The Selfish Giantand Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 3D, to recent films including Beasts of the Southern Wild and Ernst and Celestine, to classics such as Cinderella and Peter Pan (plus many others).
In addition to the screenings there will also be a range of special events throughout the capital including:
· Opening Gala preview of the new Sony Animation Pictures film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 3D, at Odeon West-End. Also being simultaneously screened to 13 venues throughout the UK. (21 October at 10 am).
· Gala preview screening of the awaited British film The Selfish Giant, plus a Q&A with director Clio Barnard and actors Connor Chapman and Shaun Thomas, via live link up from National Media Museum, Bradford (Everyman Hampstead, & Greenwich Picturehouse 21 October at 16.00).
· Screening of Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song followed by a Q&A with the producer Alastair Carruthers (Cineworld, Chelsea, 22 October at 10.00 am).
· Preview screening of Utopia by John Pilger, his latest film about the plight of Aboriginals in Western Australia (Barbican, 22 October at 13:00).
· Screening of Great Expectations followed by a Q&A with the film’s producer Stephen Woolley (Everyman-screen on the Green, 22 October at 15.45).
· Masterclass from the film producer Lisa Bryer (Odeon Covent Garden, 23 October at 10:00 am).
· Screening of Out in the Dark followed by a discussion with a representative from Stonewall. (Curzon Soho 23 October at 10.00 am)
· The Innocents and special event with CineLive (Barbican Cinema, 24 October at 10:00 am).
· Exclusive Preview Event – Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom and Q&A with a special guest (Hackney Picturehouse 24 October 10:00 am).
· Workshop with Mike Valentine, a leading underwater cameraman who has worked on over 70 feature films (Vue Croydon, 24 October at 10:00 am).
· Screening of Beasts of the Southern Wild followed by a discussion with representatives from Oxfam (Brixton Ritzy, 25 October at 10:00 am).
· Workshop with the film and television composer Debbie Wiseman (Odeon Covent Garden, 25 October 16:00).
· Screening of Pirates! In an adventure with Scientists! Proceeded by a Q&A with Director Peter Lord of Aardman Productions (Odeon West-End, 24 October at 10:00 am).
· Q&A with the actor and comic David Schneider (Cineworld Wandsworth, 26 October at 10:00 am).
The National Youth Film Festival is aimed at schools, colleges and youth groups and tickets to screenings and events can be booked free of charge by teachers on a first-come first served basis at: www.nationalyouthfilmfestival.org
Learning is at the core of the National Youth Film Festival and every film has been programmed for its own educational value. It aims to inspire students to understand, watch and create film in new and innovative ways. The National Youth Film Festival forms a key element of a new four-year programme funded by the BFI and Cinema First for watching, making and learning about film.
Programme information:
For all listings and London events please go to www.nationalyouthfilmfestival.org
