EEFF2018

11–29 APRIL 2018 OFFICIAL PROGRAMME

WELCOME

CREDITS Festival Director Alison Poltock Associate Director Eddie Berg Head of Press Stuart Haggas

It’s great to be back.

Programme Producer Dimitris BoutourelisGrammatikopoulos

Back in our old spring slot, and back to the early 80’s, kicking off in downtown New York style with the UK Premiere of Sara Driver’s fantastic documentary about celebrated artist and iconoclast, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and finishing back home with a free Films for Food Archive Night in the bosom of Old Spitalfields Market.

Head Programmers Kaleem Aftab, Rowan Woods, Will Swinburne, Jonathan Ali Programme Advisor Andrew Simpson Head of Shorts Jacopo Chiodi Shorts Committee Nellie Alston, Marta Brodzinska

Elsewhere we’re very much in 2018, embracing long overdue changes in the industry with 40% of this year’s titles directed by women (including our opening and closing galas), along with 5 of the 8 Best Film competition titles directed by women. We have a majority female-led jury and women are at the heart of some of our most exciting festival events. These include Casa Deforme, an all-female line-up of uneasy electronics and performance, Women Of Wonders, our futuregazing utopian panel and She’s Right Behind You, a weekend in the company of vengeful female ghosts hosted by The Final Girls. Other highlights include Indonesian feminist revenge western, Marlina The Murderer In Four Acts by Mouly Surya, Coralie Fargeat’s subversive thriller Revenge, and Reyan Tuvi’s profound documentary, No Place for Tears. Our Spotlight Gala this year is Deborah Haywood’s Pin Cushion, including an unpacking panel with the majority female crew.

More details of three crammed weeks of community, debate, and incredible filmmaking are included overleaf. So, I’d just like to say a huge thank you to all our partners and wish you all a fabulous cine-fuelled April!

Alison Poltock, Festival Director

Pre-selection Team Beyza Ates, Julia Brow, Rehman Manji, Ellen Reay, Rodolfo Tazoniero do Amaral, Alice Werdine Marketing Coordinator Laura Jacobs Production Coordinator Bruno Gomez, Will Swinburne Programme Coordinator Irene Belert Volunteers Coordinator Beyza Ates Marketing Assistants Rodolfo Tazoniero do Amaral, Lara Peters, Alice Werdine Programming Assistant Gui Pais Venue Coordinators Supervisor Helen Nicholson Festival Assistants Noor Daldoul, Jessica Lissok, Tina Zoellner Partnerships Assistant Danielle Carpetti Guest Programmers The Final Girls, Giulia Saccogna, Josh Saco, Simon Savory, MacFadezan, Mustafa Gundogdu Cross Platform Programmer Bruno Gomez Cutting East Programmers Diego Fernando Caicedo-Galindo, Jonathan Caicedo-Galindo Masonic Masquerade Ball Producer Suzette Field Associate Art Director James Pretty, Studio Pretty Development Consultant Kate Wilson, Fury Films Website Manager Ruben Santos

THE STRANDS The East End Film Festival returns to its original Spring home with a line-up in full bloom; taking in glitzy red-carpet premieres, masterclasses from respected voices in the industry, impassioned political debate, ground-breaking cross-platform events and parties galore; all broken up into six distinct strands: Shorts

Submerge

Straddling drama, documentary, experimental and animation, and covering everything from a comedic look at gentrification to a potent exploration of domestic violence, here we recognise the very best new voices working in short form today.

This strand of sonic cinematic activity breaks the mould as it plays host to a line-up of experimental cross-arts music, performance and mayhem, alongside EEFF’s now infamous party nights.

Discovery Championing breakthrough international filmmakers and homegrown talent, this strand of the very best new voices in cinema, is a shop window showcasing features and documentaries currently without UK distribution.

Platform Reflecting the energy, artistry, attitude and cultural mix of London’s East End, Platform is a chance to talk, a chance to debate and a chance to learn the secrets of the magicians behind the cameras.

East End Film Festival 2018

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Featured Introducing a special, handpicked, headline-grabbing selection of the most exciting films ahead of their release in UK cinemas, alongside a unique line-up of specially curated, not-to-be missed festival events.

Outdoors Old Spitalfields Market plays home to EEFF2018’s closing weekend, with a packed programme of family screenings, workshops and archive cinema in partnership with Films for Food. Just bring along a non-perishable food donation for Tower Hamlets Food bank and a seat is yours!

The East End Film Festival strives to demonstrate the power of cinema as a vital, enjoyable shared experience: an experience that should be available to all.

EEFF is committed to consulting with and involving all sectors of the community, to removing barriers that deny people access, and delivering a showcase within an environment that gives everyone an equal chance to engage and participate.

EEFF OPEN TO ALL

With an initiative launched in 2015, EEFF will be offering a limited amount of free tickets for the unwaged, people of limited income, asylum seekers and refugees to a selection of EEFF 2018 activities. Please check the festival website for a full list of eligible screenings and events.

Additionally, 94% of the EEFF 2018 programme is screening in fully accessible venues. We are working towards making the festival 100% accessible in the future. For more information on venue accessibility, please visit our website or contact the festival directly for further support.

Exercising its social responsibility underpins all that EEFF does and in a reversal of 2017, when EEFF opened it’s season with a free outdoor screening this year EEFF closes with a weekend of FREE outdoor events at Old Spitalfields Market.

With free kids workshops, archive screenings, new short films and old classics, the weekend is supported by Tower Hamlets Council and hosted in partnership with Films For Food.

Films for Food activity is free to all, just bring along a donation of non-perishable food, and a seat is yours! Last year’s Films For Food screening brought in an enormous 372 Kilos of food for Tower Hamlets food bank, and this year we’re looking to extend that even further by setting up donation points at all EEFF2018 screening stations.

You can find more information about all the free events at this year’s festival at www.eastendfilmfestival.com.

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East End Film Festival 2018

EEFF Competition 2018

BEST FILM AWARD The East End Film Festival’s awards system is a vital part of the festival’s mission to discover, debate and develop new voices in cinema. EEFF’s main prize is reserved for the most outstanding, powerful and distinctive piece of cinema from a first or second time director. Five of the eight shortlisted films in competition are first features and five are by female directors.

We are delighted to present the Official EEFF Best Film Competition line up for 2018:

East End Film Festival 2018

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EEFF Competition 2018 I Am Another You

Daha (More)

Balekempa (The Bangle Seller)

Nanfu Wang is an award-winning filmmaker based in New York City. In 2016, the International Documentary Association honoured Wang with their Emerging Filmmaker Award. Originally from a remote village in China, Wang overcame poverty and lack of access to formal secondary education and went on to earn three master’s degrees from Shanghai, Ohio and New York University.

Onur Saylak was born in Ankara at 1977. He graduated from Bilkent University Performing Arts Department ‘Skill of Acting’. He also studied Physics and Political Science. After graduating from university he carved out a successful career on the stage and in cinema, winning several prestigious awards for his acting. “More” is his directorial debut.

Ere Gowda was born to a farming family in the Mandya District of Karnataka in 1981, and came to filmmaking only much later in life. He rose to fame with the film ‘Thithi’, directed by Raam Reddy - for which he is credited as the Script Writer, Second Unit Director, Line Producer and Casting Director. Balekempa is his directorial debut.

Different Kinds Of Rain

Team Hurricane

High Fantasy

Isabel Prahl’s first social advert won the Young Director Award in Cannes. Her short film Ausreichend won the First Steps Award in Germany. Since then, she has directed numerous ads with her production company, one of which, Armut Kennt Viele Geschichten, won the 2010 Young Directors Award in Cannes. Winner of the Best First Feature award at Tallinn Black Nights, Different Kinds of Rain is her first feature film.

From a young age, Annika Berg (1987, Denmark) has been making films aimed at challenging the audience with their innovative style, experiments and unusual narrative form. She graduated from the National Film School of Denmark, in 2015, to critical acclaim for her graduation film Sia, which also won best short film at the Robert (Academy) Awards 2017. Team Hurricane is her first feature.

Jenna Bass is a South African writer, filmmaker and former magician. Her multi-award winning films - Zimbabwe-set short, The Tunnel, and entirely-improvised debut feature, Love The One You Love - have screened around the world, including Sundance, Berlinale, Göteborg, Busan and Durban International Film Festivals, where she has been heralded as ushering in a ‘New Wave’ of South African cinema. High Fantasy is her second feature.

Tigre

Time Share

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Silvina studied Social Communication at the University of Buenos Aires. Ulises Porra Guardiola was born in Barcelona, Spain, and studied Philosophy at the Universidad de Barcelona. Together they wrote and directed the short films La Bicha and Destello. Tigre is their first feature film, which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2017.

Sebastián Hofmann is a Mexican visual artist and filmmaker whose productions have been presented in the film festivals of Rotterdam, Locarno, and Sundance.

His first film Halley won the Best Film Award at EEFF 2013 and he returned to the festival the year after as the Director In Residence, to present the EEFF 2014 Mexican Focus. Time Share is his second feature.

Dir: Nanfu Wang / USA, Israel

Dir: Isabel Prahl / Germany

Dir: Silvina Schnicer & Ulises Porra Guardiola / Argentina

Dir: Onur Saylak / Turkey

Dir: Annika Berg / Denmark

Dir: Ere Gowda / India

Dir: Jenna Bass / South Africa

Dir: Sebastian Hofmann / Mexico, Netherlands, USA

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East End Film Festival 2018

EEFF Competition 2018

BEST UK SHORT FILM AWARD The breeding ground for the most important new filmmakers, short film is an incredibly vibrant and vivid area of filmmaking, seemingly becoming more exciting and respected on its own terms year on year; it boasts a far higher glass ceiling in terms of gender and ethnic diversity than the world of feature films. Here we recognise a powerful British voice working in short form, challenging the well-trodden clichĂŠ that a short film is somehow flimsier than a feature.

We are delighted to present the Official EEFF Best Short Film Competition line up for 2018:

East End Film Festival 2018

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UK / Natasja Fourie / 15 min

Angels Of Our Past

UK / Max Law / 17 min

Emkhatsini (Between)

UK, Swaziland / Toa Stappard 14 min

Master of Ceremonies

UK / Toby Wharton / 10 min

Pommel

UK / Paris Zarcilla / 20 min

Some Sweet Oblivious Antidote UK / Christiana Ebohon Green 15 min

Wale

UK / Barnaby Blackburn / 20 min

Wrenched

UK / Jonny Ruff / 10 min

EEFF Transit Award

EEFF £10,000 DEVELOPMENT AWARD EEFF has now been operating as an independent, not-for-profit organisation for 5 years, offering a unique blend of industry focused activity, film premieres and grassroots community outreach.

The festival is proud to have become an international, competitive festival, specialising in first and second time directors and boundary pushing filmmaking, whilst retaining a commitment to accessibility, opportunity and the development of talent from both the local area and beyond.

The EEFF’s Transit Award is new for 2018, and has been established in direct response to the alarming drop-off between first and second feature film production.

Currently, over 80% of first time UK filmmakers never go on to make their second film.

Feeding directly into the philosophy behind EEFF’s Mind the Gap professional development programme, the Transit Award is an award of £10,000 to assist a filmmaker in the development of their second feature. The Transit Award is not a production award, it is specifically designed to give a filmmaker the scope, time and resources to advance their second feature, whether that be through story or script development, partnership building, networking or fundraising.

This major new film award was created in partnership with director John Jencks, whose own second feature The Hippopotamus was released summer 2017. The inaugural EEFF Transit Award will open for applications on April 11th 2018. See website for further details.

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East End Film Festival 2018

OPENING NIGHT GALA Boom For Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat + Q&A WEDNESDAY 11APRIL / 18:30 / RIO / 78MIN UK PREMIERE SARA DRIVER / USA FEATURED The multi-talented Sara Driver was at the centre of “No Wave”, the vibrant avant-garde New York City arts and music scene of the late 70s. The female lynchpin of the 80s American indie film scene, Driver makes a welcome return to directing. Turning her gaze towards her enigmatic contemporary Basquiat, Driver mixes archive footage and music with the memories of friends including Jim Jarmusch, Fab Five Freddy and Patricia Field to deliver a staggering portrait of an artist before commodification.

This screening will be followed by Downtown NY After-party at The Total Refreshment Centre, with drinks courtesy of Renegade London Wine and The Five Points Brewing Company.

WEDNESDAY 11 – THURSDAY 12 APRIL 2018

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts +Q&A

THURSDAY 12 APRIL / 18:15 / GENESIS / 93MIN MOULY SURYA / INDONESIA, FRANCE, MALAYSIA FEATURED

LONDON PREMIERE

Undoubtedly the best Indonesian feminist Western you’ll see this year. By turns revisionist spaghetti western and scorching revenge narrative, this hugely accomplished and visually stunning third feature by Mouly Surya is powered by a righteous female fury.

With the support of the Mohammed Farsi Foundation.

In Conversation with Sara Driver

You Don’t Know What to Do

Fred + Q&A

THURSDAY 12 APRIL / 20:15 / STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE / 95MIN SHORTS

FRIDAY 13 APRIL / 18:30 / GENESIS 85MIN PAUL VAN CARTER / UK FEATURED UK PREMIERE

Staying true to ourselves is often the toughest choice. Decisions and their consequences map out our lives, sometimes drastically and irreparably, sometimes by opening new doors.

Still from Duncan Christie’s Tom.

Once regarded as the godfather of the Sixties criminal scene, Freddie Foreman, now 86, is clearly a shrewd operator; but as the film unfolds under the masterly eye of director, Paul Van Carter, you begin to wonder how Fred feels now, as he looks back on his life.

High Fantasy THURSDAY 12 APRIL / 18:15 STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE / 74MIN JENNA BASS SOUTH AFRICA DISCOVERY / COMPETITION LONDON PREMIERE

THURSDAY 12 APRIL / VENUE AND TIME TBC PLATFORM The lynchpin of the American independent film scene in the 80s, Sara Driver announced herself with her brilliant debut You Are Not I (1982), she produced the early films of Jim Jarmusch, and her own two surrealist directorial features Sleepwalk (1986) and When Pigs Fly (1993) were highly acclaimed. A rare chance to hear Sara Driver talk about her work, art and inspirations.

Part comedy, part drama, part body-swap thriller, Jenna Bass’ second feature is a daringly inventive and enthralling dive into contemporary South Africa. Lexi, Xoli, Tatiana and Thami set out on a camping trip with gusto, filming every moment with their camera phones. Yet cracks in their camaraderie soon develop. And when the young friends awaken one morning to a horrific discovery, the cozy myth of the Rainbow Nation is set to explode.

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East End Film Festival 2018

Cutting East Day

Pili + Q&A

SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 14:00 - 18:00 RICH MIX PLATFORM FREE Cutting East, the youth branch of the East End Film Festival, takes over Rich Mix for a day of screenings, panels, workshops and performances showcasing the best of East London’s young creative talent.

FRIDAY 13 APRIL / 20:45 / GENESIS / 83MIN LEANNE WELHAM / UK, TANZANIA PLATFORM A ground-breaking collaboration between debut director Leanne Welham and producer Professor Sophie Harman, and the women of Miono, Tanzania. 65% of the cast of non-actors are HIV positive in this social-realist tale about a mother-of-two struggling to keep her HIV positive status secret as she tries to raise the deposit to take over a market stall.

With a line-up of short films looking at inspirational leaders, overcoming prejudice, unheard voices and dangerous friends; Cutting East is a day of cinema curated by young people - for all.

With panel discussions exploring diversity in the film industry and the impact of social media on filmmaking, the whole afternoon is a dynamic film-led exploration of the power of film to move, to educate and to inspire.

Revenge

Cutting East Night SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 19:00 - 23:00 / ÂŁ4 RICH MIX SUBMERGE FRIDAY 13 APRIL / 21:00 / CURZON ALDGATE 108MIN / CORALIE FARGEAT / FRANCE FEATURED

LONDON PREMIERE

A romantic getaway goes very wrong when trophy girlfriend Jen (Matilda Lutz) is assaulted and left for dead. But the tables are turned and blood starts to spill as Jen fights back, meting out death and destruction to the men who wronged her. Bloody, bold and totally badass, this is one hell of a ride!

East End Film Festival 2018

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An evening of cinema, music, spoken word and song from the very best in the industry - including slam champions, past and present Youth Poet Laureates Aisling Fahey and Caleb Femi and rounding off with a breathtaking set from famed spoken word performer Sophia Thakur.

FRIDAY 13 – SATURDAY 14 APRIL 2018

Punk Voyage

Section 28 - 30 Years On SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 15:00 RICH MIX PLATFORM In 1988, the Thatcher government passed a law which stated that a local authority “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality”. Commonly known as Section 28, the law was a homophobic attack on LGBTQ+ folk leading to a hateful scare campaign, whipping up fears and promoting misconceptions about the LGBTQ+ community.

On the thirty-year anniversary of its implementation, EEFF will be showing archive films about LGBTQ+ London in the 1980s

followed by We Have Rather Been Invaded, a new film from Ed Webb-Ingal looking at the law, its implications and the resistance against it.

This will be followed by an open panel discussion with filmmakers, activists and members of the community around films made then and now and the effects and legacy of the law. All are welcome to attend and to participate in the discussion.

In collaboration with LGBT History at London Metropolitan Archives and the London Community Video Archive.

SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 15:30 / RIO / 100MIN JUKKA KÄRKKÄINEN, JANI-PETTERI PASSI FINLAND FEATURED UK PREMIERE In 2012 The Punk Syndrome bought ‘Finland’s last punk rock band’ Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät (PKN) international fame. In The Punk Voyage we find Pertti, Sami, Toni and Kari, all of whom have autism or Down’s syndrome, determined to make one last mark on the public consciousness with a run to the Eurovision Song Contest.

Shake It Out

SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 16:00 / CURZON ALDGATE 100MIN SHORTS Everyone has their own demons. In this selection of films, delicate stories on coping with feelings of alienation, shame, fear and loneliness sit alongside bold and dark explorations of troubled minds, often on the edge of an identity collapse.

Still from Peiman Zekavat’s Fifteen.

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East End Film Festival 2018

SATURDAY 14 APRIL 2018

Building A Movement SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 17:00 / RICH MIX PLATFORM Organised in collaboration with The Rainbow Collective, East End Film Festival becomes a platform for a coming together of housing campaigns from across the city for a sharing of stories, ideas and tactics in the fight for social housing.

Taking in The Haringey campaign, Elephant and Castle, Cressingham Gardens, Ledbury Estate and Grenfell Estate, this evening of films, talks, debates and photography will examine the variety of different approaches used in the demand for safe homes and the fight against aggressive development and gentrification.

Screenings will take place throughout the evening including ‘Street 66’ by Ayo Akingbade chronicling the life of Ghanaian housing activist Dora Boatemah and her influence on the regeneration of Angel Town Estate in Brixton, South London.

Followed by performance DJ’s and networking. Profits go to relief projects supporting Grenfell Tower survivors.

In The Fade + Q&A

I Am Another You

SATURDAY 14 APRIL 16:00 / RICH MIX / 82MIN NANFU WANG / USA, ISRAEL DISCOVERY / COMPETITION

UK PREMIERE

Chinese filmmaker Nanfu Wang’s fascination with the notion of a free America leads her on an epic journey with a charismatic young drifter named Dylan. But an uncomfortable reality exists just beneath the surface of this dream world.

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SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 18:00 / RIO / 106MIN FATIH AKIN / GERMANY, FRANCE FEATURED

LONDON PREMIERE

The Golden Globe winner In The Fade features a career-defining performance from Diane Kruger in a story that takes the true story of Neo-Nazi attacks in Hamburg, Germany and imagines a radical reaction. With the support of the Goethe Institut.

Travelin’ Thru

SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 18:00 / RICH MIX / 95MIN SHORTS Often the road is rugged and hard to travel but eventually all roads come to an end. These films are tales and accounts of physical, emotional and spiritual journeys, as their protagonists search for redemption, acceptance, or a new home. Regardless of what they will find in the end, nothing will be the same as before.

Still from Izy Burton’s Via.

Still from Fatih Akin’s In The Fade.

Still from Christopher Ian Smith’s New Town Utopia.

SATURDAY 14 – SUNDAY 15 APRIL 2018

Boom For Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat

New Town Utopia + Q&A SATURDAY 14 APRIL / 20:20 / RICH MIX 80MIN / CHRISTOPHER IAN SMITH UK PLATFORM A journey through memory, place and performance… through utopian dreams and concrete realities… the challenging, funny, and sometimes tragic story of the British new town of Basildon, Essex. Facing austerity, adversity and personal battles the citizens of Basildon are driven by a creative spirit to help their community through art, poetry, music and some rather angry puppets. Featuring Oscar-winning Jim Broadbent as the voice of Lewis Silkin MP.

In Conversation with Fatih Akin

SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 13:00 / STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE 60MIN PLATFORM In his first UK appearance since his latest film In The Fade won a Golden Globe, German filmmaker Fatih Akin, a leading cinematic voice on cultural assimilation, will talk about the controversy surrounding his latest work, and his eclectic body of work.

With the support of the Goethe-Institut. Image copyright: Das Blaue Sofa / Club Bertelsmann.

SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 15:00 / THE CASTLE CINEMA 78’ / SARA DRIVER / USA The multi-talented Driver makes a welcome return to directing.

Turning her gaze towards her enigmatic contemporary Basquiat, Driver mixes archive footage and music with the memories of friends including Jim Jarmusch, Fab Five Freddy and Patricia Field to deliver a staggering portrait of an artist before commodification.

The Legend of The Ugly King + Q&A

SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 15:00 / CURZON ALDGATE 122MIN / HÜSEYIN TABAK / GERMANY, AUSTRIA PLATFORM Through interviews, clips and rare footage of the man himself, Hüseyin Tabak brilliantly explores Yilmaz Güney’s enduring legacy in this magnificent documentary portrait of the Kurdish filmmaker, actor and political dissident.

In partnership with the London Kurdish Film Festival.

AQNB presents: A Wandering Camera-Body, Filming Other Bodies In Motion

SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 16:00 / RIO / 90MIN SHORTS From the use of multi-camera perspectives and filmic fragmentation, to linear narratives and vlogging, the screening in partnership with AQNB will move between forms to explore the various frequencies of contemporary video art and its relationship to resistance. Still from: Zarina Muhammed’s Joi Bangla.

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East End Film Festival 2018

SUNDAY 15 – MONDAY 16 APRIL 2018

Never Steady, Never Still

Tigre

SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 16:00 / RICH MIX / 92MIN ULISES PORRA, SILVINA SCHNICER / ARGENTINA DISCOVERY / COMPETITION

UK PREMIERE

After a long absence, Rina (Marilú Marini) returns to the old family home deep in Argentina’s Tigre delta hoping to reconnect with her adult son. Family tensions simmer in this atmospheric and supremely assured drama from first-time filmmakers Silvina Schnicer and Ulises Porra Guardiola.

SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 18:00 / CURZON ALDGATE 112MIN / KATHLEEN HEPBURN / CANADA FEATURED

LONDON PREMIERE

Set against the stunning vistas of British Columbia, this tender and quietly observed debut from Kathleen Hepburn of a woman living with Parkinson’s is powered by an astonishing, steely and deeply moving performance by Shirley Henderson.

House Without Roof + Q&A

SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 18:00 / RICH MIX / 117MIN SOLEEN YUSEF / GERMANY, IRAQ, QATAR DISCOVERY In her debut feature, Soleen Yusef presents Alan, Liya and Jan all raised in Germany but born in Kurdish Iraq- as they return to their homeland to bury their mother.

With the support of the Mohammed Farsi Foundation.

In partnership with the London Kurdish Film Festival.

The NSU Trilogy – In the Middle of Germany

Tehran Taboo SUNDAY 15 APRIL / 17:00 GENESIS / 96MIN ALI SOOZANDEH / GERMANY, AUSTRIA FEATURED UK PREMIERE A subversive depiction of underground life in Iran told through rotoscoping animation. Director Ali Soozandeh’s debut smashes the facade of traditional Iranian society with this transgressive slice of life featuring prostitutes, mutes, drug addicts, musicians and mullahs, creating an innovative look at a veiled world.

East End Film Festival 2018

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MONDAY 16 + TUESDAY 17 APRIL / 18:45 GOETHE INSTITUT PLATFORM Contextualising the screening of Fatih Akin’s In the Fade at the East Film Festival, the Goethe-Institut will be screening In the Middle of Germany – a three-part fictitious exploration of the murders carried out by the Neo-Nazis group NSU across Germany between 2000 and 2007.

WEDNESDAY 18 – THURSDAY 19 APRIL 2018

Cruel Intentions

Time Share WEDNESDAY 18 APRIL 20:45 / RICH MIX / 96MIN SEBASTIAN HOFMANN / MEXICO, NETHERLANDS, USA DISCOVERY + COMPETITION UK PREMIERE

WEDNESDAY 18 APRIL / 18:30 / RICH MIX 84MIN SHORTS How do we end up doing something bad? Where do we draw the line between mistake and intent? These films show the perverted, manipulative and toxic side of human nature, whether it manifest itself through fleeting evil thoughts, cruel intentions or actual misdeeds. Image from: Shaun and Jay Perry’s The Intentions of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Kissing Candice

WEDNESDAY 18 APRIL / 18:30 / CURZON ALDGATE 103MIN / AOIFE MCARDLE / IRELAND DISCOVERY

LONDON PREMIERE

17 year-old Candice is bored, rebellious, and prone to sudden seizures. She dreams of escaping the tedium of her hometown, but when opportunity presents itself in the shape of a boy, she soon finds herself out of her depth.

Pedro and Eva are a stressed-out couple desperate for a break. They book a vacation at the all-inclusive Vistamar resort, yet paradise isn’t everything it seems. Winner of the prize for best film at EEFF 2012 for his Cronenbergian debut Halley, Sebastián Hoffman takes David Lynch as his stylistic lodestar in this brilliantly disturbing and surreal black comedy.

Comic + Comedian’s Comedian Podcast

WEDNESDAY 18 APRIL / 21:00 RICH MIX / 65MIN / SAM CALLIS / UK DISCOVERY

WORLD PREMIERE

A stand up show with Terry Alderton is a journey into the mind of one of Britain’s finest comic talents, as he battles with ‘The Voices’. Sam Callis’ debut feature is an intimate, taboo busting study of mental illness and the comedic spirit.

The Solace of Orpheus + Q&A

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 18:15 / RICH MIX / 93MIN NIALL DONEGAN, ELLIOT VICK / UK DISCOVERY

LONDON PREMIERE

John and Daria, a young couple from London, travel to rural Northern Ireland hoping to salvage their failing relationship. With a stand-out performance from lead stress Caitlin Ince, Solace of Orpheus is an eloquently written and exceptionally made microbudget debut.

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East End Film Festival 2018

THURSDAY 19 APRIL 2018

Team Hurricane

I Think You’re Freaky and I Like You a Lot!

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 18:30 / THE CASTLE CINEMA 96MIN / ANNIKA BERG / DENMARK DISCOVERY / COMPETITION

UK PREMIERE

An exciting, radical punk film about eight eclectic and colourful teenage girls with a unique aesthetic and tone. Team Hurricane mixes the realism of handheld documentary footage with the colour palate of a Snapchat makeover to give a unique insight into millennial teen life.

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 18:30 / RICH MIX / 81MIN / AUGUST KING / UK, BULGARIA UK PREMIERE

After serving a short sentence in a North London prison, Belyata has no choice but to return to his provincial hometown in postcommunist Bulgaria. In a desperate attempt to reconnect with his sister, he embarks on a violent journey. This stunning debut is a powerful tale of a lost soul’s quest for redemption.

East End Film Festival 2018

A teen vampire, a jealous house-plant, the ultimate lolita… the heroes and heroines of these films may seem to not have all their marbles, but they will make you laugh, leave you smitten, charmed and ultimately make you fall hopelessly for them.

Still from Peter Lee Scott’s Sketch.

The Fog

Bandit + Q&A

DISCOVERY

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 18:30 / CURZON ALDGATE 77MIN SHORTS

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West Of Sunshine

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 20:50 / RICH MIX / 83MIN JASON RAFTOPOULOS / AUSTRALIA DISCOVERY

UK PREMIERE

Critically acclaimed at the Venice Film Festival where Variety called Jason Raftopoulos’s father-and-son thriller an “impressive feature debut”, West of Sunshine is a dynamic Melbourne set adventure about a father’s attempt to pay off a vicious loan shark whilst being hindered by his childcare responsibilities.

In Conversation with Chiwetel Ejiofor

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 19:00 / GENESIS / 91MIN JOHN CARPENTER / USA SUBMERGE

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / VENUE AND TIME TBC 60MIN PLATFORM

Genesis’ monthly screening: Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and people start to die.

With Nick Walker of Rochester Kino.

One of the best British actors of his generation, BAFTA Award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor will look back at his incredible career from being cast by Steven Spielberg whilst still in acting school, to working on his directorial debut The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

Image credit: Gage Skidmore.

Still from Annika Berg’s Team Hurricane.

Hippopotamus + Q&A

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 21:00 / RICH MIX / 77MIN EDWARD PALMER / UNITED KINGDOM DISCOVERY Ruby wakes up in a basement. Her legs are broken and she can’t remember who she is. Her kidnapper, tells her she will remain captive until she falls in love with him. Shot on a shoestring budget, it’s less of a Stockholm Syndrome thriller, and more of a twist on the classic love story; a puzzle that first-timer Edward Palmer deciphers delicately in this intricate, emotional debut.

I Made This For You + Q&A

THURSDAY 19 APRIL / 21:00 / GENESIS / 90MIN CRISTIAN SOLIMENO / UK DISCOVERY WORLD PREMIERE

Still from Max Powers’ Don’t Be Nice.

Mixing reality with fiction, I Made This For You is a uniquely told tale of friendship and love wherein a man (played by Gary Grant) receives a documentary made about his life by his worried friend (played by writer and director Cristian Solimeno).

Followed by a special hosted Q&A by Eddie Temple-Morris.

Endorsed by the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

THURSDAY 19 – FRIDAY 20 APRIL 2018

Super November + Q&A

The Outsider + Q&A

Don’t Be Nice + Q&A

FRIDAY 20 APRIL / 18:00 / RICH MIX / 112MIN DOUGLAS KING / UK DISCOVERY LONDON PREMIERE

FRIDAY 20 APRIL / 18:30 / GENESIS / 98MIN TOM MEADMORE / UK DISCOVERY UK PREMIERE

FRIDAY 20 APRIL / 20:50 / RICH MIX / 96MIN MAX POWERS / USA DISCOVERY WORLD PREMIERE

Josie Long stars in this mumblecore rom-com meets sociopolitical drama as a romance obsessed young librarian who thinks she has found her perfect match. Exhilarating, topical and also deeply alarming, Super November is a wake up call and an ambitious breakthrough for director Douglas King and screenwriter Josie Long.

In 2008 Nobu Su was a shipping magnate with a multi-billion dollar empire. Then came the financial crisis and, as he tells it, the ‘biggest banking scandal you’ve never heard of’. Nobu is convinced he has been ripped off and is on a mission to salvage his life’s work and bring those responsible to justice.

For slam poetry coach Lauren Whitehead to “be nice” is to prop up the status quo and, for black people, to be what white culture demands. With deeply personal stories of creative struggle and self-discovery, Don’t Be Nice follows a team of young black Slam Poets on their journey to the National Championship during the racially-charged summer of 2016.

Different Kinds Of Rain + Q&A

Barfly & Gabriel Moreno Live FRIDAY 20 APRIL / 19:00 / GENESIS / 100MIN BARBET SCHROEDER / USA SUBMERGE FREE Down-and-out writer Henry Chinaski (Mickey Rourke) spends his nights drinking and picking brawls at a dingy Los Angeles watering hole. One night Henry spies a kindred spirit in pretty barfly Wanda (Faye Dunaway) and, despite warning signs that she may be unfaithful, shacks up with the woman.

FRIDAY 20 APRIL / 18:20 / RICH MIX / 91MIN ISABEL PRAHL / GERMANY DISCOVERY / COMPETITION

UK PREMIERE

A teenager locks himself in his room, deliberately withdrawing from the world and refusing any contact with his confused and despairing family. Isabel Prahl’s impressive debut is an astute and nuanced portrait of a family in crisis.

With the support of the Embassy of Germany and Goethe Institut.

EEFF is partnering with Genesis on their Music & Movies nights with a live performance from Gabriel Moreno followed by a screening of BARFLY. Gabriel Moreno is a published poet and singer songwriter from Gibraltar. His songs fuse Mediterranean rhythms with Indie/folk arpeggios performed with a classical guitar.

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East End Film Festival 2018

The Isle + Q&A

FRIDAY 20 APRIL / 21:00 / RICH MIX / 96MIN MATTHEW BUTLER HART / UK DISCOVERY

LONDON PREMIERE

Three sole survivors of a devastating ship wreck cling on to life as they row through the thick, early morning mist. As the fog begins to clear, they spot salvation in the shape of The Isle, but the story of survival has only just started as they uncover the strange past of the once vibrant island.

The Man You’re Not + Q&A

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 15:30 / RICH MIX / 81MIN ALAN FREESTONE / UK DISCOVERY WORLD PREMIERE Yet another solid entry in the much appreciated movement of no-fuss, low budget British films designed to genuinely entertain, The Man You’re Not follows the story of unlucky-in-love Charlie as he’s encouraged to go on various dates pretending to be someone he is not. A hilarious fast-paced rom-com with cameo performances from Joanna Lumley and Reece Shearsmith.

East End Film Festival 2018

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The Final Girls Present: She’s Right Behind You

SATURDAY 21 APRIL

SUNDAY 22 APRIL

MASONIC TEMPLE

MASONIC TEMPLE

Vengeful female ghosts are a staple in folklore, horror fiction and cinema.

Disembodied and freed from the patriarchal grasp and domination of the female body, they are empowered to avenge those who wronged them when they were alive. Feminist horror film collective The Final Girls take over the Masonic Temple to explore this recurring ghostly figure.

The Uninvited (1944)

The Others

12:30 / LEWIS ALLEN 99MIN / USA

13:00 / ALEJÁNDRO AMENÁBAR 100MIN / SPAIN

Followed by a a panel discussion about the cinematic archetypes for female ghosts, and their hidden feminist power.

Whispering Corridors (1998)

Kuroneko (1968) 16:00 / KANETO SHINDO 99MIN / JAPAN

15:00 / PARK KI-HYUNG 105MIN / SOUTH KOREA

SATURDAY 21 APRIL 2018

The Rape of Recy Taylor

The Confessional + Q&A

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 15:30 / GENESIS / 91MIN NANCY BUIRSKI / USA FEATURED

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 18:00 / RICH MIX 58MIN / LUCAS JEDRZEJAK / UK, LEBANON

One night in Alabama in 1944, Recy Taylor, a 24-year-old black woman, was raped by six white men. Despite Recy’s brave testimony and a campaign led by Rosa Parks, the rapists weren’t convicted, and the case was virtually forgotten. The Rape of Recy Taylor is a testament to endurance, one that posits black women’s control over their own bodies as the cornerstone of civil rights.

Two anguished characters meet unexpectedly in a confession box.

One admits to starting a war. A previous Middle East encounter amplifies their agony. Are we prepared to question the meaning of an examined life?

Sand And Blood + Q&A

DISCOVERY

WORLD PREMIERE

The Bromley Boys + Q&A

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 15:45 / RICH MIX / 90MIN MATTHIAS KREPP / AUSTRIA DISCOVERY UK PREMIERE

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 18:00 / GENESIS / 102MIN / STEVE KELLY / UK FEATURED SPECIAL PREVIEW

Combining amateur footage gathered from online platforms with the narration of refugees now living in Austria, Sand And Blood create a visceral and personal account of the recent history of Iraq and Syria. This reveals the chaotic, complex and all too human story of escalating societal violence as experienced on the ground.

With the support of the Austrian Cultural Forum.

Dave (Brenock O’Connor) is an awkward, gawky teenager that doesn’t fit in anywhere. Except in the company of the hapless & hopeless, local football team – Bromley FC. Set on the cusp of the 1970’s, the film captures the lengths to which a devoted fan will go to save his beloved football club, and the difficulties of your first love being the irascible club chairman’s daughter.

Blue My Mind + Q&A

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 18:15 / RICH MIX / 97MIN LISA BRÜHLMANN / SWITZERLAND DISCOVERY

LONDON PREMIERE

New girl Mia longs to fit in with the cool crowd at school, but playground politics take a backseat when she notices weird changes affecting her body, and develops new, unusual appetites.

With the support of the Embassy of Switzerland.

UEL Showcase: Future Shots 3

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 18:30 CURZON ALDGATE SHORTS A celebration of some of the most talented young filmmakers to emerge from the University of East London’s BA Film, BA Animation and Illustration and MA Filmmaking programmes.

Still from Ezgi Bayram’s Leftovers.

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East End Film Festival 2018

Image from Masonic Masquerade Ball 2016,

by MFF Photography

SATURDAY 21 APRIL 2018

The Masonic Masquerade Ball

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 19:30 / ANDAZ HOTEL SUBMERGE Fallen into disuse, walled up and derelict, the Grecian Masonic Temple at Liverpool Street lay bereft and forgotten for decades. A Curious Invitation and the East End Film Festival return to the City’s only original Freemasons’ lodge for a macabre night of cabaret, circus and cinema, including Ana Lily Amirpour’s sensational A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT in the Masonic Temple.

Image credit: MFF Photography

No Place for Tears + Q&A

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 20:45 / RICH MIX / 84MIN REYAN TUVI / TURKEY PLATFORM UK PREMIERE The Turkish-Kurdish village of Maheser and the Syrian-Kurdish city of Kobane lie a kilometer apart. As war rages in Kobane between Kurdish and ISIS forces, chants of support echo across the desert from Mahaser.

With the support of the Mohammed Farsi Foundation.

The Marriage + Q&A

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 21:00 / GENESIS / 98MIN BLERTA ZEQUIRI / KOSOVO, ALBANIA DISCOVERY

UK PREMIERE

Ten years after the Kosovo War, Bekim and Anita are getting married. Amidst the preparations, an old friend of Bekim, Nol, is visiting from abroad. What Anita doesn’t know is that they used to be lovers. With the support of the Mohammed Farsi Foundation.

In The Fade

Waiting For You + Q&A SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 20:30 / RICH MIX 92MIN / CHARLES GARRAD / UK DISCOVERY

LONDON PREMIERE

Paul Ashton (Colin Morgan) sets out on a journey of discovery after his dying father opens up to him about something terrible that happened during his time in the military. The grief-stricken Paul sets out to find out more and encounters a mysterious older woman (Fanny Ardant).

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 21:00 / CURZON ALDGATE 106MIN / FATIH AKIN / GERMANY, FRANCE FEATURED The Golden Globe winner In The Fade features a career-defining performance from Diane Kruger in a story that takes the true story of Neo-Nazi attacks in Hamburg, Germany and imagines a radical reaction.

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East End Film Festival 2018

SATURDAY 21 – SUNDAY 22 APRIL 2018

One or The Other + Q&A

The Industry Sessions

Another News Story + Q&A

SATURDAY 21 APRIL / 13:00 / RICHMIX FREE Check website for the line-up of this year’s industry workshops and events, including talks on Script Development, Sales and Distribution, Casting and Music Licensing amongst others. For full up to date details, please visit: www.eastendfilmfestival.com

SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 13:00 / RICH MIX / 56MIN ADAM KOSSOFF / UK DISCOVERY EUROPEAN PREMIERE A rich visual essay raising questions of history, loss and the nature of cinema as a tool for expropriation. One Or The Other asks if the long distance nationalism of Western diaspora has had more influence than responsibility over modern Israel and Palestine.

The Final Girls Present: She’s Right Behind You

SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 13:00 / 15:00 / MASONIC TEMPLE The Lady in White, The Slit-Mouthed Woman, La Llorona, Bloody Mary… they’re all versions of the same figure. Feminist horror film collective The Final Girls take over the Masonic Temple to explore this recurring ghostly figure. For more information take a look on page 20.

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SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 14:30 / RICH MIX / 84MIN / ORBAN WALLACE / UK DISCOVERY LONDON PREMIERE Orban Wallace’s debut feature follows the refugee crisis through Europe, a journey beset by painful uncertainty, physical and political obstacles and the ever present cameras of the news media. The film’s lense pulls back to confront and interrogate this media circus, questioning the integrity and purpose of journalism in the era of 24 hour news.

The Wake + Q&A

SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 15:00 / RICH MIX / 62MIN GUSTAVO ARTEAGA / UK, MEXICO DISCOVERY

UK PREMIERE

Gustavo Arteaga experiments with different genres and challenges the confines of narrative conventions while combining stop-frame animation with live-action to deliver a fascinating, one-of-a-kind debut.

Spotlight Screening: Pin Cushion + panel SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 17:00 / RICH MIX 82MIN / DEBORAH HEYWOOD / UK DISCOVERY

LONDON PREMIERE

Lyn (Joanna Scanlan) and her daughter Iona (rising star Lily Newmark) arrive in town looking for a fresh start, but as Iona longs for a life beyond the confines of their home, the eccentric fantasy world they’ve built for themselves starts to crumble. Casting a keen eye on the complex relationships between women, this deliciously dark and utterly distinctive British debut infuses its dreamlike, fairytale quality with shards of something much sharper and more troubling.

In partnership with Underwire Festival.

Balekempa (The Bangle Seller)

SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 16:00 / CURZON ALDGATE / 103MIN ERE GOWDA / INDIA, FRANCE DISCOVERY / COMPETITION

UK PREMIERE

Kempana sells women bangles and other beauty products in his South Indian village. Whilst at home, the neighbours’ teenage son helps Kempana’s wife with domestic—and other—duties. The villagers, naturally, gossip, will the couple’s secret ever come out?

Shortness Of Death

SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 16:00 / RIO / 55MIN SHORTS Life, death and the journey in between. Featuring journeys in the desert, playing jenga with death and the social oppertunites of the afterlife. Still from Oliver Goodrum’s Say Goodbye.

On The Other Side From You

SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 16:00 / RIO / 80MIN SHORTS Bending, blurring and occasionally breaking the cinematic form, EEFF presents a programme of audio-visual delight from the minds of our most visionary filmmakers.

Still from Hilary Powell’s Ring Cycle.

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East End Film Festival 2018

Keep the Family Close

WEDNESDAY 25 APRIL / 18:15 / RICH MIX 108MIN SHORTS You can choose your friends but not your family. Or so they say.

This selection of films shows the unconditional love for our next of kin and how far we are willing to go for them, but also the internal conflicts and problems that arise from turmoiled family relationships. Still from Guen Murroni’s Fee.

Daha (More)

Excavator SUNDAY 22 APRIL / 17:15 / RICH MIX / 92MIN JU-LEE HYOUNG / SOUTH KOREA DISCOVERY

UK PREMIERE

Twenty years after his participation in the brutal suppression of the 1980 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju, Kim Gang-il, an ex-paratrooper, now drives a mechanical digger. When one day Kim makes a troubling discovery, he sets out on his excavator to visit his former superiors one by one, demanding an answer to a simple question: Why did you send us there?

East End Film Festival 2018

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WEDNESDAY 25 APRIL / 18:30 / RIO / 115MIN ONUR SAYLAK / TURKEY DISCOVERY / COMPETITION LONDON PREMIERE

The smuggling of refugees from the war-torn Middle East into Greece is the backdrop to Onar Saylak’s impressive debut. Quiet teenager Gaza follows his dad into the family transport business. An able apprentice, Gaza rises quickly as he witnesses the harrowing despair of those fleeing war. In Partnership With Balik Arts.

WEDNESDAY 25 – THURSDAY 26 APRIL 2018

Women of Wonders

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts + Q&A THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 15:00 GENESIS 93MIN / MOULY SURYA / INDONESIA, FRANCE, MALAYSIA PARENT & BABY SCREENING

WEDNESDAY 25 APRIL / 18:30 / THE CASTLE PLATFORM An evening of short films and a panel discussion to illustrate the power of women on screen – from gender reversal to interplanetary future. Focusing on the comparison between early cinema and contemporary Utopian sci-fi feminist films, this event will look at how feminist science fiction has asked how much of what we think about the role of men and women is just invented.

Still from Frances Bodomo’s Afronauts.

Who Run the World?

FEATURED

When bandits turn up at the home of young widow Marlina intending to help themselves to both her and her possessions, they don’t count on her fighting back. By turns revisionist spaghetti western and scorching revenge narrative, this hugely accomplished and visually stunning third feature by Mouly Surya is powered by a righteous female fury.

Undoubtedly the best Indonesian feminist Western you’ll see this year.

Bare Knuckle + Q&A

WEDNESDAY 25 APRIL / 20:50 / RICH MIX 85MIN SHORTS

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 18:15 / STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE / 83MIN / DUNCAN NAPIER-BELL / UK

Girls! Whether it’s getting rid of pseudo-feminist men, coming to terms with the lies we tell ourselves, or keeping a secret even though it may not be the right thing to do, these films are a diverse selection of female stories exploring themes of sexuality, abuse, and friendship to form a snapshot of modern femininity.

Still from James Alexandrou’s One More.

Long shunned to car parks, barns and pubs across the country Bare Knuckle Boxing has been coming out of the shadows and selling out arenas. Bare Knuckle reveals a group of fighters bound by a subculture of honour, pride and violence.

DISCOVERY

WORLD PREMIERE

Brasilia - Life After Design + panel

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 18:15 / RICH MIX / 88MIN / BART SIMPSON / CANADA, UK PLATFORM LONDON PREMIERE What is it like to live in someone else’s idea? An intimate and poetic look at Oscar Niemeyer’s Brasília: a utopia in the desert designed to birth “the new Brazilian citizen”.

Followed by a panel discussion.

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East End Film Festival 2018

THURSDAY 26 APRIL 2018

Welcome Cinema + Kitchen

Tehran Taboo

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 18:30 / CURZON ALDGATE 96MIN / ALI SOOZANDEH / GERMANY, AUSTRIA FEATURED

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 19:30 / AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION CENTRE PLATFORM

Director Ali Soozandeh’s debut smashes the facade of traditional Iranian society with this transgressive slice of life featuring prostitutes, mutes, drug addicts, musicians and mullahs, creating an innovative look at a veiled world. A subversive depiction of underground life in Iran told through rotoscoping animation.

A showcase of the best short films in the festival from the UK and around the world presented with Welcome Cinema + Kitchen, a monthly event uniting refugees, asylum seekers and the general public through a shared love of film and food with authentic international home-cooking.

Born In Flames

Susu + Q&A

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 19:00 / GENESIS / 80MIN LIZZIE BORDEN / USA PLATFORM DISPATCH Feminist Moving Image and East End Film Festival are pleased to present this special 35th Anniversary screening of Born in Flames (1983). Directed by Lizzie Borden Born in Flames is a documentary-style intersectional feminist science fiction which explores race, sexuality, class politics, surveillance, and alternative political systems.

East End Film Festival 2018

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THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 20:40 / RICH MIX / 105MIN YIXI SUN / UK DISCOVERY EUROPEAN PREMIERE Qi’an and Aimo are close friends living in London that take a film transcription job at a stunning countryside mansion. They are to transcribe the films of a Chinese Kunqu Opera star Susu who married into the English family but died 28 years ago. Both girls start to untangle family secrets which lead them to realise that they are trapped in the mansion, both physically and emotionally.

Defying Gravity

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 20:45 / STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE / 105MIN SHORTS The struggle is real. Whether they are fighting against capitalism, social injustice and prejudice, or challenging social assumptions, the protagonists of these films are real survivors facing forces sometimes stronger than gravity. Keep your head up, will ya?

Still from Barnaby Blackburn’s Wale.

Industrial Accident: The Story Of Wax Trax Records + Q&A

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 21:00 / THE CASTLE / 90MIN JULIA NASH / USA, BELGIUM, CANADA, GERMANY SUBMERGE

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE

Uncovering the lost chapter in American music: the story Wax Trax!

Records. Key artists from pioneering bands describe getting their start with the label and its success throughout the 80s and 90s which piqued the interest of major record companies, initiating the downward spiral that buries the origin of US electronic music.

Still from Yixi Sun’s SUSU

REPEAT SCREENING FRIDAY 27 APRIL 21:00 / CURZON ALDGATE

Charismata + Q&A

THURSDAY 26 APRIL / 21:00 / GENESIS / 96MIN LONDON PREMIERE ANDY COLLIER / UK DISCOVERY Rebecca Faraway is a young detective working on a serial killer case that involves brutal ritualistic murders. When the chief suspect of the case takes a personal interest in her, things will escalate quickly. Equally terrifying and entertaining, Charismata is the perfect amalgam of blood-curdling psychological horror with fast-paced police procedural thriller.

Pensioners United + Q&A

Call Me By Your Name FRIDAY 27 APRIL / 18:30 / OLD SPITLAFIELDS MARKET / 132MIN / LUCA GUADAGNINO ITALY, USA, BRAZIL, FRANCE OUTDOORS

FRIDAY 27 APRIL / 18:15 / RICH MIX / 75MIN PHIL MAXWELL, HAZUAN HASHIM / UK PLATFORM

WORLD PREMIERE

Phil Maxwell and Hazuan Hashim return to EEFF with Pensioners United. A potent account of a passionate group of pensioners who unite together to fight for a better life for themselves and those who will follow them. Starring Harry Leslie Smith, the late Tony Benn and thousands of inspirational pensioners from across the UK. East End Film Festival 2018

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EEFF once again revisits the most beloved film of the past year for its big outdoors screening at Old Spitalfields Market. Equally melancholic and endearing, erotic and intellectual, the story of Elio (Timothee Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) and their unexpected romance that blossoms over the summer of 1983 in idyllic Northern Italy, has stolen the hearts of thousands of viewers. Featuring one of the most heartfelt, career-defining performances of (dare we say) all time, by 22 year-old Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name is one of those films that haunts you and stays with you long after you first watch it. A film that is as difficult to get over as your first true love.

THURSDAY 26 – SATURDAY 28 APRIL 2018

Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants – Launch

Casa Deforme FRIDAY 27 APRIL / 19:00 / THE OLD CHURCH (STOKE NEWINGTON) With an all-female line-up, CASA DEFORME is an evening of voltaic uneasy electronics and AV performances at THE OLD CHURCH in Stoke Newington. Performances include Terribilis (Quantum Natives), Xname (Nebularosa) and XANA.

Kids! Screening + Workshop

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 10:30 / OLD SPITLAFIELDS MARKET OUTDOORS / SHORTS FREE A creative shorts programme for the young and young at heart followed by workshops and activity for kids. In the amazing Zoetrope Workshop make a hanging ‘minitrope’ to take home, then come and have a go at Blindfold Lego building with the RSBC, with lots of prizes up for grabs! Supported By Tower Hamlets Council. Still from Mark Smith’s Two Ballons.

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 13:30 / RICH MIX

PLATFORM

Introducing “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants”, our new Science Documentary category. Launching with a screening of Before the Big Bang featuring the late Stephen Hawking and exploring the ‘No Boundary Proposal’ followed by a panel featuring filmakers, scientists and experts from the BBC, The Mill VFX Studio, UCL, CERN and The Royal Institution.

Stories Of A City

Films For Food: The Wizard Of Oz

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 12:30 / OLD SPITLAFIELDS MARKET / 73MIN OUTDOORS / SHORTS FREE

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 14:00 / OLD SPITLAFIELDS MARKET / 112MIN / USA FREE

As part of a packed day of activity at Old Spitalfields Market, a programme of films looking at the conflict, community and chaos of the city, and joy of living a life amongst it all.

Still from Asya Gefter’s From Pop Art To Community.

Supported By Tower Hamlets Council.

Follow us over the rainbow with our Films For Food family screening of the beloved masterpiece Wizard of Oz and revisit Dorothy’s adventures in the magical land of Oz. Supported By Tower Hamlets Council.

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East End Film Festival 2018

SATURDAY 28 – SUNDAY 29 APRIL 2018

The Icarus Line Must Die + Q&A

New Queer Visions: The 36th Parallel

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 16:00 / RIO / 82MIN / MICHAEL GRODNER / USA DISCOVERY INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 16:00 / OLD SPITLAFIELDS MARKET / 124MIN SHORTS FREE

Punk’s not dead but acclaimed rock group the Icarus Line might be, in this cool AF drama riffing on actual events.

Featuring powerhouse performances by the Icarus Line and Pink Mountaintops, among others.

Is being true to yourself crossing a line? From Karachi to Tehran, Baghdad to Istanbul, one line connects these stories exploring the borders that bisect reality and desire, identity and geopolitics. For many of these films and their makers, their existence alone is transgressive. These are essential stories for testing times. Supported By Tower Hamlets Council.

#100ftHigh Competition + London Unplugged

Films For Food: All Eyes East

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 19:00 / OLD SPITLAFIELDS MARKET FREE A festival that thrives on taking cinema out into the community, EEFF2018 closes its outdoor weekend with a look back at East End Past. In conjunction with Films for Food, this archive screening is FREE for all - bring along a bag of non-perishable food items to donate to Tower Hamlets foodbank, and a seat is yours!

Cigarette Burns Presents: A Thousand And One Nights

SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 16:00 / RICH MIX / 90MIN NICK COHEN / UK DISCOVERY WORLD PREMIERE Eleven short female-led films by emerging London filmmakers make up this beautiful portmanteau by Four Corners in Bethnal Green. Hailing from the diverse four quarters of London and made in conjunction with community groups such as the Migrant Resource Centre, London Unplugged is a triumph. Look out for star turns from Juliet Stevenson, Imogen Stubbs, Poppy Miller and Ivano Jeremiah amongst others.

The screening of London Unplugged will be preceded by the screening of the finalists of the #100ftHigh Competition, a Four Corners competition in association with East End Film Festival and Kodak.

East End Film Festival 2018

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SATURDAY 28 APRIL / 21:00 / THE CASTLE CINEMA 128MIN / EIICHI YAMAMOTO / JAPAN SUBMERGE Before Ralph Bakshi introduced us to to his X-rated animated feature Fritz the Cat, Astro Boy’s creator and master animator, Osamu Tezuka broke new ground with 1969’s A THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS. Expect the pairing of Tezuka’s innovative animation style and Isao Tomita’s pioneering space music synthscape to transport you to a land far far away. In partnership with Cigarette Burns.

Best UK Short Award

SUNDAY 29 APRIL / 14:00 / THE CASTLE CINEMA 121MIN SHORTS The boldest new voices in cinema in competition for East End Film Festival’s coveted Best UK Short Film Award.

Still from Christiana Ebohon Green’s Some Sweet Oblivious Antidote.

Industrial Accident: The Story Of Wax Trax Records + Q&A

SUNDAY 29 APRIL / 17:00 / THE CASTLE CINEMA 90MIN / JULIA NASH / USA, BELGIUM, CANADA, GERMANY SUBMERGE INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Uncovering the lost chapter in American music: the story Wax Trax!

Records. Key artists from pioneering bands describe getting their start with the label and its success throughout the 80s and 90s which piqued the interest of major record companies, initiating the downward spiral that buries the origin of US electronic music.

Still from Michael Grodner’s The Icarus Line Must Die

VENUES & BOOKING CASTLE CINEMA

RICH MIX

First Floor, 64 – 66 Brooksby’s Walk London E9 6DA www.thecastlecinema.com/ Ticket Price: £10

35-47 Bethnal Green Road London, E1 6LA Box office: 020 7613 7498 www.richmix.org.uk/ Ticket Price: £4 - £10.95

CURZON ALDGATE

RIO CINEMA

Goodman’s Fields, 2 Canter Way London E1 8PS Box office: 0330 500 1331 www.curzoncinemas.com/aldgate/info Ticket Price: £12 - £16

107 Kingsland High street London, E8 2PB Box office: 020 7241 9410 www.riocinema.org.uk/ Ticket Price: £9.50 - £16

GENESIS CINEMA

STRATFORD PICTUREHOUSE

93-95 Mile End Rd London, E1 4UJ Box office: 020 7780 2000 www.genesiscinema.co.uk Ticket Price: £7.50 - £10

Salway Rd London, E15 1BX Box office: 0871 902 5740 www.picturehouses.com/ cinema/Stratford_London Ticket Price: £8 - £9

MASONIC TEMPLE Andaz London Liverpool Street 40 Liverpool Street London, EC2M 7QN Ticket Price £10 - £25

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION CENTRE 25 New Inn Yard London, EC2A 3EA Ticket Price: Free - £19.50

THE OLD CHURCH

94% of the EEFF 2018 programme is screening in fully accessible venues. We are working towards making the festival 100% accessible in the future.

Follow @eastendfilmfest on instagram and twitter, like us on Facebook, and check the #EEFF2017 eastendfilmfestival

#EEFF2017

OLD SPITALFIELDS MARKET 16 Horner Square London ,E1 6EW www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/ Ticket Price: Free - £15

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eastendfilmfest

For the latest up to date information on all our events, venues and booking information, please visit www.eastendfilmfestival.com Programme supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London.

Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery. www.filmlondon.org.uk/filmhub

Stoke Newington Church St Stoke Newington, London N16 9ES http://theoldchurch.org.uk/ Ticket Price: £7.50

East End Film Festival 2018

All venues are fully accessible for disabled visitors, except for: The Castle Cinema, Masonic Temple, Genesis Screen 1, Rio viewing balcony.

See your Name in Lights Join the Universty of East London’s growing media hub and study on our new two year and three year media production degrees* developed with industry.

We have four exciting new journalism programmes, all offered with placements, BA (Hons) Music Journalism*, BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism*, BA (Hons) Journalism and BA (Hons) Sports Journalism and a BA (Hons) Advertising degree with links in the heart of London’s creative centre.

BA (Hons) Film and BA (Hons) Media Communications are already part of East London’s thriving film community.

Join us and be part of it too.

To find out more, or to book a visit contact study@uel.ac.uk.