What do Ray Winstone, Mark
Kermode and Chuck Jones have in
common? They’ll all be celebrating
the National Media Museum’s 18th
Bradford International Film Festival,
for eleven days, 19-29 April. Jam-
packed full of all things cinematic,
the Festival will be celebrating
the career of Mr Winstone, with
showings of his most recent hits
like Beowulf plus classics like Sexy
Beast. Not only that, he will be
there in person on 21 April to take
part in a Screentalk interview. Need
more reasons to go?
There’s a tribute to the centenary
of animation master Chuck Jones,
who brought us characters that
are still as popular as ever - Elmer
Fudd, Road Runner, and my personal
favourite Bugs Bunny. To celebrate
BIFF is showing 20 of Chuck’s
greatest shorts throughout the
festival, including Road Runner’s
first outing in Fast and Furry-ous
from 1949. However, the eleven
days aren’t just for film fanatics but
family too. Over two weekends BIFF
has activities for all ages, inspired
by Jones’ unique animations.
There is also the Widescreen
Weekend at Pictureville cinema,
which promises to show widescreen
films all weekend, including the
historic format of Three-Strip
Cinerama, projecting the film onto
a wide screen using three projectors
- the only cinema outside
the USA to do so. This is the
centrepiece to BIFF’s Cinerama is
60 celebrations, which include a
widescreen films such as the award
winning The Wonderful World of the
Brothers Grimm.
And there’s even more - not only
is Mark Kermode’s band The Dodge
Brothers accompanying Neil Brand in
a live soundtrack to Beggars of Life,
he even plays double bass. There is
much more that will be revealed in
the run-up to the festival, so there
really is no reason to not visit BIFF
this year.
Niki Bierton
For more information go to www.
nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/biff
or call the box office on 0844 856
3797
Niki is a filmmaker from Shipley;
you can follow her on twitter: @
thebierton
WHATS ON...
Our Hospitatlity @ National Media Museum 4th March (time tba)
Buster Keaton’s hilarious physical comedy and exasperating stunts are complemented by live piano accompaniment from
Darius Battiwalla.
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors @ Hyde Park Picture House 5th March – 9pm
New Mexico’s roving folk duo A Hawk and A Hacksaw (accordionist/drummer Jeremy Barnes and violinist Heather Trost)
present a brand new rescore of Soviet director Sergio Paradjanov’s classic film.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde @ Hyde Park Picture House 9th March - 6.30pm
Following acclaimed performances at London’s BFI and the Latitude and Green Man Festivals, acclaimed Yorkshire folk act
Blue Roses (aka Laura Groves) reprise their haunting live score for this classic work of gothic silent cinema.
Minicine: Uncharted States of America @ Armley Mills 22nd March –7pm
Minicine gears up for BIFF’s Uncharted States of America strand by playing two films that have played in previous editions
of the strand. The evening will include trailers of films playing at this year’s BIFF. See minicine.org.uk for ticket information
