Audience Increase for Leeds International Film Festival (26/11/2010)
Congratulations to the team at Leeds International Film Festival who had a record breaking 24th edition this month, with an incredible programme selection of films from all around the world attracting a huge increase in audience attendance up to 29,000 people. If you didn’t make it to the festival, but want some inspiration on what to look out for in film in 2011, then check out the audience favourites.
AUDIENCE FAVOURITES
Music documentary High on Hope was the overall audience favourite, with the best average score out of over 100 feature films featured in the 18-day festival. High On Hope commemorates the 20th anniversary of acid house, telling the story of the infamous ‘Hardcore Uproar’ warehouse parties in Blackburn 1989-91. From just 50 friends these parties grew to over 10,000 people dancing in cavernous warehouses across the north-west every week. The film held its UK premiere at this year’s Film Festival to a sold-out audience as part of Cinema Versa, the Film Festival’s documentary strand, and was attended by director Piers Sanderson in person.
The King’s Speech, the moving story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II, filmed partly in Leeds and Bradford, was named as favourite fiction feature. The King’s The King’s Speech continues director Tom Hooper’s connection to Leeds after the massive success of The Damned United, with Screen Yorkshire providing crew and locations support for the Yorkshire leg of the shoot. Fresh from its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival where the film also won the People’s Choice Award, and now tipped for Oscar® success, The King’s Speech was the LIFF Opening Gala film, playing to 900 people in the fabulous Leeds Town Hall on a brand new 40 foot wide screen. The King’s Speech is released in the UK in January 2011.
Leeds/Iraqi film Son of Babylon directed by Mohammed Al-Daradji and produced by Human Film with support from Screen Yorkshire, came 7th out of a total of 100 feature films from all over the world that were screened at the festival. Son of Babylon tells the story of a mother's desperate search for her son in Iraq following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. The film has consistently screened to critical acclaim at festivals across the globe, picking up a host of awards and nominations. It has made the BIFA Raindance Award shortlist and has also been selected as Iraq's official entry for the Oscar nominations 2011. The screening at LIFF marked the hometown premiere for Human Film, who are based in Leeds. Son of Babylon is scheduled for release by Dogwoof in February 2011. Find out more about the film by watching this video interview with director Mohammed Al-Daradji recorded shortly before the screening at Hyde Park Picture House. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4NErPCW13g
'THE ASTRONOMER'S SUN' WINS ‘BEST YORKSHIRE SHORT
Congratulations to the filmmakers behind one of Screen Yorkshire's most successful Digital Shorts of late, The Astronomer's Sun (Duchy Parade Films), an animated short film made in a potting shed in Ilkley, won ‘Best Yorkshire Short’ at LIFF.
The Astronomer's Sun tells the story of a young man, accompanied by a mysterious mechanical bear, who visits an abandoned observatory to confront memories of his past and follow his father on a journey into the unknown. A magical journey about relationships and what it is to be human The Astronomer's Sun is written & directed by Simon Cartwright and Jessica Cope and produced by David Bunting & Peter M Kershaw at Duchy Parade Films Ltd. www.astronomerssun.com
Jury statement: There is such weight and therefore capacity for emotion in the beautifully crafted stop motion animation, but it is the universal film techniques supporting this that make it such a joy to watch; the lighting, the sound and the camerawork are masterfully synchronised in tone, emphasising the sacrifice and loss at the heart of this story.
For the final audience top 20 and full list of awards, go to: www.leedsfilm.com
To see the photos and videos of events throughout the festival including question and answer sessions with filmmaking guests, exclusive interviews and special events, go to Flickr, YouTube and Facebook.
Leeds International Film Festival is supported by Screen Yorkshire in partnership with the UK Film Council through RIFE Lottery Funding.
