What to watch: East End Film Festival 26th April-2nd May
by Petit Fours
Offering the cream of alternative new British film, great places for arty dates and masterclasses on every aspect of the film industry, the East End Film Festival runs from the 26th April to the 2nd May in east London.
Rooted in the bubbling east end creative scene, the EEFF started off eight years ago as a place to promote the work that came out from film-makers there. It’s a great addition to the cultural scene and this year they have a roster of gay films as well as quirky events in unusual buildings and a whole bunch of events and talks.
Full programme for the -day film festival here, but here’s our quick round up of what to see:
Gay Films
BREAK MY FALL
29 April | 6pm
Rio Cinema
UK film, dir. Kanchi Wichmann, 2010, 106min
The cast of east-end gay film 'Break My Fall'
A provocative ode to the 24 hour party culture of London’s East End, with music from some of the best underground artists London has to offer, Break My Fall is destined for cult status. Set across three days, we follow the lives of four friends. Liza hovers precariously between leaving her doomed relationship with girlfriend Sally and finding success with their band. Sally works nights in a dead end job, whilst Vin, works as a rent boy but remains secretly in love with Sally. Things finally come to a head, plunging the four friends into an emotional meltdown. By the end of the night there’s no going back to how things were.
Tickets: from The Rio – 020 7241 9410 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 020 7241 9410 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or http://bit.ly/i3eTSm
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
28 April | 8pm
Rich Mix Cinema
UK film, dir. Catherine Donaldson, 2010, 83min
Beauty and Brains
To be third-gender in Nepal means a choice of three careers: giving blessing at weddings, begging or prostitution. Known as the Meti community, they are excluded from family and school, and prey to security forces, blackmail and sexual abuse. However, as Nepal attempts to write a new constitution there is a chance of change. In order to be heard above the clamour and civil unrest, the third-genders with Sunil Pant and the Blue Diamond Society embarked on the Beauty and Brains Talent Contest. This is the story of a community gaining the confidence to finally confront the years of deeply rooted prejudice.
Tickets: Rich Mix. £7.50 (£5.50 conc.) on 020 7613 7498 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 020 7613 7498 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or at http://www.richmix.org.uk
FAITH (SHAHADA)
2 May | 6pm
Germany, dir. Burhan Qurbani, 2010, 89min
Faith
In contemporary Berlin, three young Muslim men must find their place between faith and modern life in western society. Ismail, a police officer of Turkish-descent, is about to break his loyalty towards his badge and his wife as he finds himself attracted to illegal immigrant Leyla. Sammi is torn between his Muslim faith and his irresistible desire for one of his male co-workers, despite his friends’ violent homophobia. And the local Imam, a liberal religious leader revered by the community, is going through a crisis as his daughter is moving in an ultraconservative direction although she has been raised so tolerantly.
Tickets: from The Rio on 020 7241 9410 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 020 7241 9410 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or at http://bit.ly/eO7RAH
Good for Dates
Check out the Secret Society Film Series… From Sarah at EEFF: “My particular favourites are the Secret Society film series, where we are screening films in spaces normally not accessible to the public, like the Free Masons’ Hall in Liverpool Street (yep, I didn’t know there was one either)!
Mother Joan of Angels in a Church - JOKES
“Also ‘Mother Joan of the Angels’, a camp-a-tastic film about nuns and, naturally, possession, being shown IN A CHURCH (jokes) St John on Bethnal Green.
“The urban music Visionare guys have a number of events that combine warehouse culture-esque film and live performances. More a multimedia club night than a film screening per se.
“In Spitalfields market there is also a free outdoor silent screening of Manasse, accompanied by music from Minima.”
Take her to a Masonic Lodge..
Good for learning about the film industry
Check out the Industry Strand – see here – for a series of talks and events and even the opportunity to screen your film and get feedback.
Director Ken Russell is coming down to the public screening of The Devils: Directors Cut. The screening of his controversial masterpiece represents only the second time that the most complete possible version of the film has been screened in the UK, and we are delighted that Ken will be in attendance to introduce the film. This year marks the 40th anniversary of possibly his greatest achievement, and it may be the only chance many of us get to see the masterpiece of British film.
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