Flatpack 2015 Brochure

ALL OVER BIRMINGHAM 19-29 MARCH 2015 flatpackfestival.org.uk | @flatpack

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a place to relax, eat, drink, shop and absorb music & art

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Spring 2015 will see the opening of this new and dynamic music and performance space.

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let’s

23/01/2015 16:56

CONTENTS This year we’ve broken with Flatpack brochure tradition, and split the brochure into two. The first half takes you through the programme section by section, and at the back is a day-by-day planner.

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Welcome

Live Cinema Events Including A-V performance, film narrators and live soundtracks

Film Bug Two packed days of events in the city centre, many of them free

Tribute to Philip Donnellan A remarkable series of documentaries, made over a twenty-year period at the BBC in Birmingham

The Films of Roy Andersson Deadpan tragicomedy from Sweden, including the first chance to see Andersson’s ‘Living’ trilogy in full

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Features Surveying some of the best new cinema from around the world, along with a couple of eye-popping restorations

Short Films Featuring five competition programmes of brilliant new work from artists’ film and animation to comedy and non-fiction

Swipeside Workshops, talks & live events at Birmingham City University’s new Parkside campus, exploring the full spectrum of moving image practice

Festival Hub Flatpack’s beating heart for the closing weekend is a cluster of spaces on Fazeley Street in Digbeth

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Culture Club Fun with slime moulds

Documentaries Excellent non-fiction features about creativity under pressure

Calendar

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Colour Box Screenings and activities for younger viewers and doers, in partnership with Anorak magazine

Day-by-Day Planner The whole programme, in chronological order

Welcome to Birmingham Places to eat and sleep, and other things going on during Flatpack

Tickets and Passes Including the long-awaited arrival of the Flatpass

Map & Venues

Index

SUPPORTERS

PROGRAMME PARTNERS

VENUE PARTNERS

MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

Grand Union

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THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING PART OF THE YEAR AT FLATPACK HQ. AFTER MANY MONTHS OF FUNDRAISING, HEADSCRATCHING, FILM-WATCHING, PLANNING AND PESTERING, ALL IS IN PLACE. EMERGING DISHEVELLED FROM OUR CAVE WITH AN ARMFUL OF PROGRAMMES, WE FINALLY GET TO SHARE THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOUR WITH YOU LOT. With 120 events across 30 venues, summing up the whole thing in a couple of paragraphs is pretty much impossible. Take your choice from Finnish animation sculptures, long-lost archives, a virtual dinner-party, coffee demonstrations, slime moulds, live soundtracks, camera obscuras, woollen puppets and internet cats… along with some of the finest films to be found in the world today. As ever, the variety of the programme is also reflected in the venues, from cafes and art spaces to a century-old cinema and a 300 year-old cathedral. We kick off in the Jewellery Quarter, occupy the city centre over the first weekend, amble eastwards for the mid-week Swipeside focus, and come to a rest at the Flatpack hub in Digbeth. Everyone who visits the festival picks their own path through this cultural undergrowth; when you come out the other side, please let us know what you made of it.

flatpackfestival.org.uk

Before we crack on, a few tearful acknowledgements (for the unabridged list see www.flatpackfestival.org. uk/credits). Thank you first of all to our funders and partners for their trust and enthusiasm, in particular to Arts Council England, the British Film Institute and Birmingham City University. To all of the venues who put up with our nonsense, with a special mention for exciting new additions BOM Lab, Impact Hub and Centrala. To our inventive, unflappable designers Dot Dash, a pleasure to work with again. To Birmingham’s fecund community of dreamers and doers, who make this a great place to be. And finally and most importantly, to the army of people who turn this 50-page blueprint into a living, breathing thing.

Ian Francis Director

flatpackfilmfestival

flatpackfestival

Caravan of Film at Flatpack 2014. Image by Katja Ogrin

flatpack

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Live soundtracks, a-v performance, benshi narrators and cut-out magic.

All these events take the idea of film and bend it into strange, wonderful shapes.

THE PAPER CINEMA’S ODYSSEY

Featuring: The Paper Cinema & Chris Reed — Friday 20 March 19:45 - 21:15 Saturday 21 March 19:45 - 21:15 — The REP Studio £ 12.00 / £ 9.00

Homer’s island-hopping tales of gods and monsters retold as you’ve never seen them before, with a joyful combination of cut-out characters and live music.

Since they last visited Flatpack in 2009 the basic ingredients of Paper Cinema have remained pretty much the same, with illustrations on cut-out cereal boxes moved deftly in front of an onstage camera to create a film live before your eyes. The canvas is bigger now though; a wider palette of visual effects, an expanded music ensemble led by Chris Reed, and more ambitious story-telling (it doesn’t get much more epic than Homer). The group arrive at the REP with a typically playful take on Greek mythology, a show which has been entrancing audiences globally.

Presented in association with the REP.

CITATION CITY Featuring: People Like Us & Esther Leslie — Saturday 28 March 15:00 - 16:40 — Flatpack Palais @ the Bond £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Arcades Walk — Saturday 28 March 11:00 - 12:30 — Great Western Arcade £ 7.00 / £ 5.00 advance booking only

A time-travelling voyage through one city, assembled from hundreds of movie clips and inspired by the wanderings of Walter Benjamin.

A patchwork of over 300 features either filmed or set in London, Citation City combines multiple narratives to create the story of one city in a period of enormous change. Pieced together by audiovisual artist Vicki Bennett (aka People Like Us), this beguiling, labyrinthine work takes its cue from Benjamin’s Arcades Project, an ambitious attempt to map out Paris in fragments which was cut short by the author’s death in 1940.

Before the performance Esther Leslie, Professor of Political Aesthetics at Birkbeck and Benjamin specialist, will talk about cities, montage, radio and noise.

Arcades Walk “To lose one’s way in a city, as one loses one’s way in a forest, requires some schooling.” – Walter Benjamin To help you tune into Benjamin’s wavelength before Citation City, join Esther Leslie and Ben Waddington (Still Walking) on a wander through the arcades of Birmingham.

Previous editions of Flatpack’s epochal Saturday night shindig have taken Paper, Plasticine and 3D as their focus. This year we celebrate the art of the cut-out and the cut-up, with a free-ranging lineup of music, film, art and food in spaces throughout Minerva Works.

— Saturday 28 March 19.00 - late — Flatpack Kavarna @ MW £ 10.00 / £ 8.00

Contents include: Eclectic Method Pioneer of the audio-visual remix, still going strong in the youtube age. “The best of both worlds: girls get to dance, and guys get to watch TV!” – Paper Magazine Giant Axe Field: Away From All Suns Bass, guitar and drums trigger fragments of Czech sci-fi film Ikarie XB-1, creating an unholy intergalactic experience.

Collabradors Open-source collage project – help Mr Cobs (Collage Obsessed) fill a wall in one night.

Eoin Shea and Ashtray Navigations: Supernumeraryhalo The premiere performance of a psychedelic animated film made with felt-tip on strips of cardboard. Musical accompaniment by Ashtray Navigations.

Sam Redmore Legendary local DJ, provider of bespoke mash-ups to the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show.

Plus street food, collage films, and plenty more besides.

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Live Cinema

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WAY OF THE BENSHI During the 1920s silent movies in Japan were accompanied not just by live music but often by a narrator, describing and commenting on the events onscreen. Rooted in the traditions of kabuki and noh theatre, the benshi became stars in their own right, and it was their popularity that helped to prolong the Japanese silent era well into the 1930s.

Flatpack pays homage to these forgotten performers, with a series of events where talking back at the screen is not just permitted but encouraged.

BEATFREEKS WORKSHOP: TALKING PICTURES Saturday 28 March 12:00 - 16:00 Impact Hub Free If all this has given you an appetite for film narration, here’s a chance to have a go yourself. Fresh from their own Equinox Festival (see p.47), Beatfreeks will lead a session for writers and poets keen to match their words to moving images. See the Flatpack website for further details on how to get involved.

The festival opens with this delicious Tokyo spin on a classic gangster tale, following small-time hood Kenji (aka Ken the Knife) and his doomed attempts at going straight.

Although known for the minimalism of his later work Ozu had grown up devouring Hollywood movies, and you can see their influence here in the cars, the guns, and the femme fatale complete with Louise Brooks bob.

Kenji’s underworld adventures will tonight be accompanied not only by live music, but also live narration courtesy of actress Tomoko Komura. Walking in the footsteps of the benshi, Komura will not only comment on the action but also voice the characters’ dialogue and provide the occasional sound effect. The specially composed score is by Japanese music specialist Clive Bell and renowned improviser Sylvia Hallett, who deploy electronics alongside traditional instruments including the shakuhachi bamboo flute and the khene Asian mouth organ.

Presented in association with Jewellery Quarter BID. Followed afterwards by short films and music at the Rectory bar opposite.

Featuring: Ross Sutherland — Wednesday 25 March 20:00 - 21:30 — mac birmingham £ 12.00 / £ 10.00 — Recommended age 16+ Presented in partnership with mac.

OPENING FILM: WALK CHEERFULLY Dir. Yasujiro Ozu Japan 1930 96 mins — Thursday 19 March 19.00 - 21:00 — St Paul’s Church £ 10.00 / £ 7.50

STANDBY FOR TAPE BACKUP

WAY OF THE BENSHI: OPEN MIC Sunday 29 March 14:00 - 16:00 Flatpack Kavarna @ MW Free As the festival draws to a close, the stage is yours. Pick a film sequence, develop a spoken word soundtrack for it, and then perform it live with the film here at the Kavarna. To kick off proceedings, we’re delighted to welcome Lonesome Panther with his own unique take on ‘haiku benshi’ as accompaniment to a classic Japanese puppet animation. If you want to get involved get in touch via: programme@flatpackfestival.org.uk

“Two years ago, I found a videotape in my loft. On it: one and a half films, one quiz show and two sitcoms. Somehow it became the story of my life.”

For many of us, the detritus of pop culture helps to trace our progress through the decades. In his mesmeric new one-man show, Ross Sutherland uses a fuzzy recording of 80s television to commune with the granddad who first introduced him to Ghostbusters. The title sequence of Fresh Prince of Bel Air is restlessly looped until it becomes a vision of the afterlife. The contestants in the Crystal Maze seem trapped for eternity.

Even Natwest adverts take on metaphysical weight in this haunted VCR, and somehow Sutherland spins the whole thing into an affecting meditation on lost connections.

MAKING SHADOWS Featuring: Stan’s Cafe — Friday 27 March 18:00 - 19:45 — Flatpack Palais @ the Bond £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

For their new theatre show, A Translation of Shadows, Stan’s Cafe are reimagining what it is to be a benshi. By way of a warm-up (the show proper opens at Warwick Arts Centre in April), they will provide live narration tonight for a screening of Yasujiro Ozu’s beautiful 1933 film Woman of Tokyo. They will then wrestle with the challenge of narrating a more recent movie sequence, and screen a small section of their own film Shadows, shot last year in and around Tokyo as raw material for the new performance.

Afterwards, Stan’s Cafe Artistic Director James Yarker and filmmaker Oliver Clark will join Japanese film specialist Alastair Philips (University of Warwick) to discuss the art of benshi, how to film in Japan on a micro budget, and why we fall in love with movie stars.

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CELLULOID CITY

Events

9th Annual

FRIDAY 20 & SATURDAY 21 MARCH

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH COLMORE BUSINESS DISTRICT CONTINUES FOR THE FOURTH FILM BUG, AND THE PROGR AMME OF SCREENINGS AND ACTIVITIES THIS YEAR IS AS VARIED AND A L LU RI NG AS E VE R . ACROSS THE NEXT FEW PAGES YOU’LL FIND EVERYTHING FROM COFFEE CUPPING (THAT’S ‘TASTING’ TO YOU AND I) TO OLDSKOOL COMPUTER-GAMING, FROM CAMERA OBSCURA CREATING TO EARLY SILENT FAIRY TALES. THERE’S EVEN SOME INTERNET CAT VIDEOS THROWN IN TOO.

THE WORLD OF INTERNET CATS

Sunday 22 March 12:00 - 16:00

The Barber Institute Free

The birthplace of celluloid and the Odeon circuit, Birmingham has always had a fondness for movie-going.

During the 1940s the city boasted over 100 cinemas, from backstreet fleapits to glittering picture-palaces, and later it was the launchpad for South Asian cinema in the UK. As Flatpack prepares to embark on a journey exploring this unique history, the Barber Institute plays host to an afternoon of free screenings and activities allowing you to whizz through a century of cinema-going.

Ingredients will include: —— A taste of silent cinema, with hard-working pianist Paul Shallcross accompanying a selection of classic comedy shorts; —— Cultural historian Rajinder Dudrah (University of Manchester) and guests revisit the birth of the Eastern Film Society and the early impact of Bollywood in Birmingham; —— Free screenings throughout the afternoon including The Last Projectionist (dir: Tom Lawes), detailing the shape-shifting history of the Electric Cinema.

In partnership with the Arts & Science Festival.

FOR MORE LIVE CINEMA ACTION SEE: Time + Motion, with Japanese duo Usaginingen P.21 Oculus Rift experience The Doghouse P.23

Internet cats. Sometimes it feels like they’re taking over. YouTube is full to bursting with them, social media feeds are saturated with them, and there’s even an annual film jamboree in Minnesota dedicated to them. Now for the first time, Birmingham gets its own taste of the Internet Cat Video Festival.

The films screening have been carefully programmed by a team of under 5s who have been through some pretty rigorous curatorial training in order to select the cutest, funniest and strangest videos, but we want your input too. If you’ve come across a worthy cat video online then get in touch at info@famalam.org and your suggestions may well make the programme.

In conjunction with F A M A L A M: Exploring parenting and play in the 21st century.

Aptly following on from the internet cat videos is Vice Magazine’s doc about arguably the cutest of all the e-cats, Lil Bub and Friendz which delves into the psychology of this slightly strange, obsessive, fluffy world, whilst also following Lil Bub and her owner as they find global fame.

NB: Lil Bub and Friendz is rated 12.

Internet Cat Videos dir. Various Saturday 21 March 14:00 - 15:00 Old Joint Stock Theatre Free — Lil Bub and Friendz dir. Andy Capper, Juliette Eisner USA 2013 - 65 mins Saturday 21 March 15:10 - 16:15 Old Joint Stock Theatre Free

2015

Events

Film Bug

EDWARDIAN HORROR SHOW

8BIT LOUNGE IN 8BITS

Fri 20 March, 20:00 - 23:00 Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery | £ 10.00 / £ 7.50 A rare chance to wander the halls of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery after hours, where distant noises and shapes in the darkness can take on a supernatural tinge. To further fuel your imaginations, the Edwardian Tea Rooms will play host to some of early cinema’s spookiest short films: from the Edison Company’s 1910 take on the Frankenstein story, featuring a creation scene to chill the blood, to Segundo de Chomon’s demonic Red Spectre.

Gothic ivory-tinkling and context will be provided by the versatile Paul Shallcross, with haunted show-tunes courtesy of the DJs from Sugarfoot Stomp.

MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA

Dir. Dziga Vertov USSR 1929 68 mins

Sat 21 March, 19:30 - 21:15 Birmingham Cathedral £ 10.00 / £ 7.50

Birmingham Cathedral is perhaps a fitting home for this hymn to cinema and the city, getting on for ninety years old and still startlingly fresh. We begin in an empty auditorium. Seats magically lower themselves for the audience, light bursts through the lens, the band launches into life, and we’re off – through one day in the life of a city (part Kiev, part Odessa), racing along behind a voracious, daredevil cameraman as he attempts to capture all of humanity in his little box on legs. Recently voted the best documentary of all time by Sight and Sound, Man With a Movie Camera is like no other documentary you’re likely to see.

The film will be accompanied by Paul Shallcross on piano.

Despite significant advancements in computer gaming technology with the advent of Oculus Rift (see The Doghouse, p.23) and the like, playing Pong on the Atari or Duck Hunt on the NES is still undeniably satisfying. We’ll be celebrating the oldskool with a whole day dedicated to 8 Bit technologies, starting with 8 Bit Lounge. Drop in for casual gaming on various consoles throughout the day – perfect for a Friday lunch break, or a lazy afternoon.

Then, to kickstart the evening, Spanish filmmaker Javier Polo takes us on a journey into the world of chip music with his documentary Europe in 8 Bits* charting the European movement of turning 8bit consoles into musical instruments. And to wrap things up the lounge turns into Club Two-Five-Six, where the music is strictly produced via 8bit software. *Screening presented by Vivid Projects as part of µChip3; a 3 day festival focusing on Chiptune music, digital art, hacking, modified hardware and unconventional approaches to making music and visual art.

Curated by Antonio Roberts and Sam Wray.

19-21 March, Vivid Projects, 16 Minerva Works, Fazeley St, B5 5RS. Part of Birmingham Digital Week.

8Bit Lounge Friday 20 March 12:00 - 18:00 The Old Joint Stock Theatre Free — Europe in 8 Bits dir. Javier Polo Spain 2013 - 76 mins Friday 20 March 18:30 - 19:50 The Old Joint Stock Theatre Free — Club Two-Five-Six Friday 20 March 20:00 - 23:00 The Old Joint Stock Theatre Free

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Film Bug

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9th Annual

MORE FEATURE FILMS… Although only 37 when he died, the prolific German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder had racked up an incredible 39 feature films. Few were as brilliantly crafted as The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. An observation on loneliness and power, and featuring an all female cast (notably Margit Carstensen in the lead role), the film has recently been restored, looking more dazzling than ever. Film scholar Alan Fair will lead an informal discussion about the film after the screening.

In partnership with Just Film Co-op, we present the powerful South African documentary, Miners Shot Down. Made by one of the country’s leading directors, Rehad Desai, the film unfolds in real time over seven days, documenting a group of mineworkers as they strike for better wages. Six days into the strike the police move in, killing 34 of the miners and injuring many more.

A modern silent, Sidewalk Stories is Charles Lane’s 1980s New York-set homage to Chaplin’s The Kid. A humorous, moving, and poignant retelling of the classic, it’s played out almost entirely without dialogue, featuring Lane himself as the lead. But it’s Nicole Alysia as ‘the kid’ whose charm and charisma steal the show. Presented in partnership with Scalarama.

There weren’t too many directors who were equally adept at making both silent and sound pictures, but Ernst Lubitsch was certainly one, gliding into talkies with ease.

Trouble in Paradise (his first comedy of the sound era) is a witty pre-Hays Code romp, full of quick-fire one-liners, about a couple of con-artists who plot to rob a beautiful perfume magnate. Things go slightly awry when one of the thieves becomes romantically involved with his victim…

After the screening, take your seat at the dinner table and enjoy two courses from Opus’s delectable market menu.

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder Germany, 1972 - 124 mins Friday 20 March 18:00 - 20:10 Birmingham & Midland Institute Free — Miners Shot Down dir. Rehad Desai South Africa, 2014 - 86 mins Friday 20 March 20:30 - 22:00 Birmingham & Midland Institute Free — Sidewalk Stories dir. Charles Lane USA, 1989 – 101min Friday 20 March 18:00 - 19:45 Hotel du Vin Free — Trouble in Paradise dir. Ernst Lubitsch USA, 1932 – 83min Saturday 21 March Film at 15:30 -17:00, Dinner from 17:30pm Opus at Cornwell Street £14 (book via Opus: 0121 200 2323)

LOLGBT SHORTS + LISA GORNICK’S LIVE DRAWING SHOW LOLGBT Shorts Saturday 21 March 19:00 - 20:15 Old Joint Stock Theatre Free — Lisa Gornick’s Live Drawing Show Saturday 21 March 20:30 - 21:30 Old Joint Stock Theatre Free Illustrator and storyteller Lisa Gornick has a unique style, mixing comedy, pathos, ink, and watercolour to create a lo-fi multimedia experience. Her new show about Grandma Ray, an East End cockney who sometimes ‘went posh’ and lived her life holding onto a secret, is a witty, personal odyssey which combines live art and filmmaking.

Preceding Lisa’s show is LOLGBT Shorts, a programme of films that’ll put a smile on your face.

The evening is presented in collaboration with Shout Festival, promoting and showcasing the best in LGBT arts and queer culture throughout Birmingham.

CAMERA OBSCURA Miniature Camera Obscura Installation Friday 20 March 7:30 - 19:00 Saturday 21 March 10:30 - 16:30 Home Cafe Deli Free — Camera Obscura Workshops Friday 20 March 15:00 - 16:00 Saturday 21 March 15:30 - 16:30 Home Cafe Deli Free

Towards the end of last year, artists Jenny Duffin and Pete Ashton launched a successful crowd-funding campaign to create the city’s very own camera obscura. Development of the contraption is in full swing but to tide us over until it’s completed, Jenny and Pete will be setting up a temporary installation of miniature hanging Camera Obscuras in the window of Home Cafe Deli, with an opportunity to create your own miniature hand-helds, giving you the opportunity to explore Birmingham through a different lens.

2015

Events

Film Bug

SHORT FILMS A Taste of Flatpack Friday 20 March 16:15 - 17:45pm Home Cafe Deli Free — Cartoon Rock Saturday 21 March 11:00 - 12:00 Birmingham & Midland Institute Free — Fairy Tales Saturday 21 March 13:00 - 14:00 BMI Free — A Force to be Reckoned With Saturday 21 March 14:30 - 16:00 BMI Free — Shizzles & Giggles Saturday 21 March 12:00 - 13:30 Old Joint Stock Theatre Free — The Magic Cinema Saturday 21 March 16:30 - 19:00 6/8 Kafe Free

There’s shorts aplenty over the course of the first weekend, beginning with A Taste of Flatpack on Friday afternoon - a cherry-picked selection of films from our shorts competition programme (see p.18-19). The Birmingham & Midland Institute then hosts a full day of shorts on Saturday, kicking off with the return of the family-friendly Cartoon Rock, where we dust off the old 16mm projector and serve up breakfast cereal alongside some classic cartoons. After the screening there’s a cartoon-inspired drop-in illustration workshop for children of all ages.

We’re teaming up with Birmingham Conservatoire’s Frontiers Festival to present a selection of exquisite, early twentieth century silent shorts from the Pathé archives.

Each of the films are based on Fairy Tales with every frame hand-stencilled with colour, bringing a vibrancy and magical quality to these forgotten gems. Providing the live soundtracks will be a group of Conservatoire students currently studying on the esteemed composition course.

As the Women’s Institute enters its centenary year, Balsall Heath WI have helped us to put together A Force to be Reckoned With, an eclectic, empowering selection of shorts. They’ll be taking over the cafe afterwards, where you can make cool stuff, meet members and find out more about getting involved.

The Old Joint Stock Theatre is the place to be if you’re looking for laughs - Shizzles & Giggles at midday is a mix of funny shorts featuring the likes of British comedy talent Sally Phillips and Tim Key. Later on that evening there’s more entertainment to be had with LOLGBT and Lisa Gornick (see opposite).

The Magic Cinema is an open-reel DIY film event, showing any film submitted as long as it’s less than 10 minutes and the filmmaker (or a friend) comes along to introduce it. Limited slots available. To submit please email: themagiccinema@live.co.uk See also: Observations (p.19), screening at the Birmingham & Midland Institute on Saturday 21, 16:30.

BETWEEN US: BIRMINGHAM PORTRAITS Between Us: Birmingham Portraits (25 mins on loop) Friday 20 & Sat 21 11:00 - 18:00 Unit 13, Great Western Arcade Free — See also: Man with a Movie Camera, p.9

Inspired by the street photography tradition, moving image artist Geoff Broadway has created a spellbinding portrait of Birmingham’s people. A 25- minute film, Between Us is shot entirely in slowmotion, giving viewers the opportunity to explore what can be seen and felt in the faces of others as they move through our public spaces. A tranquil, oneiric experience, it will be running as an installation throughout Friday and Saturday; a fitting antidote to the hustle and bustle of the city-centre rat race.

Geoff will be discussing the work in the space at 16:00 on Saturday 21 March.

THE DAILY GRIND: COFFEE CUPPING Coffee Cupping Saturday 21 March 10:30 - 12:15 and 13:30 - 15:15 6/8 Kafe £7 — CineCafe Saturday 21 March 12:15 - 13:00 and 15:15 - 16:00 6/8 Kafe Free

Café culture has been finding its way to the city over the last few years with a whole host of independents cropping up all over the city, but how well do we know our coffees? Here’s a chance to find out more from the experts. 6/8 Kafe’s head barista will guide you through the scents and flavours of a number of different coffees from all over the world, while also performing demonstrations using various brewing methods (Aeropress/Chemex/Syphon).

Very limited places available. Advance booking only.

After the cupping, all are welcome (regardless of whether you attended the session) to join us at the CineCafe and take in a few caffeine-inspired shorts.

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Philip Donnellan

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9th Annual

A TRIBUTE TO PHILIP DONNELLAN

The Guardian

20-22 MARCH AT MAC BIRMINGHAM

Made over the course of two tumultuous decades at the BBC in Birmingham, the films of Philip Donnellan are a raw, poetic document of people who were rarely given a voice on television at the time. This weekend of screenings is a rare chance to revisit Donnellan’s work, and to hear from some of his contemporaries and collaborators.

Donnellan Pass: £40 see flatpackfestival.org.uk/shop for details

JOE THE CHAINSMITH + COVENTRY KIDS Dir. Philip Donnellan UK 1958/1960 25 + mins

Friday 20 March 18:30 - 20:00 mac birmingham £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

More carefully staged than his later work, Philip Donnellan’s directing debut captures chainmaking community Cradley Heath over the course of one weekend. We follow local legend Joe Mallen from bashing links to pub songs to whippet-racing on Sunday afternoon, the wistful soundtrack and Phil Drabble’s voice-over adding to the sense of a vanishing world.

Made two years later, Coventry Kids finds Donnellan taking a more experimental approach to actuality. Subtitled ‘People of a Restless City’, it explores Coventry’s precarious industrial boom and a cultural mix which includes teddy-boys, nuclear protestors, West Indian domino-players and Scottish job-hunters. Listen out for Peggy Seeger’s banjo.

LANDMARKS 1-3 Dir. Philip Donnellan & others UK 1964 90 mins approx

Saturday 21 March 11:00 - 12:30 mac birmingham £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Commissioned for the recently arrived BBC 2, this six-part series mirrors the seven ages of man by tracing a line from birth to death, each episode visiting a different Midlands institution. We begin at the Maternity Wing of the QE hospital, head north to a secondary modern in Staffordshire, and then across to the Raleigh factory in Nottingham.

These stark, lovely films stand as an example of Donnellan’s skill as a producer and enabler. The series provided an early break for co-directors Charles Denton (later BBC Head of Drama) and Richard Marquand, whose zigzag career took him from Birmingham to Return of the Jedi.

Ticket also covers admission to the later screening of Landmarks 4-6.

TRAVELLING FOR A LIVING + FACES OF HARLOW Dir. Derrick Knight UK 1964/1965 30 + 44 mins

Saturday 21 March 13:00 - 14:50 mac birmingham £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

One of Donnellan’s earliest collaborators was fellow documentarist Derrick Knight, who followed a different path in setting up his own independent production company.

He joins us today with two contrasting examples of his own work.

“This is the story of a town. A town with many faces.”

Commissioned for promotional purposes, Faces of Harlow (1964) is an energetic slice of 60s optimism, extolling the virtues of new towns.

Travelling for a Living (1965) is a damp, smoky, lyrical picture of the singing Waterson family on home territory in Hull, with wonderful footage of Norma, Lal and Mike holding the stage at their folk club in the Old Blue Bell.

LANDMARKS 4-6 Dir. Philip Donnellan & others UK 1964 90 mins approx

Saturday 21 March 15:30 - 17:00 mac birmingham £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

This is one of the first times Landmarks has screened in its entirety since broadcast. The second half opens with The Fortress, a tour of the then-brand-new brutalist Sheffield housing estate Park Hill described variously by its tenants as ‘heaven’ and ‘like a jail’.

In House of Friends we watch the world go by at the Turk’s Head in Brierley Hill, including a brief cameo from Joe Mallen of Chainsmith fame, a spot of pigeon-racing, and some hair-raising Black Country tales (also showing in Netherton on Monday - see opposite). The series closes with The Last Refuge, Richard Marquand’s candid, heartbreaking portrait of a workhouse-turnedrest-home in Daventry.

Ticket also covers admission to the earlier screening of Landmarks 1-3.

2015

Philip Donnellan

Events

PEGGY SEEGER IN CONVERSATION

Out and about

Sunday 22 March | 15:00 - 16:30 mac birmingham | £ 7.00 / £ 5.00

Donnellan himself loved taking 16mm reels of his films out to different audiences, and in that spirit the programme will be ambling across Birmingham and the Black Country throughout Flatpack.

A key influence on Philip Donnellan’s approach to filmmaking, the Radio Ballads were a series of ground-breaking and acclaimed programmes produced in Birmingham and broadcast between 1958 and 1964. Each ‘ballad’ took a different group as its subject (from motorway-builders and travellers to polio-sufferers and teenagers), and featured a carefully-constructed sound tapestry made up of interviews and original songs.

Along with producer Charles Parker and singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger was a key creative force behind the Radio Ballads. A young musician recently arrived in the UK from her native US, she embarked on a demanding and exhilarating collaboration that helped to redefine the potential of radio. Long recognised as an outstanding and influential folksinger and activist, it’s a privilege to welcome Peggy as she looks back on that uniquely fertile period with writer Peter Cox, whose book Set Into Song documents the making of the Ballads.

JOE THE CHAINSMITH + HOUSE OF FRIENDS Dir. Philip Donnellan UK 1958/1964 25 + 30 mins — Monday 23 March 19:00 - 21:30 — Netherton Arts Centre £ 5.00 / £ 4.00

Philip Donnellan had a special relationship with the Black Country, so it’s fitting that we bring two of his films back where they were made. These snapshots of Cradley Heath chain-making and Brierley Hill boozing are accompanied by a more recent documentary, Martin Parr’s 2011 portrait of Teddy Gray’s sweet factory in Dudley, commissioned and produced by Multistory.

Liquid refreshment will be dragged across the road from the Old Swan (aka Ma Pardoe’s) opposite.

Presented in partnership with Multistory.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? + THE PILGRIMAGE OF TI-JEAN Dir. Philip Donnellan UK 1969/1978 45 + 46 mins — Sunday 22 March 13:00 - 14:40 — mac birmingham £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Where Do We Go From Here? follows a number of travelling families across Kent, Shropshire and up to a Yorkshire horse fair, and was made shortly after Donnellan and Parker helped to set up the West Midands Gypsy Liaison Group.

Towards the end of his BBC career most of Donnellan’s programme opportunities came through the Omnibus arts strand, including today’s second film, a documentary about FrenchCanadian fiddler Jean Carignan. As a child Carignan had taught himself the instrument by listening repeatedly to one fragile 78 record of Irish virtusoso Michael Coleman. Visiting Ireland for the first time in his sixties, Carignan goes to Coleman’s Sligo birthplace and mesmerises the local church hall with his playing.

THE COLONY + YEAR ZERO: BLACK COUNTRY Dir. Philip Donnellan UK 1964 57 mins

Saturday 21 March 18:00 - 20:15 mac birmingham £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Working at a time when rhetoric on immigration was becoming an increasingly toxic ingredient in political campaigning, Donnellan made no bones about his project on The Colony: “Our aim was to present as completely one-sided view as possible of what it felt like to be a West Indian in Birmingham.” The anger, humour and insight on show stirred quite a fuss on broadcast, and the programme’s influence endured; it was the source for much of the archive footage in Handsworth Songs. The Colony will be accompanied by another perspective on the same subject, separated by half a century; Billy Dosanjh’s archive collage Year Zero: Black Country, which premiered at Flatpack last year.

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GONE FOR A SOLDIER Dir. Philip Donnellan UK 1980 115 mins

Sunday 22 March 10:30 - 12:30 mac birmingham £ 6.00 / £ 4.00

An ambitious two-part survey of the British infantry from Waterloo to Belfast (‘how they lived, and why they died’), Gone For a Soldier does nothing to disguise its anger towards the military top brass or the whole business of war. Pieced together from soldiers’ own diaries, letters and songs, the programme attracted a barrage of criticism on broadcast and it marked the beginning of the end for Donnellan at the BBC.

THE COLONY Dir. Philip Donnellan Country 1964 57 mins — Tuesday 24 March 19:00 - 20:30 — The Drum £ 7.00 / £ 5.00

This screening of The Colony will set the film in a different light, with Birmingham-based jazz band From Scratch providing live accompaniment as frame and counter-point. The quartet have deep roots in the communities that are depicted in The Colony, including Andy Hamilton’s son Mark on sax, Ralf Decambre on guitar and Ray “Pablo” Brown on bass. Their musical backgrounds include the kind of music that the people in the film would have been listening to in the 60s – jazz, calypso, ska, reggae, soul and gospel. Presented in partnership with The Drum and Birmingham Jazz.

THE IRISHMEN Dir. Philip Donnellan UK 1965 50 mins — Sunday 29 March 13:00 - 14:30 — The Spotted Dog Free

Donnellan’s Irish heritage was hugely important to him, and for the latter part of his life he settled in Cork.

Our series of screenings draws to a close in one of the director’s favourite places, the pub, with a selection of films exploring Irishness. Digbeth’s finest hostelry the Spotted Dog will host this matinee, which includes a ‘lost’ film from 1965 – The Irishmen, an unflinching look at the lives of migrant road-builders which never made it to broadcast.

— Throughout Flatpack, a group of artists will be imbibing this season as preparation for a mac birmingham micro-residency the following week. The deadline for participants to apply is Friday 6 March – for more info, write to visualarts@macbirmingham.co.uk.

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Features

Events

9th Annual

From Glaswegian mystics to Iranian vampires, a roundup of the most distinctive and brilliant new features hitting our shores over the next few months.

GIRLHOOD Dir. Celine Sciamma France 2014 112 mins — Friday 20 March 18:00 - 20:15 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT

Taking a more positive slant on youth gangs than the one offered by The Tribe (opposite), Girlhood lays its scene in the world of black Parisian teenagers.

Struggling at school, Marieme (Karidja Toure) falls in a with a group of girls and instantly begins to change her hair and her hangouts, practicing dance moves in La Defense and shoplifting at the mall. Director Sciamma (Tomboy) is preoccupied with how young women find a place for themselves in the world, how they build an identity, and in Girlhood that process is played out in all its bittersweet unpredictability.

This film is presented in partnership with the Arts & Science Festival, and after the screening there will be a discussion hosted by Kate Ince (Birmingham University).

NUMBSKULL Dir. John Humphreys UK 2015 75 mins — Friday 20 March 21:00 - 23:00 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Mythology and folk-tales have circulated around the whereabouts of Shakespeare’s skull for aeons, and the Bard’s bonce provides the starting-point for this off-kilter tale of two men with a painful secret, and a talking bug.

Known for his videos for the likes of UB40 and Bentley Rhythm Ace, director John Humphreys’ work has always had a distinctive look which he brings to bear on his first feature, using black and white to play up the contrast between inner-city Birmingham and the woods of Warwickshire.

We are delighted to host the world premiere of Numbskull, and cast and crew will be present to talk about the film after the screening.

Dir. Ana Lily Amirpour USA 2014 107 mins — Friday 27 March 20:15 - 22:00 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

FORCE MAJEURE Dir. Ruben Östlund Sweden 2014 118 mins — Saturday 21 March 18:00 - 20:00 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Swedes have ample reason for a bit of cinematic swagger at the moment, with Roy Andersson (see over) recently joined by Ruben Östlund as a force on the world stage. For Östlund, whose short Incident by a Bank screened some Flatpacks ago, the aim is often to provoke, to ask tricky ethical questions that get under your skin. Perhaps not ideal first date material, his work has a tendency to stir up animated postscreening arguments. Force Majeure is no exception. Östlund started out directing ski films, and here he returns to that territory. We join a smart, well-off family in the Alps, where a domestic unravelling is triggered by the father’s apparently selfish response to an avalanche. This moment is spectacularly rendered in one take, but it’s the subsequent emotional fireworks that will leave the film lodged in your mind.

A black-clad figure is haunting the streets of Bad City late at night. Look a bit closer. She appears to be wearing a hijab, and riding a skateboard.

With her debut feature Ana Lily Amirpour delights in confounding expectations at every turn, spinning her own Middle Eastern heritage and Californian upbringing into a languid Vampire Western with a surprising emotional kick. Shot in black and white to die for, with a soundtrack that combines Iranian indie with English post-punk and a series of tie-in comics to follow, Amirpour has created a world to get lost in.

This screening is presented in partnership with Electric Sheep magazine, and will be introduced by editor Virginie Selavy.

2015

Rediscoveries

Events

15

THE TRIBE

Two one-of-a-kind movies, both of which can be seen in a new light after careful archive restoration work.

Dir. Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy Ukraine 2014 130 mins — Sunday 22 March 18:15 - 20:30 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

A stand-out entry in Cannes last year, this startling debut has provoked strong reactions at every screening since. The story of Sergey, a young man working his way up the ranks of a brutal teenage gang, The Tribe is given added potency by being played out in a deaf boarding school, with all the characters communicating in sign language. There are no subtitles and so gradually we become much more attuned to faces and gestures, while the filmmakers’ deft use of sound and Steadicam helps to make for a compelling, discomfiting ride.

THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES TOMORROW IS ALWAYS TOO LONG Dir. Phil Collins UK 2014 82 mins — Sunday 29 March 15:30 - 17:00 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

As an artist Phil Collins is known for his interest in the voiceless, whether they be reality TV victims, Palestinian teenagers or Kosovan refugees. In this warm, generous new feature, the focus is on Glasgow from the point of view of its citizens, amplified by the songs of Cate Le Bon. ‘No Good’ is placed in the mouth of a restless schoolgirl, ‘I Wish I Knew’ gets the karaoke treatment, while ‘Are You With Me Now’ becomes an anthem for a young prisoner. Between the big numbers we channel-hop through a weird TV netherworld of psychics and home-shopping, and silhouette animations depicting the city’s nightlife.

Dir. Sergei Parajanov USSR 1968 77 mins — Sunday 29 March 17:30 - 19:10 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Poetry so often gets mangled in translation to the screen, but in recounting the life of 18th century troubadour Sayat Nova through a series of living tableaux, Sergei Parajanov created a series of exquisite images that hit us like lines from a poem. The Soviet authorities did not approve of the film’s sensuality, its formal daring, or its celebration of Armenian culture, and the director spent the majority of the 1970s in prison. Pomegranates went unreleased in the west until 1982, when it was quickly recognised as one of the great marvels and mysteries of world cinema. Now, thanks to meticulous work by the Cineteca di Bologna, we have an opportunity to feast on Parajanov’s blood-red fruit as originally intended. Enrica Serrani from Bologna will give a brief introduction on the restoration process.

TOKYO TRIBE

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL & MISS OSBORNE Dir. Sion Sono Japan 2014 116 mins — Saturday 28 March 22:30 - 0:30 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Oh no, we hear you cry, not another yakuza hip-hop musical… Well, bear with us. Maturing wunderkind Sion Sono (Love Exposure, Why Don’t You Go Play in Hell?) shows the full extent of his talents – and the limits of his maturity – with this delirious trip through Tokyo’s underworld. Set somewhere in the near future, in a city on the verge of all-out gang war, the film boasts a multitude of offbeat characters and jawdropping moments, along with a smidgen of Satanism and some literally lethal breakdancing.

Dir. Walerian Borowczyk France 1981 92 mins — Friday 27 March 22:30 - 0:10 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

A forgotten footnote in Walerian Borowczyk’s career thanks to legal battles with the producers, this lurid, dreamlike take on the Stevenson story boasts an appropriately woozy electronic score by Bernard Parmegiani. Opening with a party to celebrate his engagement to the virginal Miss Osbourne (Marina Pierro), Dr Jekyll (Udo Kier) is soon wallowing ecstatically in a bathtub of chemicals in order to usher in Mr Hyde – a sepulchral figure whose idea of hospitality is a long way from Victorian manners.

Having circulated in fragmentary form for some time, the efforts of Borowczyk scholar (and Flatpack friend) Daniel Bird have led to this astonishing new digital print, supervised by Borowczyk’s cinematographer Noël Véry.

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Roy Andersson

Events

9th Annual

Pigeon on a branch reflecting on existence

THE FILMS OF ROY ANDERSSON

You, the living

2015

Events

Roy Andersson

17

As his new feature lands in the UK toting a Golden Lion from Venice, we finally have a chance to stand back and appreciate one of the most singular achievements in European cinema over the last twenty years; Roy Andersson’s ‘living’ trilogy. This is among the first opportunities to view all three films in the same place, alongside a selection of the director’s formative short work.

ROY ANDERSSON: SHORTS AND COMMERCIALS Dir. Roy Andersson Sweden 1975 - 2002 75 mins total

Weds 25 March 18:00 - 19:20 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Advertising provided the foundation for Andersson’s development as a filmmaker, not just financially but also creatively.

The deadpan sketches in these one-shot commercials for insurance, saucepans and yoghurt are often clear prototypes for the tableaux in his later work, and the money they brought in helped to establish Andersson’s Studio 24 in Stockholm, where the vast majority of his shooting is done.

In 1987 the director took on a more ambitious commission, to produce a public information film on the AIDS virus. The result, Something Happened, was rejected by the Swedish Health Authority and went unseen for years afterwards. It was the first flourishing of Andersson’s signature style, with pasty-faced figures battling absurdly under the gaze of a camera that hardly ever moves, an approach next used to devastating effect in World of Glory (1991). Narrated by an impassive but haunted salaryman, it employs incongruity and surreal humour to probe at creeping commercialisation and Sweden’s complicit role in the Holocaust. It could well be the best short film ever made.

SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR Dir. Roy Andersson Sweden 2000 98 mins

Friday 27 March 18:00 - 19:45 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

World of Glory was a warning shot, but no one was really prepared for what emerged from Studio 24 in 2000. Fully attuned to millennial anxieties and the financial shocks that would come much later, Songs from the Second Floor is a portrait of a society stumbling towards collapse while still doggedly preoccupied with house prices and golf. Like any Andersson synopsis we’ve made it sound thoroughly depressing, but if you’re in the right mood this film can be a strangely joyous and moving experience.

Why? Again, it’s often very funny: the infinite departure desk where corpulent men in suits struggle with overloaded luggage trolleys; the sawing-in-half trick gone terribly wrong; the skipful of crucifixes. Every shot in the film (all 46 of them) could be framed and hung on the wall. (The way Andersson arranges space is astonishing, his production team often spending weeks constructing a set that we may see for only a couple of minutes.)

Props should also go to Benny Andersson – no relation, he of ABBA fame – for a score that adds grandeur and humanity to the tragicomic parade.

YOU, THE LIVING Dir. Roy Andersson Sweden 2007 94 mins

Saturday 28 March 13:00 - 14:40 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

When grasping for forebears to help describe Andersson’s work, people often reach beyond cinema to art (Grosz, Dix, Matisse) or literature (Kafka, Beckett). We’d like to think of it as a quotation from the Monster Mash, but the title of this middle entry in the trilogy is drawn from Goethe: “Be pleased, you living one, in your delightfully warmed bed, before Lethe’s ice-cold wave will lick your escaping foot.”

The cast is more varied this time and there are more laughs to be had, particularly from the embattled sousaphonist reduced to playing funerals. The players are non-professionals, many of them encountered by the director on the street (“I call them characters instead of actors”), and although they’re often depicted as deluded or daft it’s difficult to hold them at an amusing distance; they are clearly a distorted version of ourselves.

A PIGEON ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE Dir. Roy Andersson Sweden 2014 100 mins

Sunday 29 March 17:30 - 19:20 — mac birmingham £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

After another seven-year gap the final installment arrives, and in many ways this is the most satisfying and accessible of the three – even if, judging from the mockprofound title, we can assume that it’s not targeted at the multiplex.

Opening with a trio of darkly slapstick deaths, including one in a ferry canteen where the staff maintain a strict policy of no refunds, the interconnected vignettes are threaded together by a Laurel-and-Hardy-ish pair of downtrodden joke salesmen.

One particularly memorable sequence sees them cross paths in a bar with Sweden’s King Charles XII, an entire 18th century army following behind him, and the film’s willingness to hop around in time brings a new dimension. For the first time digital effects have also been used to complement the trompe l’oeil trickery of his sets, while retaining the instantly recognisable feel of Andersson’s world. Who knows what he’ll do next, but it’s safe to say that we won’t see the like of the ‘living’ trilogy again.

Andersson Pass: £25 See flatpackfestival.org.uk/shop for details

18

Shorts

Events

9th Annual

With 7 competitive programmes vowing for 5 awards this year (Best Short, WTF, Colour Box, and 2 Audience awards), here you’ll find la crème de la crème of the short film. There’s also various noncompetitive shorts programmes scattered throughout (see right).

Jury members include Cathy Olmedillas (Anorak Magazine), and Abigail Addison (Animate Projects).

Short Film Competition Pass: £25 - see flatpackfestival.org.uk/shop for details

Competition Programme A LIFE LESS ORDINARY Friday 27 March | 16:00 - 17:30 Flatpack Palais @ The Bond | £ 6.00 / £ 5.00 The first of two international animation round-ups, this batch concentrates on the art of storytelling, with unusual people and curious circumstances as the bedrock. The UK premiere of Tom Brown and Daniel Gray’s brilliant if slightly unsettling Teeth, chronicling the life of a misguided man through his oral obsessions, is a bittersweet joy from start to finish. There’s more obsessive behaviour in Flatpack 2014 award-winner Leonid Shmelkov’s perfectly-toned My Own Personal Moose, in which young Misha’s elk-fixation (despite never actually having seen a real one) provides the catalyst for an unexpected encounter. And Kasia Nalewajka’s quirky graduation film, Pineapple Calamari, about a pair of inseparable women and their race-horse is a pricelessly funny tale of love, loss, and cross-dressing animals.

BEYOND THE REALM Saturday 28 March | 21:30 - 23:00 Flatpack Palais @ The Bond | £ 6.00 / £ 5.00 Some familiar names crop up in the second competitive animation programme including Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Don Hertzfeldt, whose latest short World of Tomorrow is a further departure from his early hand-drawn minimalistic work, delving into the sci-fi genre with his first digitally-animated film. David O’Reilly continues to rise to the top of the animator’s tree with The Horse Raised by Spheres, a brilliantly funny short about a lonely colt pondering his own existence, and the prolific Mirai Mizue (a guest at last year’s Flatpack) has produced another kaleidoscopic explosion of motion and colour with Poker. If all that’s not enough, there’s also multi-award winning shorts from Hungary, China, and the UK.

2015

Events

OBSERVATIONS

RIDDLES & RECITALS

Saturday 21 March | 16:30 - 18:00 Birmingham & Midland Institute | Free

Saturday 28 March | 17:00 - 18:30 Centrala @ MW | Free

Having an open call for submissions always throws up plenty of surprises, and reassures us that short filmmaking is as vibrant and dynamic as it’s ever been (not that there was any doubt in the first place). Visionary, wide-ranging, and full of innovation, this programme of shorts showcases the breadth of talent producing refined, poetic stories, and artists’ documentaries. Featuring: one of the contenders for the best titled short this year, Little Block of Cement with Dishevelled Hair Containing the Sea, a bewitching story featuring a horse and a dog embarking on a journey together; Dead Fish from Berlin, a not-for-the-squeamish account of what happens to fish when they die; and Haenyeoi, a beautiful film about the daily routine of an elderly female diver in South Korea.

From multi-narrative inventions to playful animated skits, with just about everything in between, this smorgasbord of shorts is truly an eclectic mix of styles and genres. Featuring a strong animation contingent, including new work by Edwin Rostron, Elizabeth Hobbs, Louis Morton, Tess Martin, and Dutch trio Job, Joris and Marieke - who are up for an Oscar with their short, A Single Life. Representing live action drama is Chris Lee and Paul Storrie’s The Hedgehog - an intriguing work which follows a man to an old house where he stumbles upon a peculiar truth to his lonely existence. And Paul Tarragó’s The Riddle (ghost chair) has experimental covered with its phantoms, parakeets, Super 8 hi-jinks, and actors in morph suits.

Shorts

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SEE ALSO There are shorts on nearly every single page of this brochure, so just in case you’ve missed any, see also: Family: Cartoon Rock (p.11), Shape Shifters, and Strange Adventures (p.29) Funny: LOLGBT Shorts (p.10), Internet Cat Videos (p.8), Shizzles & Giggles (p.11), Roy Andersson: Shorts and Commercials (p.17), Heart Bypass (p.22) Live scores: silent comedy shorts at Celluloid City (p.8), the Edwardian Horror Show (p.9), Fairy Tales (p.11) Artists’ Film: Video Essays, Video Strolls, Zbig Rybczynski: Media Pioneer (p.23), Festival of (In)appropriation (p.20) Misc: A Taste of Flatpack, A Force to be Reckoned With, The Magic Cinema, CineCafe (p.11), iShorts Showcase, The Finnish Line (p.20), Outer Sight 16mm (p.23)

CROSS FREQUENCIES Thursday 26 March | 18:30 - 20:00

The Electric Cinema | £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

As well as being a nuanced artform, the short film format has also often been a space for risk-taking and experimentation. The artists behind these shorts have strived to create something unique, something previously unseen. We begin with filmmaking collective Neozoon, who have taken the mashup and mashed it even more with MY BBY 8L3W, a multisplit-screen homage to (or piss-take of) those who post videos of themselves with their pets online.

Video artist Douwe Dijkstra’s short film Démontable, a by-product of his exhibition ‘DoorDouwe’, is an absorbing take on the absurd relationship between daily life and global news, using green screen to great effect. And Flatpack alumnus Ryan McKenna’s latest quasi-documentary Controversies takes recordings from Winnipeg’s popular Action Line radio show, and reminds us of the magic of the wireless; a captivating work, full of charm and humour.

FAMILY PORTRAITS

THE JOY OF FILM

Saturday 28 March | 15:00 - 16:30 The Electric Cinema | £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

Saturday 28 March | 13:00 - 14:30 Flatpack Palais @ The Bond | £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

Familial relationships have long been an abiding concern for filmmakers, and this programme of shorts shows us why. Directed By Tweedie, Duncan Cowles’ brilliant documentary in which he turns the camera on himself and his grandad, is a comment on the filmmaking process, their relationship, and intergenerational tensions. The Bigger Picture’s unique style of life-size animation (rather than miniature sets) gives the story of two brothers coping with their dying mother a powerful and affecting edge. And Jean-Julien Collette’s extremely impressive fictional short Electric Indigo explores what it is to be a ‘modern family’, and will most likely make you feel that your family is far more ‘ordinary’ than you suspected.

Illuminating the creative process, offering reflections on the medium, and the material itself, this programme of short experiments explores film in every essence. Featuring a number of works which reappropriate archive and found footage, including: Canadian artist Aaron Zeghers’ Conspiracy about Bart Sibrel, a taxi driver from Tennessee who spent his life trying to disprove the moon landings; Silvestar Kolbas’s The Red Star Cinema, comprised of damaged film strips found in the debris of the directors’ local cinema after it was bombed in the Homeland War; and the UK premiere of Kogonada’s TEMPO // BASHO, a triptych exploring the possibility of an alternative modernity in the films of Yasujiro Ozu. There’s also the world premiere of Sellotape Cinema’s new short - part experimental, part documentary, and part essay, FilmBites ruminates on how film converses with philosophy.

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Swipeside

Events

9th Annual

Screenings 23 - 27 March | Birmingham City University, Parkside | Free

Building on the success of last year’s Swipeside strand, once again we’re teaming up with Birmingham City University. Throughout the week the Parkside campus will be a hub for filmic ingenuity and innovation.

Exhibition and Installations THE AMUSEMENT PARK 16 - 28 March — 9:00 - 18:00 (Closed on Sundays) — Birmingham City University Parkside & Millennium Point (2nd Floor) — Free

Exhibition Opening Event — 24 March 18:00 - 20:00 — Birmingham City University, Parkside — Free

Exploring the relationship between animation and interactivity, this exhibition focusses on a group of contemporary Finnish animators whose practice has come to transcend screen-based work. Showing in the UK for the first time, The Amusement Park’s attractions include: Joni Männistö and Lucas Pedersen’s Electric Soul, in which viewers are able to create their own electronic soundtrack to a short film; Garbage Whirl, Kaisa Penttila’s immersive life-size zoetrope made from a carousel ride; and Aiju Salminen’s Fortune Teller, which monitors its audience and spits out prophecies.

Exhibition opening: Tuesday 24 March, 18:00 - 20:00 Showing during the opening for one night only is Will Marler and Ben Adam Weatherill’s multi-projector installation, Elemental.

INSTALLATIONS 23–27 March 10:00 - 22:00 — Birmingham Conservatoire — Free — In partnership with Frontiers Festival

Beethoven’s 5th (Emily Wright) Reminiscent of Buster Keaton’s The Playhouse, Emily Wright’s single-screen work sees her playing all of the parts to the German composer’s masterwork.

The Cloud is more than Air and Water (Matt Parker) Video piece investigating the mechanical nature and acoustic ecology of Data Centres and internet storage systems.

ISHORTS SHOWCASE

INK & PIXELS

Wednesday 25 March | 17:30 - 18:30

Monday 23 March | 18:30 - 20:00

iShorts is Creative England’s entry-level shorts initiative for new filmmakers outside of London. With budgets of £5000, filmmakers are offered not just financial support but advice and guidance from industry professionals. Here’s a chance to see a selection of some of the first completed films. After the screening there’ll be a drinks reception and a chance to find out more about the iShorts initiative as well as Flatpack and Creative England’s new talent modules for emerging filmmakers starting in Birmingham in the summer.

As a taster for Made You Look, a soon-tobe-released documentary about the UK graphic arts scene, cast and crew from Look & Yes production company will be joining us for a screening and discussion.

As well as showing snippets from the film and a couple of their recent shorts, the filmmakers will discuss the themes of Made You Look, such as the perils and pitfalls of the analogue and digital processes, and whether it’s possible to have a creative career in the modern age without the trappings of the internet.

This event is presented in partnership with Inkygoodness.

THE FINNISH LINE

FESTIVAL OF (IN)APPROPRIATION

Tuesday 24 March | 17:00 - 18:00

Friday 27 March | 14:00 - 15:30

To coincide with The Amusement Park, we present a selection of short animated films made by the artists featured in the exhibition. Featuring festival awardwinners including Joni Männistö’s creepycrawly-insect-engulfing Swarming, and Niina Suominen’s Flatpack hit from a few years ago, A Finnish Fable 2011.

Founded in 2009 in LA, the Festival of (In)appropriation is a yearly showcase of short contemporary audiovisual works that appropriate existing film, video, or other media and repurpose it in “inappropriate” and inventive ways. Here’s the selection from 2014, featuring work by Birmingham’s own Sellotape Cinema.

Workshops 24 – 25 March | Birmingham City University, Parkside | Free, but deposit required

COMMUNICATING WITH PUPPETS: STOP-MOTION ANIMATION WORKSHOP Tue 24 & Wed 25 March | 10:00 – 17:30 Cartoon d’Or winners Emma de Swaef and Marc Roels lead a two day workshop in which participants explore the intricacy of micro-acting with puppets. Very limited places. Advance booking only.

TA-CO WORKSHOP Wednesday 25 March | 13:00– 15:30 Prior to their first UK show later in the evening (see Time + Motion, opposite), Japanese audio-visual performance duo Usaginingen will be helping participants to produce their own miniature Ta-cos (the contraption that creates the visuals in their incomparable show). Very limited places.

Advance booking only.

2015

Events

Swipeside

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Time + Motion Wednesday 25 March | Millennium Point | 19:00 - 23:00 | £ 5.00 Immerse yourself in an evening of live animation and performance, including the first ever UK show by Japanese duo Usaginingen, whose home-made optomachinery produces real-time visuals through specially made filters soundtracked by a live percussion score.

Artist/knitter Sam Meech will be sharing his special brand of ‘knitted cinema’ with a show which combines stop-motion, 7 inch singles, Eadweard Muybridge and wool. Bringing proceedings to a close are Sculpture, whose set will explore the realm of electronic music, kinetic art, comic strips and audiovisual cut-ups by using a mix of analogue and digital practices, and a couple of turntables.

Between performances you’ll be able to meander around the atrium and join Jim Le Fevre and his spinning world of phonotropes, assist Sellotape Cinema with their mobile projectors and sticky film strips, create your own light paintings, turn your face into an OHP-projected scanimation, submerge yourself in a wall of psychedelic shadows, and take a ride on a life-size zoetrope. If it’s all too much though, just sit back in the bar and enjoy the unfolding visual display.

19:00 Doors open — 19:30 Sam Meech (20 mins) — 20:30 Usaginingen (40 mins) — 21:30 Sculpture (90 mins) — 23:00 Close

Animation and Beyond

An industry day exploring the ever-growing parameters of animation through screenings, demonstrations, panel discussions, and a keynote talk, for professionals and those looking to make their way into the sector.

Thursday 26 March | Birmingham City University, Parkside | Registration from 9:45 | £ 15.00 / £ 10.00 (Keynote: free entry) Adverts vs Short Films 10:15 - 11:30

First Contact... The Digital Guerrillas 14:00 - 14:30

David Kamp: The Art of Sound Design 16:00 - 17:00

Drinks & Networking 17:00 -19:00

In this panel we’ll be exploring how advertisers are increasingly turning to animators to sell their products, but also looking at the importance of dedicating time to producing one’s own work.

Panellists: Emma De Swaef & Mark James Roels, Conor Finnegan, & Jim Le Fevre

In March last year, the BBC announced they’d be setting up a new digital innovation unit in Birmingham with a remit to “explore the next-generation of BBC content and services, finding new and creative ways to tell our stories to future audiences.” Stefan Shaw, Creative Lead, and Joe Bell, Digital Producer for the unit, will be here to outline what they have in store for the coming months.

Founder of Studiokamp, a Berlin-based outfit specialising in sound design, David Kamp has a formidable client list of production companies, design studios, agencies and myriad visual artists. For this talk he’ll offer insight into his works, the unique creative challenges in sound for animation, and some of his recent collaborations in related fields.

Taking in a full day of informative and entertaining panels is thirsty work, so all delegates are invited to join us afterwards for a drink and a chance to chat.

Animation in Theatre & Performance 11:45 - 13:00 Focusing on the fertile ground where animation meets live performance, this discussion will investigate how animators can get a foothold in the area of animation within theatre, performance, and VJing, and the difficulties and benefits that arise from this specialised field.

Panellists: Paul Barritt (1927), Dan Hayhurst & Reuben Sutherland (Sculpture), Ed Jobling (Forkbeard)

YouTube, MeTube, We AllTube 14:30 - 15:45 The final panel of the day examines the use of YouTube as a distribution and marketing tool, and the potential pitfalls of putting your work online.

Panellists: Lee Hardcastle, Anthony Blades (Bird Box), Greg McLeod (Brothers McLeod), Louis Hudson (Dice Prods)

Green Screen Studios Cinema, Parkside Mediahouse 11:30 - 17:00 Inspired by one of the speakers and want to see more of their work? Then drop in to the Green Screen Studio where a curated programme of short films will play throughout the day. Film listings will be available on the day.

Keynote Lecture: Richard Slaney & Zsolt Balogh – 59 Productions 19:00 - 20:15 Creators of everything from museum installations (David Bowie is, V&A), to large scale events (video designers for London Olympics opening ceremony), 59 Productions’ portfolio is one of the most impressive and varied around. We’re thrilled to be joined by Richard (Creative Director) and Zsolt (Animation Director), who will discuss the various projects 59 Productions undertake and the vital role that animation plays within their work. This keynote is presented in partnership with Creative Networks.

22

Festival Hub

Events

During our final weekend, the Flatpack hub becomes the pulsating heart of the festival – a basecamp in Digbeth where you can pick up info, meet nice people and catch a range of films and events. This year we’re setting up home at Minerva Works on Fazeley St, a canalside cluster of art spaces which includes Vivid Projects, Stryx, Centrala, the Home for Waifs & Strays and Grand Union. Just up the road at The Bond, the Flatpack Palais will host all manner of screenings and performances on the Friday and Saturday.

9th Annual

Flatpack Kavarna Thursday 18:00 - 23:00, Friday 13:00 - 01:00 Saturday 12:00 - late, Sunday 12:00 - 23:00 — Food served from opening till 19:00, Friday to Sunday

Make your way to Unit 9 Minerva Works for the festival’s café-bar, with good tunes, artist talks and top veggie scran provided by The Warehouse Cafe. On Thursday (6-11pm) the space opens with an evening of shorts and DJs, while Oil Jelly Collective paint the walls with psychotropic projections.

WFMU LIVE BROADCAST: STATION MANAGER KEN Friday 27 March, 19:00 - 22:00 | Free On the eve of the UK premiere of Sex and Broadcasting, a new flyon-the-wall portrait of listener-funded radio renegades WFMU (p.25), the station itself has upped sticks and moved from Jersey City to Digbeth for the night. Station Manager Ken will be DJing and VJing the drivetime show from Flatpack to a global audience. Come down and witness the show in person, or tune in via www.wfmu.org.

SUN! ZOOM! SPARK! Friday 27 March, 22:00 - 01:00 | Free A submersive night of oscillations soundtracked from the deep end of kosmische, radiophone electro and punitive psychedelia. With optikinetics, alpha waves and DJ’s Delia (Outer Sight), Daphne (Sugarfoot Stomp) and guest Grandmaster Gareth (Misty’s).

The Kavarna walls will be adorned with a selection of works from the Collabradors, a collaborative collage project run by Ed Wakefield. Throughout the weekend you can also find a series of talks and activities in the space, including a Sellotape Cinema drop-in workshop (‘Flicker Skitter Stumble’) and a unique combination of bread-making and story-telling courtesy of Albert Smith (both 12-4, Sat and Sun). If you’ve experienced The Doghouse (see opposite) and want to know more, the artists behind it will be doing a Q&A at 2pm on Saturday.

FLATPACK SHORT FILM AWARDS + UNLIKELY FILM QUIZ Sunday 29 March, 18:45 - 22:30 | £ 5.00 Over the past four days Flatpack has been graced with some of the world’s finest shorts, and tonight they get whittled down to five winners. See p.18 for more details on the contenders.

After the allen-keys have been handed out, the Unlikely folks return for another warped cabaret quiz, complete with carefully constructed cardboard props and dubious special guests. Last year’s star turn from ‘Barry Norman’ will be hard to top.

Maximum of 6 per quiz team - see the Flatpack website for further info.

SEE ALSO Collage Party, Saturday 28 March – more info on p.6

HEART BYPASS Saturday 28 March, 17:00 - 18:30 | Flatpack Palais @ The Bond | £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

A recent addition to the Media Archive for Central England’s collection, the evocatively titled Ringway: The Birmingham Inner Ring Road Stage 1 (1963) is a public information film that records the construction of this concrete marvel.

From its auspicious launch, where various civic dignitaries get showered with rubble, all the omens pointed towards a positive outcome.

Some people are very fond of the city’s road network, among them Jonathan Meades. Heart Bypass (1998) is his love-letter to the city, a typically erudite and contrarian half-hour video essay made for BBC2. Completing this wonky triple-bill is an episode of Aardman series Rex the Runt (also 1998) in which Rex wins the city of Birmingham as a lottery prize, and then shrinks it.

2015

Festival Hub

Events

THE DOGHOUSE

23

Centrala 27 - 29 March | Free

One of Minerva Works’ more recent arrivals, Centrala is a gallery, café and training space with a particular focus on Central and Eastern European culture. Over the weekend they’re hosting a series of free Flatpack screenings, and the inevitable air guitar competition.

Thursday 26 March 18:00 - 22:00 Friday 27 March 15:00 - 22:00 Saturday 28 March 12:00 - 20:30 Sunday 29 March 12:00 - 19:00 — Stryx @ MW — £ 4.00

A dinner with a difference. You are seated at the table with four other diners. You don the goggles, and find yourself plunged into the kind of fraught family situation that Dogme movies used to specialise in. The food is virtual, but the sense of mounting tension is all too real.

Oculus Rift technology is still emerging, and some of its uses are admittedly on the gimmicky side. With this immersive new work, presented in the UK for the first time, Danish artists Mads Damsbo and Johan Knattrup Jensen demonstrate the medium’s potential as an entirely new form of cinema. The Doghouse runs every half an hour throughout the weekend, and you can also hear from Mads and Johan in the Kavarna at 2pm on Saturday.

RICHARD DAWSON Saturday 28 March 19:00 - 21:00 — Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 10.00 / £ 8.00 — In partnership with Supersonic Festival

The Wigout Friday, 19:00 - 21:00

Video Strolls Sunday, 16:00 - 17:30

Don your gauntlets, strap on your double neck and lift the goblet of rock, as HFWAS prepare for all-out air guitar war. See the Flatpack site for more info on taking part.

Wander on down for an afternoon of ambulatory entertainment. Featuring films and installations that explore, at a leisurely pace, the curious relationship between psyche and place. We hope to make a meanderthal out of you. www.video-strolls.com

When You Wore a Tulip Saturday, 13:00 & Sunday, 12.30 Charming 1983 documentary about the shooting of a silent movie in Wausau, Wisconsin. (63 mins) Riddles & Recitals Saturday, 17:00 - 18:30

Outer Sight 16mm Speakeasy Sunday, 18:00 - 21:00 As we near the inevitable fade-out, Outer Sight delve into their vaults for some celluloid oddities.

See p.19 for more details.

Cross City Walks Friday-Sunday, 15:00 - 20:00

Video Essays Sunday, 14:00 - 15:00

Upstairs from Centrala you can find this treadmill installation by Pete Ashton, which allows you to retrace his journeys across Birmingham in timelapse. Start running and the images will speed up. Run too fast and something weird will happen.

A growing online phenomenon, these short, witty deconstructions of cinema offer a free crash course in film studies. Includes a selection from one of the genre’s poets, kogonada.

ZBIGNIEW RYBCZYNSKI: MEDIA PIONEER

Touring on the back of his rapturously received album Nothing Important, Richard Dawson is one of those performers who makes an entirely different kind of sense live. Ragged guitar, discursive banter and songwriting that skips between tenderness and brutality – most memorably in his school-trip epic ‘The Vile Stuff’.

Tonight’s gig will begin with a short film picked by Richard himself.

SCALARAMA PRESENTS VIDEO PALACE WITH DVD BANG AND VIVA VHS Vivid Projects | Thursday 26 - Sunday 29 March Be kind and rewind as the Scalarama collective recreates a vintage video store for four nights only, complete with cafe, screening rooms and meeting area.

Peruse the back catalogue of Viva VHS’ exhaustive ex-rental tapes, book your own private screening room with DVD Bang whilst taking in their East Asian delicacies, or start your own cinema revolution with Scalarama and their Vote Cinema campaign. Join local film clubs over the weekend to discover how to put on your own screenings and start planning September 2015’s Scalarama season in Birmingham. Check online for the full schedule at scalarama.com.

DVD Bang are open for bookings: Thursday 26, 12:00 - 18:00 Friday 27, 13:00 - 23:00 Saturday 28, 9:00 - 18:00 Sunday 29, 9:00 - 00:00

Free events include: Thursday 26th March, 19:00 - 22:00 — Free shorts in the DVD Bang Friday 27th March, 23:00 - 1:00 — John Waters’ Polyester in Odorama Saturday 28th March, 14:00 - 17:00 — I Want to Be a Cinema workshop Sunday 29th March, 14:00 - 17:00 — Scalarama 2015: Campaign Launch

Friday 27 March 22:00 - 23:30 — Saturday 28 March 15:00 - 16:30 — Free

Like a Méliès of the information age, Polish filmmaker Zbigniew Rybczyński employed specially constructed rigs and cutting-edge (for its time) technology to create a kind of visual sorcery leaving you asking ‘how on earth did he do that?’ This retrospective explores Zbig’s oeuvre from his early experiments with computer animation and split screens, right through to his 80s MTV days when he was making promos for the likes of Grandmaster Flash and Lou Reed. It also features the film he’s most noted for, Tango (winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Short in 1983) in which 36 different characters slowly emerge one by one into a single room without ever interacting with each other.

Experimental short filmmaking at its most sublime.

This programme has been supported by the Polish Cultural Institute

24

Festival Hub

Events

9th Annual

ALTERED YESTERDAYS: AN AFTERNOON OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT ARCHIVES

CULTURE CLUB

Saturday 28 March | 14:00 - 17:30 | Grand Union | Free

Fun with slime moulds | Saturday 21 March

To complement Grand Union’s current Mat Jenner exhibition (see p.47), this series of talks and discussions explores archival projects from photography and film to music and sound art.

Presented in partnership with BOM Lab and the Arts & Science Festival

I’M LICHEN IT: FIELD LENS PHOTOGRAPHY WALKSHOP 11:00 - 12:30 — Start: The Woodman New Canal St — £8 / £6 – advance booking only

To prepare the ground for The Creeping Garden (below), Ben Waddington leads this field trip through Eastside’s wild meadows, quags, fens and wetlands.

A hidden world of lichen plains, mushroom groves and moss forests is revealed through the use of the botanist’s field lens, similar to a jeweller’s loupe, which will be supplied on the trip. In conjunction with your smartphone camera, these hidden vistas can be captured, shared and compared.

I’m Lichen It can be enjoyed using the supplied field lenses but is at its best with a camera phone. No real photographic ability is needed.

THE CREEPING GARDEN

The Photography of Janet Mendelsohn 14:00

Richard Dawson: The Glass Trunk 15:30

In the process of researching Birmingham’s Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies last year, Kieran Connell (Queens University, Belfast) discovered a large collection of Birmingham photographs taken by CCCS student Janet Mendelsohn in the late 60s, principally taken around Balsall Heath and Highgate (see above). Kieran will show a selection of these amazing images, and talk about a new AHRC project that will culminate in an exhibition at Ikon Gallery in 2016.

Rejecting the folk label in favour of ‘ritual community music’, Richard Dawson’s songwriting forges personal memory, mythology and other people’s stories into exhilarating new shapes.

Album-before-last The Glass Trunk was written after a period immersed in the Tyne and Wear archives, and before his performance tonight (p.23) Dawson will be talking about how the past finds its way into his songs.

Mat Jenner 14:45 Mat Jenner will talk about his exhibition Dreams Time Free, currently showing at Grand Union. The exhibition includes Foam, a mass collection of oneoff 12” dub plate records by 115 contemporary artists, which visitors are invited to listen to in the gallery. Mat will discuss some of the ideas behind this archive and how it links with other works in the show.

A New Lease of Life 16:30 Digital technology is bringing to light a wealth of films that were previously hidden away, and offering new ways to share them with people. At the same time, it’s posing difficult questions around fidelity of restoration and sustainability of data. Archivists from some of Europe’s most significant film collections will join us to talk about this brave new world and describe some of the ways in which archives are becoming more accessible.

13:00 - 15:00 — The Electric — £ 8.00 /£ 6.00

Once considered part of the fungi family, the slime mould’s multi-coloured diversity and its ability to move towards food sources both capture the imagination and provoke debate. The Creeping Garden gathers a number of devotees including amateur mycologist Mark Pragnell and artist Heather Barnett (who cheerfully admits to taking slime moulds on holiday with her), underscoring their passion with gorgeous timelapse photography and music

by Jim O’Rourke. A delightfully unexpected documentary.

Directors Jasper Sharp and Tim Grabham will take part in a discussion after the film along with Heather Barnett.

THE PHYSARUM EXPERIMENTS 15:30 - 17:00 — BOM — Free entry with a Creeping Garden ticket

Heather Barnett, with Physarum polycephalum “[In] trying to understand systems that use relatively simple components to build higher-level intelligence, the slime mould may someday be seen as the equivalent of the finches and tortoises that Darwin observed on the Galápagos Islands” — Steven Johnson, Emergence, 2001 You’ve seen the movie – now here’s a chance to meet the stars up close. Join Heather Barnett to discover the fascinating role the slime mould plays in the cultures of science and art, and participate in a practical experiment to test the abilities of this single-celled organism.

MEDIA/CULTURE 12:00 - 16:00 — BOM — Free

Photographer Dan Burwood will introduce the work he’s developing during his BOM fellowship: an exploration of bacteria and fungal cultures in traditional wet photographic media and process. You will be invited to document the organic disruption of part of a silver gelatine print, to contribute to a composite timelapse dispersed fungi photo film. A range of edible ferments and cultures will also be available to take away...

2015

Events

Docs

25

Creativity under pressure is the thread that unites these fascinating and very different non-fiction films.

SEX AND BROADCASTING Dir. Tim K. Smith USA 2014 76 mins — Saturday 28 March 17:30 - 19:30 Sunday 29 March 13:00 - 15:00 — The Electric Cinema £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Given that we own three WFMU T-shirts, you’d expect us to be excited about a documentary which peeks behind the scenes of this improbable listenersupported radio station. What’s more exciting is that Tim K Smith has crafted a film which should resonate well beyond the fans, one which raises sharp questions about what independent culture really means.

Named after a how-to guide to community radio that informed WFMU in its early years, Sex and Broadcasting jumps between the station’s genesis at Upsala College and its current home in Jersey City, where a regular stream of bizarre and brilliant bands drop in to play sessions. Famous fans like Matt Groening and Ad-Rock pay homage, and at the centre of the film is Station Manager Ken Freedman, phlegmatically battling with the recession, the regulators and his leaky building.

Flatpack is honoured to welcome both Ken Freedman and director Tim K. Smith for a Q&A after the film. The night before this UK premiere, Ken will also be hosting a live broadcast from the Flatpack hub (see p.22).

THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY Dir. Brian Knappenberger USA 2014 104 mins — Friday 27 March 18:00 - 20:00 — Impact Hub £ 4.00

Aaron Swartz co-founded Reddit, helped develop the RSS feed and Creative Commons, and campaigned energetically for open data. In 2013 he committed suicide, facing 35 years in prison for illegally sharing academic papers. This illuminating and enraging documentary provides the lowdown on Swartz’s short but hugely productive life, while also dissecting the legal and technological issues thrown up by his trial.

The film has been selected for Flatpack by Impact Hub Birmingham, a new co-working and events space which launches in Digbeth this month. Following the screening, Impact Hub Birmingham will host a discussion on the challenges and opportunities the open source economy creates over food and drinks.

BEATS OF THE ANTONOV Dir. Hajooj Kuka Sudan-South Africa 2014 65 mins — Friday 27 March 20:30 - 22:30 — Flatpack Palais @ The Bond £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

UNCLE TONY, THE THREE FOOLS AND THE SECRET SERVICE Dir. Mina Mileva & Vesela Kazakova Bulgaria 2014 86 mins — Saturday 28 March 20:00 - 22:00 — The Electric £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

During the 1970s Bulgarian animation was the toast of international festivals and director Donyo Donev travelled the world collecting awards and plaudits.

This debut documentary posits an alternative version of film history, arguing that a major force behind those films was never given due credit. We meet Antony Trayanov – aka Uncle Tony – in Sofia, his small flat piled high with mementos of his animation career. He talks warmly and without bitterness, but as the story unfolds we return to the paranoia and power-plays of Soviet-era Bulgaria.

This fascinating tale of authorship and survival has caused huge controversy in its home country. The film’s directors, Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova, will join us to talk about their experiences making the film.

“War is good and bad… it can connect kids to their culture.”

— refugee Insaf Awad Opening with vivid footage of a bombing raid which ends in nervous laughter, this thoughtful, moving film explores the role that music plays as a survival strategy and safety valve for people in the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains, caught up in Sudan’s devastating and ongoing civil war. The film features some electric performances, including a sassy teenage choir and a DIY electric instrument using brake cables for strings.

This screening is presented in partnership with Celebrating Sanctuary, and before the film there will be a short live set from Sudanese singer and instrumentalist Salih Hassan Nour.

26

Calendar

Timeline

9th Annual

CALENDAR THURSDAY 19 TH OF MARCH Event name Walk Cheerfully

Yay!*

Venue St Paul’s Church

Start

End

Price

Page

19:00

21:00

£10 / £7.50

07

FRIDAY 20 OF MARCH TH

Between Us: Birmingham Portraits

Great Western Arcade

11:00

18:00

Free

11

8Bit Lounge

Old Joint Stock Theatre

12:00

18:00

Free

09

Camera Obscura Workshop

Home Cafe Deli

15:00

16:00

Free

10

A Taste of Flatpack

Home Café Deli

16:15

17:45

Free

11

Girlhood

The Electric Cinema

18:00

20:15

£8 / £6

14

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

Birmingham and Midland Institute

18:00

20:10

Free

10

Sidewalk Stories

Hotel du Vin

18:00

19:45

Free

10

AVA exhibition opening

Ort Cafe

18:00

20:00

Free

28

Joe the Chainsmith + Coventry Kids

mac birmingham

18:30

20:00

£8 / £6

12

Europe in 8Bits

Old Joint Stock Theatre

18:30

19:50

Free

09

The Paper Cinema’s Odyssey

The REP Studio

19:45

21:15

£12 / £9

06

Edwardian Horror Show

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Edwardian Tea Rooms

20:00

23:00

£10 / £7.50

09

Club Two-Five-Six

Old Joint Stock Theatre

20:00

23:00

Free

09

Miners Shot Down

Birmingham and Midland Institute

20:30

22:00

Free

10

Numbskull

The Electric Cinema

21:00

23:00

£8 / £6

14

SATURDAY 21 ST OF MARCH Coffee Cupping

6/8 Kafé

10:30

12:15

£7

11

Between Us: Birmingham Portraits

Great Western Arcade

11:00

18:00

Free

11

Cartoon Rock

Birmingham and Midland Institute

11:00

12:00

Free

11

Landmarks 1-3

mac birmingham

11:00

12:30

£8 / £6

12

I’m Lichen It

The Woodman

11:00

12:30

£8 / £6

24

Shizzles and Giggles

Old Joint Stock Theatre

12:00

13:30

Free

11

Media/Culture

BOM

12:00

16:00

Free

24

CineCafe

6/8 Kafé

12:15

13:00

Free

11

The Creeping Garden

The Electric Cinema

13:00

15:00

£8 / £6

24

Fairy Tales

Birmingham and Midland Institute

13:00

14:00

Free

11

Travelling for a Living + Faces of Harlow

mac birmingham

13:00

14:50

£8 / £6

12

Coffee Cupping

6/8 Kafé

13:30

15:15

£7

11

Internet Cat Videos

Old Joint Stock Theatre

14:00

15:00

Free

08

A Force to be Reckoned With

Birmingham and Midland Institute

14:30

16:00

Free

11

Lil Bub and Friendz

Old Joint Stock Theatre

15:10

16:15

Free

08

CineCafe

6/8 Kafé

15:15

16:00

Free

11

Camera Obscura Workshop

Home Café Deli

15:30

16:30

Free

10

Trouble in Paradise

Opus

15:30

18:30

£14

10

Landmarks 4-6

mac birmingham

15:30

17:00

£8 / £6

The Physarum Experiments

BOM

15:30

17:00

12 Free (w Creeping Garden ticket) 24

The Magic Cinema

6/8 Kafé

16:30

19:00

Free

11

Observations

Birmingham and Midland Institute

16:30

18:00

Free

19

The Colony + Year Zero: Black Country

mac birmingham

18:00

20:15

£8 / £6

13

Turist

The Electric Cinema

18:00

20:00

£8 / £6

14

LOLGBT Shorts

Old Joint Stock Theatre

19:00

20:15

Free

10

Man With a Movie Camera

Birmingham Cathedral

19:30

21:15

£10 / £7.50

09

The Paper Cinema’s Odyssey

The REP Studio

19:45

21:15

£12 / £9

06

Lisa Gornick’s Live Drawing Show

Old Joint Stock Theatre

20:30

21:30

Free

10

SUNDAY 22 ND OF MARCH Gone For A Soldier

mac birmingham

10:30

12:30

£6 / £4

13

Celluloid City

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts

12:00

16:00

Free

08

Where Do We Go From Here?

mac birmingham

13:00

14:40

£8 / £6

13

Peggy Seeger in Conversation

mac birmingham

15:00

16:30

£7 / £5

13

Sirens

mac birmingham

16:00

17:00

£6 / £4.50

28

The Tribe

The Electric Cinema

18:15

20:30

£8 / £6

15

Live cinema performances

mac birmingham

19:00

20:00

£6 / £4.50

28

MONDAY 23 OF MARCH RD

Ink & Pixels

Birmingham City University, Parkside

18:30

20:00

Free

20

Joe the Chainsmith + House of Friends

Netherton Arts Centre

19:00

21:30

£5 / £4

13

TUESDAY 24 TH OF MARCH Communicating with Puppets

Birmingham City University, Parkside

10:00

17:30

Free (deposit required)

20

The Finnish Line

Birmingham City University, Parkside

17:00

18:00

Free

20

The Amusement Park Opening

Birmingham City University, Parkside

18:00

20:00

Free

20

Elemental

Birmingham City University, Parkside

18:30

20:00

Free

20

The Colony

The Drum

19:00

20:30

£7 / £5

13

WEDNESDAY 25 TH OF MARCH Ta-Co Workshop

Birmingham City University, Parkside

13:00

15:30

Free (deposit required)

20

iShorts

Birmingham City University, Parkside

17:30

18:30

Free

20

Roy Andersson: Shorts & Commercials

The Electric Cinema

18:00

19:20

£8 / £6

17

Time + Motion

Millennium Point

19:00

23:00

£5

21

Standby for Tape Backup

mac birmingham

20:00

21:30

£12 / £10

07

2015

Calendar

Timeline

27

CALENDAR THURSDAY 26 TH OF MARCH Event name

Yay!*

Venue

Start

End

Price

Page

Animation and Beyond

Birmingham City University, Parkside

09:45

19:00

£15 / £10

21

Interactive Filmmaking Workshop

The Bond

10:00

16:00

£25 + VAT

28

Flatpack hub launch

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

18:00

23:00

Free

22

Cross Frequencies

The Electric Cinema

18:30

20:00

£6 / £5

19

Animation and Beyond keynote

Birmingham City University, Parkside

19:00

20:15

Free

21

FRIDAY 27 TH OF MARCH Festival of (In)appropriation

Birmingham City University, Parkside

14:00

15:30

Free

20

A Life Less Ordinary

Flatpack Palais @ The Bond

16:00

17:30

£6 / £5

18

I’m a Filmmaker, But I Want To Eat

The Mockingbird

18:00

20:00

Free

28

Making Shadows

Flatpack Palais @ The Bond

18:00

19:45

£8 / £6

07

Songs From the Second Floor

The Electric Cinema

18:00

19:45

£8 / £6

17

The Internet’s Own Boy

Impact Hub

18:00

20:00

£4

25

The Wigout

Centrala @ MW

19:00

21:00

Free

23

WFMU Live Broadcast: Station Manager Ken

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

19:00

22:00

Free

22

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

The Electric Cinema

20:15

22:00

£8 / £6

14

Beats of the Antonov

Flatpack Palais at the Bond

20:30

22:30

£8 / £6

25

Sun! Zoom! Spark!

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

22:00

01:00

Free

22

Zbigniew Rybczynski: Media Pioneer

Centrala @ MW

22:00

23:30

Free

23

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Miss Osborne

The Electric Cinema

22:30

00:10

£8 / £6

15

Polyester in Odorama

Vivid Projects @ MW

23:00

00:30

Free

23

SATURDAY 28 TH OF MARCH Drawn To Be Wild

mac birmingham

11:00

16:00

Free

29

Arcades Walk

Great Western Arcade

11:00

12:30

£7 / £5

06

Shape Shifters

mac birmingham

11:00

12:15

£5 / £3

29

Beatfreeks Workshop: Talking Pictures

Impact Hub

12:00

16:00

Free

07

Strange Adventures

mac birmingham

13:00

14:15

£5 / £3

29

The Joy of Film

Flatpack Palais @ The Bond

13:00

14:30

£6 / £5

19

When You Wore a Tulip

Centrala @ MW

13:00

14:05

Free

23

You, The Living

The Electric Cinema

13:00

14:40

£8 / £6

17

Altered Yesterdays

Grand Union @ MW

14:00

17:30

Free

24

Behind the Doghouse

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

14:00

15:00

Free

22

I Want to be a Cinema

Vivid Projects @ MW

14:00

17:00

Free

42

Citation City

Flatpack Palais @ The Bond

15:00

16:40

£8 / £6

06

Family Portraits

The Electric Cinema

15:00

16:30

£6 / £5

19

Zarafa

mac birmingham

15:00

16:30

£5 / £3

29

Zbigniew Rybczynski: Media Pioneer

Centrala @ MW

15:00

16:30

Free

23

Heart Bypass

Flatpack Palais @ The Bond

17:00

18:30

£8 / £6

22

Riddles & Recitals

Centrala @ MW

17:00

18:30

Free

19

Sex and Broadcasting

The Electric Cinema

17:30

19:30

£8 / £6

25

Richard Dawson

Flatpack Palais @ The Bond

19:00

21:00

£10 / £8

23

Collage Party

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

19:00

02:00

£10 / £8

06

Uncle Tony, the Three Fools and the Secret Service

The Electric Cinema - Screen 2

20:00

22:00

£8 / £6

25

Beyond the Realm

Flatpack Palais @ The Bond

21:30

23:00

£6 / £5

18

Tokyo Tribe

The Electric Cinema

22:30

00:30

£8 / £6

15

When You Wore a Tulip

Centrala @ MW

Chris Paul Daniels in Conversation

A3 Project Space

Sex and Broadcasting

The Electric Cinema

13:00

15:00

£8 / £6

25

The Irishmen

Spotted Dog

13:00

14:30

Free

13

Scalarama 2015: Campaign Launch

Vivid Projects @ MW

14:00

17:00

Free

45

Video Essays

Centrala @ MW

14:00

15:00

Free

23

Way of the Benshi: Open Mic

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

14:00

16:00

Free

07

Tomorrow Is Always Too Long

The Electric Cinema

15:30

17:00

£8 / £6

15

Video Strolls

Centrala @ MW

16:00

17:30

Free

23

A Pigeon on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

mac birmingham

17:30

19:20

£8 / £6

17

The Colour of Pomegranates

The Electric Cinema

17:30

19:10

£8 / £6

15

Outer Sight 16mm Speakeasy

Centrala @ MW

18:00

21:00

Free

23

Flatpack Short Film Awards + Unlikely Film Quiz

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

18:45

22:30

£5

22

SUNDAY 29 OF MARCH TH

00 Free 13:30 12:30 Don't forget! The clocks go forward on Sunday 29 March 00 Free 14:30 13:00

ONGOING EVENTS The Amusement Park

BCU, Parkside & Millennium Point

16/03/15 – 28/03/15

09:00

18:00

Free

20

AVA Exhibition: Seeing Sound

Ort Cafe

21/03/15 – 22/03/15

11:00

17:00

Free

28

The Cloud is More Than Air and Water

Conservatoire

23/03/15 – 27/03/15

10:00

22:00

Free

20

Beethoven’s 5th

Conservatoire

23/03/15 – 27/03/15

10:00

22:00

Free

20

The Doghouse

Stryx @ MW

26/03/15 – 29/03/15

TIMES

VARY

£4

23

Cross City Walks

Upstairs @ Centrala

27/03/15 – 29/03/15

15:00

20:00

Free

23

Sellotape Cinema: Flicker Skitter Stumble

Flatpack Kavarna @ MW

28/03/15 – 29/03/15

12:00

16:00

Free

42

DIY Sci-Fi

Custard Factory

28/03/15 – 29/03/15

11:00

16:00

Free

28

* Tick off your favourite events here

28

Assorted Items

Events

9th Annual

AVA EXHIBITION: SEEING SOUND

INTERACTIVE FILMMAKING WORKSHOP Thursday 26 March 10:00 - 16:00 The Bond £25 + VAT

Crossover Labs and Sheffield Doc/Fest are running a series of six workshops across the country, offering a chance to explore different aspects of interactive storytelling. This day-long session focusses on Interlude’s Treehouse, an authoring app that gives you the tools to create your own interactive projects.

Places are limited – for more information and to sign up, visit sheffdocfest.com/workshops.

I’M A FILMMAKER, BUT I WANT TO EAT Friday 27 March 18:00 - 20:00 The Mockingbird Free

A lighthearted but informative look at the realities of the diverse ways we all have to sustain ourselves, as we pursue the passion to make films. Come along and find some inspiration from our guests, and then join us for drinks in the bar.

This is a Producers Forum event, with support from Creative Skillset. For further details go to producersforum.org.uk.

Opening: Friday 20 March, Ort Café, 18:00-20:00 Exhibition: Sat 21 and Sun 22 March, 11:00-17:00 An exhibition of audio visual arts, with a focus on the history of Visual Music and Live Cinema, placing the current practice of real time audio visual performance within an historical context. Includes a timeline created by Finnish artist Mia Makela, and a Harmonograph built by young people at the Old PrintWorks. Alongside the show there’s a Sound Bath (Ort, Sat 21) and live AV software workshop (Ort, Mon 23) – see avacurate.wordpress.com for booking info.

On Sunday 22 March, the Hexagon theatre at mac hosts two ‘Seeing Sound’ events: 16:00 - 17:00 Screening of Sirens, an audio visual work by Japanese artist Ryoichi Kurokawa in collaboration with Novi_ sad. (£ 6.00 / £ 4.50) 19:00 - 20:00: 3 x Live Cinema performances by Modulate / Mark Harris / Mia Makela + James Andean. (£ 6.00 / £ 4.50)

CHRIS PAUL DANIELS IN CONVERSATION Sunday 29 March 13:00 - 14:30 A3 Project Space Free

To complement his new video piece at A3 Project Space (see p.47), Chris Paul Daniels will be present to screen and discuss his experimental approach to portraiture, formed through a series of projects in Nairobi, Newcastle, China and Birmingham.

NAWM_Flatpack_Ad_NewArtWM.indd 4

DIY SCI-FI Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 March 11:00 - 16:00 Custard Factory Free

Digbeth-based model-makers Trevor Boddington and Steven Woodhouse (aka ‘2 Art Toy Guys’) have been using recycled materials to create amazing miniature worlds for years, and now they’ve branched out into filmmaking.

Throughout the weekend they’ll be taking over a shop at the Custard Factory to show some of their recent work (including sci-fi short The Mist From Planet X), alongside a selection of DIY props and models.

16/01/2015 12:15

2015

Events

29

Colour Box

Saturday 28 March at mac birmingham Flatpack’s ever-popular family programme returns to mac for a day of screenings and activities for younger viewers and doers. This time around we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Anorak Magazine.

Zarafa

SHAPE SHIFTERS 11:00 – 12:15 | £5 / £3 Recommended age 4+ A peek into an alternative dimension, where life isn’t quite as we know it. Cakes transform into living people (Decorations), elephants work as street cleaners (The Elephant and the Bicycle), and parents are jumbo jets (My Mom is an Airplane).

This colourful and inventive collection of kids’ shorts also includes British animator Andy Martin’s luminous 12-part illustrated alien saga, The Planets, in which funnylooking creatures get up to weird and wonderful things, and Mari Miyazawa’s mouthwatering animated-food films will have you leaving the cinema headed for the nearest patisserie. A delectable treat for anyone age 4 to 104.

STRANGE ADVENTURES 13:00 – 14:15 | £5 / £3 Recommended age 7+ Our second programme of family shorts includes Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier’s eccentrically funny A Town Called Panic – The Christmas Log; a half hour romp about the exploits of three housemates: Indian, Cowboy, and Horse, made by the Belgian directors of those inimitable Cravendale adverts.

Also included is French filmmaker Nicolas Deveaux’s 5m 80 in which a highly organised herd of giraffes take a trip to the swimming pool and pull off a series of dives that Tom Daley would be proud of.

And Pixar animator Erick Oh’s exquisite short Gunther, about an unlikely group of hungry accomplices including a bee, a pig, a dandelion and a turtle, is a total delight.

Dir. Rémi Bezançon & Jean-Christophe Lie France 2012, 78 mins

15:00 – 16:30 £5 / £3 Recommended age 6+

A young boy called Maki manages to escape from the clutches of a slave-trader, and finds himself on the road with a baby giraffe. What follows is a larger-than-life voyage from Sudan to Paris, complete with a pirate queen, a hot-air balloon and two flying cows, all beautifully rendered in 2-D animation that often resembles traditional Disney.

Zarafa is suitable for all ages, but please note that the film will be screening in French with English subtitles. We also hope to offer live English translation via headphones – see website for details.

DRAWN TO BE WILD 11:00 – 16:00 | Free

SEE ALSO: Cartoon Rock and Fairy Tales, as part of Film Bug P.11

As well as screenings throughout the day, the public spaces at mac will once again be abuzz with drop-in activities for all ages. Have a go at creating your own cartoon character, make a contribution to the Wall of Scrawl, read a book, or pick up a free Anorak activity pack.

Anorak Magazine, the ‘happy mag for kids’, is aimed at boys and girls aged between 6 and 12 years old and comes out every three months. For more info and subscription details, go to anorakmagazine.com.

30

Thursday 19th of March

Timeline

9th Annual

FLATPACK DAY BY DAY 120 events, screenings and exhibitions. 30 venues. 11 days.

Man With a Movie Camera

Girlhood

Saturday 21, 19:30 at Birmingham Cathedral

Friday 20, 18:00 at The Electric Cinema

Uncle Tony, the Three Fools and the Secret Service Saturday 28, 20:30 at The Electric Cinema

The Colony

Celluloid CIty

Sculpture at Time + Motion

Sat 21 at mac, and Tuesday 24 at The Drum

Sunday 22, 12:00 - 16:00 at The Barber

Wednesday 25, 19:00 at Millennium Point

THURSDAY 19 TH OF MARCH THE AMUSEMENT PARK Monday 16 March ongoing until Saturday 28 March BCU, Parkside — Free

Exploring the relationship between animation and interactivity, this exhibition makes its way to the UK for the first time from Finland and focuses on a group of contemporary Finnish animators whose practice transcends screen-based work. — Read more on P.20

09:00

WALK CHEERFULLY 19:00

Thursday 19 March St Paul’s Church — £ 10.00 / £ 7.50

Ozu’s delicious, Tokyo spin on a classic gangster tale, with live benshi narration and musical accompaniment.

— Read more on P.7

2015

Friday 20th of March

Timeline

31

FRIDAY 20 TH OF MARCH BETWEEN US: BIRMINGHAM PORTRAITS

A spellbinding street-level view of the city’s people, created by artist Geoff Broadway. — Read more on P.11

Friday 20 March Great Western Arcade — Free

Today’s Ongoing events The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 18:00 - see p.20

11:00

8BIT LOUNGE

Try your hand at Pong, Duck Hunt, Space Invaders and many other classics at this gaming drop-in.

— Read more on P.9

CAMERA OBSCURA WORKSHOP Friday 20 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

12:00

15:00

Friday 20 March Home Café Deli — Free

Build your own hand-held camera obscura. — Read more on P.10

A TASTE OF FLATPACK GIRLHOOD

Parisian coming-of-age tale about Marieme, who discovers a whole new world when she joins an all-girl gang.

— Read more on P.14

16:15 Friday 20 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

18:00

Friday 20 March Home Café Deli — Free

A chance to sample selections from across the Flatpack shorts lineup, spanning comedy and non-fiction, animation and experimental.

— Read more on P.11

THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT SIDEWALK STORIES

18:00 Friday 20 March Hotel du Vin — Free

18:00

Friday 20 March Birmingham & Midland Institute — Free

Fassbinder’s 1972 adaptation of his own play, concerning a claustrophobic love triangle between three women. — Read more on P.10

AVA EXHIBITION OPENING 18:00 Charles Lane’s 1980s New York homage to Chaplin’s The Kid. — Read more on P.10

Friday 20 March Ort Cafe — Free

JOE THE CHAINSMITH + COVENTRY KIDS

Philip Donnellan’s first film, a 50s snapshot of chain-making community Cradley Heath.— Read more on P.12

Friday 20 March mac birmingham — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

EUROPE IN 8BITS 18:30

18:30

Friday 20 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

THE PAPER CINEMA’S ODYSSEY Homer’s island-hopping tales of gods and monsters retold as you’ve never seen them before, with a joyful combination of cut-out characters and live music. — Read more on P.6

Friday 20 March The REP Studio — £ 12.00 / £ 9.00

Launch of an exhibition exploring the history of visual music and live cinema.— Read more on P.28

19:45

Documentary about Europe’s burgeoning chiptune scene.

— Read more on P.9

CLUB TWO-FIVE-SIX 20:00

Friday 20 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

Our 8bit day draws to a close with an evening of DJs and live performances.— Read more on P.9

32

20 – 21st of March

Timeline

9th Annual

EDWARDIAN HORROR SHOW

A rare chance to wander the halls of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery after hours, for an evening of spooky shorts and haunted show-tunes.

— Read more on P.9

Friday 20 March Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery — £ 10.00 / £ 7.50

20:00

Friday 20 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

21:00

MINERS SHOT DOWN 20:30

Friday 20 March Birmingham & Midland Institute — Free

Acclaimed documentary about a massacre of 34 mineworkers in South Africa.

— Read more on P.10

NUMBSKULL Two men find themselves touched by the curse of Shakespeare’s skull, in John Humphreys’ debut feature.

— Read more on P.14

SATURDAY 21 ST OF MARCH COFFEE CUPPING

Follow the coffee journey all the way from farm to cup, with a chance to taste a range of varieties and see different processes in action.

— Read more on P.11

Today’s Ongoing events Saturday 21 March 6/8 Kafé — £ 7.00

The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 18:00 - see p.20 AVA Exhibition: Seeing Sound - 11:00 -17:00 - see p.28

10:30 13.30

BETWEEN US: BIRMINGHAM PORTRAITS 11:00

CARTOON ROCK

Saturday morning family show, with day-glo cartoons and free cereal.

— Read more on P.11

Saturday 21 March Birmingham & Midland Institute — Free

11:00

Saturday 21 March The Woodman — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

11:00

11:00

MEDIA/CULTURE Saturday 21 March BOM — Free

Saturday 21 March mac birmingham — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00 Covers admission to Landmarks 1-4 too

The first three episodes of Donnellan’s six-part series, mirroring the seven ages of man by tracing a line from birth to death.

— Read more on P.12

SHIZZLES & GIGGLES 12:00

Help Dan Burwood to investigate the effect of bacterial cultures on photographic prints.

— Read more on P.24

A spellbinding street-level view of the city’s people, created by artist Geoff Broadway.— Read more on P.11

LANDMARKS 1-3

I’M LICHEN IT

Walking tour through Eastside’s wild meadows, quags, fens and wetlands.

— Read more on P.24

Saturday 21 March Great Western Arcade — Free

12:00

Saturday 21 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

Funny shorts featuring a number of British comedy luminaries including Sally Philips and Tim Key. — Read more on P.11

CINECAFE 12:15 15:15

Saturday 21 March 6/8 Kafé — Free

To complement the cupping, a selection of coffee-scented short films. — Read more on P.11

2015

Saturday 21st of March

Timeline

FAIRY TALES

Amazing collection of stencil colour films from the 1900s, with new scores by composition students from the Conservatoire.

— Read more on P.11

Saturday 21 March Birmingham and Midland Institute — Free

33

THE CREEPING GARDEN

13:00 13:00

Saturday 21 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Mesmerising voyage into the hidden world of slime moulds, with music by Jim O’Rourke. — Read more on P.24

TRAVELLING FOR A LIVING + FACES OF HARLOW INTERNET CAT VIDEOS

13:00 Saturday 21 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

14:00

Saturday 21 March mac birmingham — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Derrick Knight’s 1965 portrait of the Watersons on their home patch of Hull, and a promotional film for the new town of Harlow.

— Read more on P.12

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH 14:30

Some of YouTube’s finest feline moments, carefully curated by a group of small children.

— Read more on P.8

NAWM_Flatpack_Ad_NewArtWM.indd 3

Saturday 21 March Birmingham & Midland Institute — Free

As the Women’s Institute enters its centenary year, Balsall Heath WI have helped us to put together this eclectic, empowering selection of shorts. — Read more on P.11

16/01/2015 12:15

34

Saturday 21st of March

Timeline

9th Annual

LIL BUB AND FRIENDZ Saturday 21 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

15:10

CAMERA OBSCURA WORKSHOP 15:30

Saturday 21 March Home Café Deli — Free

Vice doc taking a backstage peek at one of the internet’s biggest cat stars. Read more on p.8

TROUBLE IN PARADISE 15:30

THE PHYSARUM EXPERIMENTS

Artist Heather Barnett explores the role the slime mould plays in the cultures of science and art.

— Read more on P.24

Saturday 21 March BOM — Free (with Creeping Garden ticket)

Lubitsch’s sublime quickfire romantic comedy about two con-artists in love, followed by a two-course meal.

— Read more on P.10

LANDMARKS 4-6

OBSERVATIONS Saturday 21 March Birmingham & Midland Institute — Free

Saturday 21 March Opus at Cornwell Street — £14.00 (book via Opus: 0121 200 2323)

15:30

15:30

Shorts programme showing some of the best of this year’s submissions.

— Read more on P.19

Build your own hand-held camera obscura.

— Read more on P.10

16:30

Saturday 21 March mac birmingham — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00 Covers admission to Landmarks 1-3 too

Final three episodes of Donnellan’s six-parter, mirroring the seven ages of man by tracing a line from birth to death. — Read more on P.12

THE MAGIC CINEMA 16:30

FORCE MAJEURE Saturday 21 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

18:00

Saturday 21 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

19:00

Saturday 21 March 6/8 Kafé — Free

Open-reel DIY film event, accepting any film up to 10 minutes long providing you come and introduce it. — Read more on P.11

THE COLONY + YEAR ZERO: BLACK COUNTRY 18:00

Saturday 21 March mac birmingham — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

An avalanche disrupts a Swedish family’s skiing holiday in Ruben Ostlund’s latest feature. — Read more on P.14

LOLGBT SHORTS

Surreal, reflective, and occasionally downright crude - a lucky dip of new shorts presented in association with Shout Festival.

— Read more on P.10

A double-bill of films from the point of view of recent arrivals in Birmingham and Smethwick, made fifty years apart. — Read more on P.13

MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA 19:30

Saturday 21 March Birmingham Cathedral — £ 10.00 / £ 7.50

Dziga Vertov’s hymn to cinema and the city, getting on for ninety years old and still startlingly fresh.

— Read more on P.9

2015

21 – 22nd of March

Timeline

35

THE PAPER CINEMA’S ODYSSEY

Homer’s island-hopping tales of gods and monsters retold as you’ve never seen them before, with a joyful combination of cut-out characters and live music. — Read more on P.6

Saturday 21 March The REP Studio — £ 12.00 / £ 9.00

19:45

LISA GORNICK’S LIVE DRAWING SHOW 20:30

Saturday 21 March Old Joint Stock Theatre — Free

Live drawing and daft anecdotes courtesy of illustrator and story-teller Lisa Gornick. — Read more on P.10

SUNDAY 22 ND OF MARCH GONE FOR A SOLDIER

Donnellan’s ambitious (and at the time controversial) two-parter exploring the history of the British military.

— Read more on P.13

Today’s Ongoing events Sunday 22 March mac birmingham — £ 6.00 / £ 4.00

AVA Exhibition: Seeing Sound - Ort Cafe - 11:00 -17:00 - see p.28

10:30

CELLULOID CITY 12:00

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Two of Donnellan’s later works, a portrait of different travelling families across the UK and an Irish music documentary.

— Read more on P.13

Saturday 22 March mac birmingham — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

13:00

A celebration of Birmingham’s rich cinema-going history, through films and discussions. — Read more on P.8

PEGGY SEEGER IN CONVERSATION 15:00

SIRENS

Audio visual work by Japanese artist Ryoichi Kurokawa, which attempts to find a visual analogue for economic collapse. — Read more on P.28

Sunday 22 March The Barber Institute — Free

Sunday 22 March mac birmingham — £ 6.00 / £ 4.50

16:00

Sunday 22 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

18:15

Sunday 22 March mac birmingham — £ 7.00 / £ 5.00

THE TRIBE Folk singer Peggy Seeger looks back on the making of the Radio Ballads, a series of broadcasts that helped to redefine radio. — Read more on P.13

LIVE CINEMA PERFORMANCES 19:00

Ukrainian feature about a deaf mute teenager who struggles to fit in at a boarding school. Told through sign-language. — Read more on P.15

Sunday 22 March mac birmingham — £ 6.00 / £ 4.50

Three audio-visual sets by Modulate, Mark Harris, and Mia Makela + James Andean. — Read more on P.28

36

23 – 24th of March

Timeline

9th Annual

MONDAY 23 RD OF MARCH THE CLOUD IS MORE THAN AIR AND WATER Monday 23 March ongoing until Friday 27 March Conservatoire — Free

Video installation by Matt Parker, investigating the mechanical nature and acoustic ecology of Data Centres and internet storage systems.

— Read more on P.20

Today’s Ongoing events The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 18:00 - see p.20

10:00

BEETHOVEN’S 5TH 10:00

INK & PIXELS Monday 23 March BCU, Parkside — Free

18:30

Monday 23 March ongoing until Friday 27 March Conservatoire — Free

Reminiscent of Buster Keaton’s The Playhouse, in which old Stoneface plays every instrument in the band, Emily Wright’s single screen installation sees herself playing all the parts to the German composer’s masterwork. — Read more on P.20

JOE THE CHAINSMITH + HOUSE OF FRIENDS 19:00

A sneak peek at Made You Look, a new documentary about the UK’s graphic arts scene, followed by a discussion with the makers about analogue/digital mixups. — Read more on P.20

Monday 23 March Netherton Arts Centre — £ 5.00 / £ 4.00

A rare Flatpack sortie to the Black Country, to screen two Philip Donnellan films about Cradley Heath and Brierley Hill.

— Read more on P.13

TUESDAY 24 TH OF MARCH COMMUNICATING WITH PUPPETS Tuesday 24 March BCU, Parkside — Free (deposit required)

Today’s Ongoing events The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 20:00 The Cloud is more than Air and Water - Conservatoire - 10.00 - 22:00 Beethoven’s 5th - Conservatoire - 10:00 - 22:00 - see p.20 for all

10:00

THE FINNISH LINE 17:00

Two-day workshop on the challenges of micro-acting, led by the award-winning directors of Oh Willy...!

— Read more on P.20

Tuesday 24 March BCU, Parkside — Free

THE AMUSEMENT PARK OPENING Enjoyably interactive survey of Finnish animators working beyond film. Includes an opportunity to make your own short film soundtrack, a digital fortune-teller, and a zoetrope carousel. Showing alongside for one night is Elemental, a multi-projector installation by BIAD student Will Marler. — Read more on P.20

Tuesday 24 March BCU, Parkside — Free

To complement new exhibition The Amusement Park, a selection of films by some of the animators whose work features in the show.

— Read more on P.20

THE COLONY 18:00

19:00

Tuesday 24 March The Drum — £ 7.00 / £ 5.00

Donnellan’s 1964 film on Caribbeans in north Birmingham, seen in a different light thanks to a rescore by Birmingham Jazz.

— Read more on P.13

2015

25 – 26 of March

Timeline

37

WEDNESDAY 25 TH OF MARCH TA-CO WORKSHOP

Today’s Ongoing events

In advance of Usaginingen’s performance tonight at Time + Motion, a chance to work with them to create your own ingenious optomechanical device.

— Read more on P.20

Wednesday 25 March BCU, Parkside — Free (deposit req.)

The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 18:00 The Cloud is more than Air and Water - Conservatoire - 10.00 - 22:00 Beethoven’s 5th - Conservatoire - 10:00 - 22:00 - see p.20 for all

13:00

ISHORTS 17:30

ROY ANDERSSON: SHORTS & COMMERCIALS Wednesday 25 March The Electric — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Before you embark on Andersson’s Living trilogy, see how he developed his unique approach through a series of blackly comic adverts. Also includes the startling World of Glory.

— Read more on P.17

18:00

A selection from the first crop of Creative England’s iShorts initiative, followed by a drinks reception.

— Read more on P.20

TIME + MOTION

STANDBY FOR TAPE BACKUP

“Two years ago, I found a videotape in my loft. On it: one and a half films, one quiz show and two sitcoms.

Somehow it became the story of my life.” - Ross Sutherland — See P.7

Wednesday 25 March BCU, Parkside — Free

19:00 Wednesday 25 March mac birmingham — £ 12.00 / £ 10.00

20:00

Wednesday 25 March Millennium Point — £ 5.00

Immersive evening of live animation and performance, featuring Japanese duo Usaginingen and zoetrope turntablists Sculpture.

— Read more on P.21

THURSDAY 26 TH OF MARCH ANIMATION AND BEYOND Exploring the ever-growing parameters of animation through a day of screenings, demonstrations and panel discussions. — Read more on P.21

Today’s Ongoing events Thursday 26 March BCU, Parkside — £ 15.00 / £ 10.00

The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 18:00 The Cloud is more than Air and Water - Conservatoire - 10.00 - 22:00 Beethoven’s 5th - Conservatoire - 10:00 - 22:00 - see p.20 for all

09:45

INTERACTIVE FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

FLATPACK HUB LAUNCH

10:00 Thursday 26 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — Free

18:00

Thursday 26 March The Bond — £ 25.00 + VAT

Day-long session exploring Interlude’s Treehouse, an authoring app that gives you the tools to create your own interactive projects.

— Read more on P.28

THE DOGHOUSE 18:00

The doors open on this year’s gloriously multi-faceted festival hub, created in partnership with the arts spaces at Minerva Works. Includes DJs, visuals, food, the launch of The Doghouse (see opposite) and free shorts in DVDBang from 7-10pm.

— Read more on P.22

Thursday 26 March ongoing until Sunday 29 March Stryx @ MW — £ 4.00

First UK appearance of an immersive piece from two Danish artists which plunges you into a family meal.

— Read more on P.23

TAKE A FRESH LOOK private dining // kitchen table // dinner series // daily market menu

‘Top quality seasonal British produce anchors the whole operation’ AA Restaurant Guide 2015 ‘The most sustainable restaurant in the Midlands’ Sustainable Restaurant Association 2015 ‘Enjoy the modern British approach of the kitchen’ The Good Food Guide 2015

54 Cornwall Street, Birmingham B3 2DE 0121 200 2323 @OpusCornwallSt opusrestaurant.co.uk

40

26 – 27th of March

Timeline

9th Annual

CROSS FREQUENCIES

Eclectic shorts programme made up of innovative works by video artists from all over the world.

— Read more on P.19

Thursday 26 March The Electric Cinema — £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

18:30

ANIMATION AND BEYOND KEYNOTE 19:00

Thursday 26 March BCU, Parkside — Free

Keynote lecture by Richard Slaney (Creative Director) & Zsolt Balogh (Animation Director) from 59 Productions focussing on animation within large scale live events.

— Read more on P.21

FRIDAY 27 TH OF MARCH FESTIVAL OF (IN)APPROPRIATION The latest touring programme from this annual Los Angeles event, celebrating shortform work that samples or repurposes in inventive ways.

— Read more on P.20

Friday 27 March BCU, Parkside — Free

Today’s Ongoing events The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 18:00 The Cloud is more than Air and Water - Conservatoire - 10.00 - 22:00 Beethoven’s 5th - Conservatoire - 10:00 - 22:00 - see p.20 for all above The Doghouse - Stryx @ MW - 15:00 - 22:00 - see p.23

14:00

CROSS CITY WALKS

A LIFE LESS ORDINARY Our first competitive animation programme includes a number of off-kilter character studies, exploring oral fixation, cross-dressing animals and elk-fetishism. — Read more on P.18

Friday 27 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

16:00

15:00

Friday 27 March ongoing until Sunday 29 March Centrala @ MW — Free

I’M A FILMMAKER, BUT I WANT TO EAT The Producer’s Forum present a lighthearted but informative look at the the various ways in which we sustain ourselves, as we pursue the passion to make films. — Read more on P.28

Friday 27 March The Mockingbird — Free

18:00

Pete Ashton present a treadmill installation which enables you to retrace his steps across the city. — Read more on P.23

MAKING SHADOWS 18:00

Friday 27 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR Friday 27 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

18:00 An insight into the development of the new show from Stan’s Cafe, partly filmed in Tokyo, and a chance to see their unique spin on benshi narration. — Read more on P.7

THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY 18:00

The first film in the ‘Living’ trilogy is a pre-millennial classic, with an entire city in meltdown to the strangely uplifting melodies of Benny Andersson.

— Read more on P.17

Account of the short but ridiculously productive life of open-source activist Aaron Swartz, followed by a discussion of some of the issues that the film throws up. — Read more on P.29

WFMU LIVE BROADCAST: STATION MANAGER KEN

THE WIGOUT “My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.” - Joan Jett Full-throttle air-guitar tournament.

— Read more on P.23

Friday 27 March Impact Hub — £ 4.00

Friday 27 March Centrala @ MW — Free

19:00

19:00

Friday 27 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — Free

One of the world’s finest radio stations is transplanted from Jersey City to Digbeth for the night.

— Read more on P.22

2015

27 – 28th of March

Timeline

41

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT

Wonderfully atmospheric vampire tale, with the streets of Bakersfield reimagined as underworld Iran.

— Read more on P.14

Friday 27 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

20:15

Friday 27 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — Free

22:00

BEATS OF THE ANTONOV 20:30

Friday 27 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

SUN! ZOOM! SPARK!

Monochromatic psych with sharp edges, featuring optikinetics, alpha waves and various DJ’s.

— Read more on P.22

ZBIGNIEW RYBCZYNSKI: MEDIA PIONEER 22:00

Friday 27 March Centrala @ MW — Free

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MISS OSBORNE Friday 27 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Borowczyk’s last great film is a polymorphously perverse take on the Stevenson tale, now carefully restored after years in the darkness.

— Read more on P.15

Thoughtful, toe-tapping new documentary about the vital role of music in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. — Read more on P.25

A dizzying range of shorts and music videos from the Polish filmmaker, including the Oscar-winning Tango.

— Read more on P.23

22:30

POLYESTER IN ODORAMA 23:00

Friday 27 March Vivid Projects @ MW — Free

Scalarama present a special scratch n sniff screening of John Waters’ sublime trashfest, with Divine as a frustrated housewife.

— Read more on P.23

SATURDAY 28 TH OF MARCH ARCADES WALK

A morning of Benjamin-inspired flânerie through Birmingham’s shopping arcades, in the company of Esther Leslie and Ben Waddington.

— Read more on P.6

Today’s Ongoing events Saturday 28 March Great Western Arcade — £ 7.00 / £ 5.00

The Amusement Park - BCU, Parkside - 09.00 - 18:00 - see p.20 The Doghouse - Stryx @ MW - 12:00 - 20:30 - see p.23 Cross City Walks - Centrala @ MW - 15.00 - 20:00 - see p.23

11:00

SHAPE SHIFTERS 11:00

DIY SCI-FI Saturday 28 March ongoing until Sunday 29 March Custard Factory — Free

Saturday 28 March mac birmingham — £ 5.00 / £ 3.00

11:00

Short film programme for all ages, with magical transformations including a mum who turns into an aeroplane and cakes that come to life.

— Read more on P.29

DRAWN TO BE WILD 11:00

Model-builders and filmmakers Trevor and Steven invite you into a hand-made universe created out of recycled junk. — Read more on P.28

Saturday 28 March mac birmingham — Free

Alongside today’s Colour Box screenings, we’re teaming up with the brilliant Anorak magazine to put on a range of drawing activities through the day. — Read more on P.29

42

Saturday 28th of March

Timeline

9th Annual

BEATFREEKS WORKSHOP: TALKING PICTURES

Session for writers and poets interested in talking back to the screen. — Read more on P.7

Saturday 28 March Impact Hub — Free

12:00

Saturday 28 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

13:00

SELLOTAPE CINEMA: FLICKER SKITTER STUMBLE 12:00

THE JOY OF FILM Exploring ‘film’ in every essence, this shorts programme features works by those who use celluloid for experimentation, to those making comments on the philosophy of the medium. — Read more on P.19

See it...Stick it...Show it… hands-on workshop creating collisions of image, light and movement.

— Read more on P.22

STRANGE ADVENTURES 13:00

YOU, THE LIVING

The middle installment in Andersson’s trilogy features an even wider, stranger cast of characters, including an embattled sausaphonist.

— Read more on P.17

Saturday 28 March ongoing until Sunday 29 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — Free

Saturday 28 March The Electric Cinema — £8.00 / £6.00

13:00

Saturday 28 March Vivid Projects @ MW — Free

14:00

Saturday 28 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — Free

14:00

Saturday 28 March mac birmingham — £ 5.00 / £ 3.00

The second Colour Box shorts programme is for slightly older viewers (recommended 7+) and includes a Town Called Panic Christmas special.

— Read more on P.29

WHEN YOU WORE A TULIP 13:00

Saturday 28 March Centrala @ MW — Free

Residents of Wausau, Wisconsin reminisce about the day a filmcrew came to town in this 1983 documentary. — Read more on P.23

I WANT TO BE A CINEMA

An ideal opportunity to share ideas and compare notes if you’re interested in setting up your own venue or filmnight.

— Read more on P.23

ALTERED YESTERDAYS 14:00

Saturday 28 March Grand Union @ MW — Free

BEHIND THE DOGHOUSE With their discomfiting installation now well underway at the Flatpack hub, artists Johan Knattrup Jensen and Mads Damsbo will be talking about the shift from film to Oculus Rift. — Read more on P.22

An afternoon of people talking about archives, ranging from photography and film to sound art and music.

— Read more on P.24

ZARAFA

CITATION CITY Saturday 28 March mac birmingham — £ 5.00 / £ 3.00

15:00

15:00

Saturday 28 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

A time-travelling voyage through one city, assembled from hundreds of movie clips and inspired by the wanderings of Walter Benjamin.

— Read more on P.6

FAMILY PORTRAITS Our Colour Box day draws to a close with this beautiful animated feature from France, the tale of a boy who escapes from slave traders with a baby giraffe as his companion. — Read more on P.29

15:00

Saturday 28 March The Electric Cinema — £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

Selection of documentary, animation and drama, with each film offering a distinctive take on the modern family.

— Read more on P.19

2015

28 – 29th of March

Timeline

43

ZBIGNIEW RYBCZYNSKI: MEDIA PIONEER

A dizzying range of shorts and music videos from the Polish filmmaker, including the Oscar-winning Tango.

— Read more on P.23

Saturday 28 March Centrala @ MW — Free

15:00

Saturday 28 March Centrala @ MW — Free

17:00

Saturday 28 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 10.00 / £ 8.00

19:00

HEART BYPASS 17:00

Saturday 28 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Brilliantly Birmingham triple-bill. Features a 1963 public information film about the ringroad, an episode of Rex the Runt, and Jonathan Meades’ wry love-letter to the city.

— Read more on P.22

RIDDLES & RECITALS An eclectic mix of short films with everything from Oscar-nominated animations to locally made documentaries. — Read more on P.19

SEX AND BROADCASTING 17:30

Saturday 28 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Fly-on-the-wall portrait of incomparable listenerfunded freeform radio station WFMU, as it navigates the rough seas of the recession.

— Read more on P.25

RICHARD DAWSON Both tender and brutal, apparently ramshackle but completely on it, Richard Dawson’s performances are an experience not be missed. — Read more on P.23

COLLAGE PARTY 19:00

Saturday 28 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — £ 10.00 / £ 8.00

UNCLE TONY, THE THREE FOOLS AND THE SECRET SERVICE Saturday 28 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Documentary that has attracted outrage in its home country for revealing the power-play and intrigue underlying Bulgaria’s animation history.

— Read more on P.23

20:00

BEYOND THE REALM 21:30

TOKYO TRIBE Saturday 28 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Mind-blowing yakuza hip hop musical set in a nearfuture Tokyo on the verge of all-out gang war.

— Read more on P.15

Celebrating the art of the cut-out and the cut-up, with a free-ranging lineup of music, film, art and food in spaces throughout Minerva Works.

— Read more on P.6

Saturday 28 March Flatpack Palais @ The Bond — £ 6.00 / £ 5.00

22:30

The outer reaches of animation, including brilliant new shorts from David O’Reilly, Mirai Mizue and Don Hertzfeldt (going digital for the first time). — Read more on P.18

SUNDAY 29 TH OF MARCH

Don't forget!

The clocks go forward on Sunday 29 March

WHEN YOU WORE A TULIP

Residents of Wausau, Wisconsin reminisce about the day a filmcrew came to town in this 1983 documentary. — Read more on P.23

Today’s Ongoing events Sunday 29 March Centrala @ MW — Free

The Doghouse - Stryx @ MW - 12:00 - 19:00 - see p.23 Cross City Walks - Centrala @ MW - 15.00 - 20:00 - see p.23 Sellotape Cinema - Flatpack Kavarna @ MW 12.00 - 16:00 - see p.22 DIY Sci-Fi - Custard Factory - 11.00 - 16:00 - see p.28

12:30

CHRIS PAUL DANIELS IN CONVERSATION 13:00

THE IRISHMEN One of Philip Donnellan’s ‘lost’ films, a vivid impression of life in the UK for a generation of Irish road-builders.

— Read more on P.13

Sunday 29 March Spotted Dog — Free

13:00

Sunday 29 March A3 Project Space — Free

Alongside his new installation at A3, Daniels discusses his experimental approach to portraiture and the importance of place in his work. — Read more on P.28

viennoiserie

FLATPACK FESTIVAL PASS EXCLUSIVE OFFER

20% DISCOUNT ON FOOD 2 FOR 1 ON LARGE PIZZAS

THE CUSTARD FACTORY - DIGBETH - BIRMINGHAM

HANDMADE

2015

Sunday 29th of March

Timeline

45

SEX AND BROADCASTING Sunday 29 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

13:00

VIDEO ESSAYS 14:00

Sunday 29 March Centrala @ MW — Free

Fly-on-the-wall portrait of incomparable listener-funded freeform radio station WFMU, as it navigates the rough seas of the recession. — Read more on P.25

WAY OF THE BENSHI: OPEN MIC 14:00

SCALARAMA 2015: CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

Setting the wheels in motion for a mammoth film season that will fill the land with cinemas in September.

Sunday 29 March Vivid Projects @ MW — Free

Your chance to try your hand at the film-narration game. Pick a sequence or a short, and bring it along.

— Read more on P.7

TOMORROW IS ALWAYS TOO LONG

VIDEO STROLLS Sunday 29 March Centrala @ MW — Free

Sunday 29 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — Free

14:00

15:30

A collective straddling Edinburgh, Birmingham and London, the Video Strollers create and curate short films of an exploratory, ambulatory nature.

— Read more on P.23

A sample of this burgeoning online form, which dissects everything from Bresson and Kubrick to Seinfeld and Transformers. — Read more on P.23

Sunday 29 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

16:00

This new feature by Phil Collins (the artist not the drummer) is a kaleidoscopic vision of Glasgow starring its citizens and the songs of Cate Le Bon. — Read more on P.15

THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES Sunday 29 March The Electric Cinema — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

17:30

A PIGEON ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE 17:30

Sunday 29 March mac birmingham — £ 8.00 / £ 6.00

Parajanov’s inimitable rhapsody on the life of Armenian poet and musican Sayat-Nova, restored to its original eye-popping glory by Bologna Cinematheque.

— Read more on P.15

The trilogy draws to a close, this time with Andersson’s tragicomic vision making room for a marauding 18th century army and two joke salesman. Winner of the Golden Lion at Venice. — Read more on P.17

OUTER SIGHT 16MM SPEAKEASY Helping Flatpack to fade out with a medley of obscure celluoid treats from the Outer Sight vaults.

— Read more on P.23

Sunday 29 March Centrala @ MW — Free

18:00

FLATPACK SHORT FILM AWARDS + UNLIKELY FILM QUIZ 18:45

Sunday 29 March Flatpack Kavarna @ MW — £ 5.00

We climax with distribution of the famed allen-keys, followed by a warped cabaret quiz.

— Read more on P.22

46

Events

9th Annual

THE WORLD’S FIRST GREENFIELD FILM FESTIVAL

WATCH THE LATEST FILMS • CLASSICS • LIVE MUSIC • CHILDREN’S CINEMA DIRECTOR Q&AS • INDUSTRY WORKSHOPS • MEMORABILIA HUGE OUTDOOR SCREEN • GLAMPING • INDOOR MARQUEES WITH SEATING COCKTAILS • REAL ALE BARS • STREET FOOD STALLS EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR £99 PLUS BOOKING FEE

WWW. FLICKERAMA.CO.UK

2015

47

Events

WELCOME TO BIRMINGHAM Flatpack’s recommendations on where to eat, drink and be merry in the second city

EAT AND DRINK

Around Digbeth

PLACES TO STAY

City Centre

The Warehouse Café Here you can tuck into delicious vegan and vegetarian fare, lovingly prepared.

— 54-57 Allison Street, Birmingham. B5 5TH www.thewarehousecafe.com The Karczma Critically acclaimed, The Karczma is the place to go for hearty traditional Polish cuisine in a totally unique setting. One for the carnivores, with some veggie options.

Also serves delicious Mead.

— Polish Millennium House, Bordesley Street, Digbeth. B5 5PH www.thekarczma.co.uk Rico Libre Birmingham’s newest tapas joint, the family run Rico has been causing quite a stir recently, and building a well-deserved reputation for serving up delicious, traditional tapas dishes in its quirky Digbeth venue. (BYOB, booking advised).

— 1 Barn Street, Digbeth. B5 5QD www.rico-libre.co.uk

Alfie Birds A chilled out eatery by day and a lively bar and venue by night. Serves up a good range of pizzas, burgers and salads.

— The Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham. B9 4AA www.alfiebirds.co.uk The Spotted Dog An Irish boozer with excellent beer garden.

Good ales and the occasional bit of ceilidh music to boot.

— Warwick Street, Digbeth. B12 0NH www.spotteddog.co.uk Old Crown & Old Crown Coffee Club The oldest Inn in the city (established in 1368), it serves good food and ales. They also have a little cafe where you can order everything from a full English or pastries to deli sandwiches.

— 188 High Street, Digbeth, B12 0LD www.theoldcrown.com

Sushi Passion A traditional sushi and sashimi restaurant, Sushi Passion recently moved to a serene new home in the Great Western Arcade and continues to build on its reputation for some of the best sushi in the city. (Booking advised).

— Great Western Arcade, Colmore Row, B2 5HU www.facebook.com/pages/ Sushi-Passion/212584485422108 Cherry Reds Good value homely food, snacks and a wide selection of ales and ciders.

— 88-90 John Bright Street. B1 1BN www.cherryreds.com Topokki A relaxed canteen-style Korean restaurant.

If you don’t know your Bibimbap from your Dubap, staff are happy to guide you through the menu.

— Unit 1C, South Side, Hurst Street. B5 4TD www.yelp.co.uk/biz/topokki-birmingham

FLATPACK NOT ENOUGH? HERE ARE OUR PICKS OF WHAT ELSE IS ON… Equinox New mixed media festival from youth arts outfit Beatfreeks, popping up in a different location each day and culminating with an awards event in the city centre on Friday 20 March.

— 16-20 March. Across Birmingham www.equinoxfestival.tumblr.com Birmingham Digital Week Five days of skills development and networking events for the city’s digital sector.

— 16-20 March. Across Birmingham Arts & Science Festival A week-long programme of talks, exhibitions and screenings showcasing culture and research on the University campus and beyond. This year’s theme is ‘Sight and Sound.’

— 16-22 March, University of Birmingham and other venues www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/ arts-and-science

Frontiers Festival Celebration of contemporary music, with a particular focus on the intersection between electronic and acoustic sounds.

Includes Jonathan Harvey’s From Silence and an evening devoted to the music of Philippe Hurel.

— 16-23 March. The Conservatoire and other venues www.frontiersmusic.org Mat Jenner: Dreams Time Free Grand Union will be transformed into a social and gallery space for ephemeral material as well as an interactive audio archive.

— Till 3 April. Grand Union www.grand-union.org.uk Birmingham Show An exhibition as history and not history, connecting gaps, distances and potentials of artists who have lived, worked or studied within the city.

— Till 11 April. Eastside Projects www.eastsideprojects.org

Open Social – Film Night A chance for young people aged 15-19 to visit the exhibitions at Ikon and enjoy film screenings and workshops, organised in collaboration with Reel Access.

— Friday 27 March. Ikon Gallery, 6.30–9pm - FREE www.ikon-gallery.co.uk Chris Paul Daniels: You Are Here Chris Paul Daniels has made a series of newly commissioned audio and video portraits of residents and workers from Digbeth and Bordesley Village.

— 27-29 March. A3 Project Space, 12-5pm www.a3projectspace.org Birmingham Opera Company: The Ice Break Michael Tippett’s opera about identity, race and rebellion in a modern world. Preceded by #breakingtheice, a series of events exploring art and social responsiblity.

— Early April, Birmingham www.birminghamopera.org.uk

Hotel du Vin Housed in a former Victorian eye hospital, a luxurious option in the city centre.

— Church Street, Birmingham, B3 2NR www.hotelduvin.com/locations/birmingham Malmaison Birmingham Upmarket canalside hotel in old post office building, with sleek bedrooms and a brasserie/bar.

— The Mailbox, 1 Wharfside Street, B1 2JR www.malmaison.com Travelodge Birmingham Central Moor Street With Digbeth and the city centre on your doorstep, this hotel is in the perfect location to explore the city.

— Carrs Lane, Birmingham. B4 7SS www.travelodge.co.uk Premiere Apartments Serviced apartments suitable for both short and longer stays. Located conveniently between Digbeth and the city centre.

— Dean House, 38 Upper Dean Street. B5 4SG www.premierapartmentsbirmingham.com Hatters Friendly and comfortable hostel in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter.

— 92–95 Livery Street Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham B3 1RJ. www.hattersgroup.com Birmingham Central Backpackers Former pub made homely hostel with brightly painted walls. As well as a cinema room, some rooms are equipped with pods.

— 58 Coventry Street, Digbeth. B5 5NH www.birminghambackpackers.com Paragon No-frills hotel housed in a Victorian Gothic revival building in the heart of Digbeth.

— 145 Alcester Street, Birmingham, B12 0PJ www.theparagonhotel.co.uk For more options you can search via the accommodation directory at www.visitbirmingham.com

48

Events

9th Annual

TICKETS & BOOKING, FLATPASS & GENERAL FESTIVAL TEAM Director Ian Francis Operations & Finance Director Selina Hewlett Programmer Sam Groves Marketing Coordinator Annabel Clarke Production Coordinator Chris Swann Marketing Assistant Oli McCall Festival Assistant Meghan Finn Programme Assistant Lucile Bourliaud Guest Liaison Adriana Minu Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Hamilton Baker Swipeside / Hospitality Coordinator Sarah McNally Ticketing Coordinator Jenny Duffin Festival Interns Izzie Archer & Stella Kourmoulaki Venue Coordinators / Guest support Jill Arbuckle Tudor Ghetu Esther Rush Pip McKnight Lily Wales Milly Walker Morten Wright Rebekah Bainbridge Susan Wareham Design Laura Walpole & Justin Hallström Dot Dash: thisisdotdash.com Web Developer Jacob Masters gabba.net Press and PR Sarah Bemand margaretlondon.com Technical Co-ordination Phil Slocombe and James Islip lumen.org.uk Board of Directors Jake Grimley (Chair) (MADE Media) Paul Drury (Unity) Sarah Gee (Indigo Ltd) Ruth Harvey Sally Hodgson (Pipoca Pictures) Dan Lawson (Creative Skillset) Karen Newman (Birmingham Open Media) For full list of Flatpack thanks see flatpackfestival.org.uk/credits

BOOKING

DISCOUNT DEALS

FLATPASS

Advance tickets can be purchased online at flatpackfestival.org.uk Tickets purchased through the Flatpack website are subject to a £1 booking fee per order, so it’s best to buy all of your tickets at the same time to keep charges down.

Advance sales for all events close at midnight, the night before the event.

Concessionary rate tickets are available for students with a valid student card, under 16s and over 60s with proof of age, and registered unemployed with a valid DSS Form.

Ticket prices remain the same for disabled guests, but each disabled guest can bring one carer/signer with them free of charge.

To reserve a ticket, call the festival office on 0121 771 1509.

Customers with access requirements should refer to the venue pages on the Flatpack website for details.

Film certificates are also listed on the Flatpack website.

We regret that latecomers will not be admitted once the event has begun.

Full terms and conditions can be found on the ticketing pages of the Flatpack website: flatpackfestival.org.uk/shop

There are a few money-saving packages to choose from this year, including:

Brace yourselves….the Flatpass has landed.

A bargain at £80, the Flatpass gets you into just about everything in the festival programme. A limited number of these babies are available, so bag one quick!

Buy 4, Get 1 Free (£32) (Standard-priced screenings only) Philip Donnellan Pass (£40) Roy Andersson Pass (£25) Short Film Competition Pass (£25) All of the above are available online only.

See the website for further details. flatpackfestival.org.uk/shop

CONTACT INFORMATION

Flatpass Partners Flatpass holders also get discounts at a number of Birmingham cafés and eateries:

Web: flatpackfestival.org.uk Email: info@flatpackfestival.org.uk Ticketing enquires: booking@flatpackfestival.org.uk Telephone: 0121 771 1509 Festival office: Flatpack Festival, 118 Scott House, the Custard Factory Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4AA

Rico Libre

For more details on the Flatpass see: flatpackfestival.org.uk/shop

MORE THAN JUST A FESTIVAL Before the city-straddling behemoth known as Flatpack, there was a regular night at the Rainbow in Digbeth called 7 Inch Cinema.

We continue to produce all sorts of projects year-round, and 2015 already looks busy...

Ghost Streets of Balsall Heath Summer 2015 As part of a new project around the photography of Janet Mendelsohn (see Altered Yesterdays, p.24), an attempt to map out the changing geography of Balsall Heath over the past fifty years.

Celluloid City Summer/Autumn 2015 Our cinema heritage day at the Barber (p.8) is just the beginning, as we plunge into the story of Birmingham at the movies.

Birmingham Talent Centre Launching Summer 2015 In partnership with Creative England, this series of events for emerging filmmakers within the region kicks off in June. Get more info at the iShorts screening (p.20).

Lightfest September 2015 Led by Aston University’s Photonics Institute, a range of installations, talks and demonstrations exploring the cutting-edge of light technology.

To keep informed of all this, sign up for our occasional mailouts at the Flatpack website.

Spring 2016, Birmingham www.flatpackfestival.org.uk

2015

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2. A3 Project Space Unit A3, 2 Bowyer Street B10 0SA

12. The Drum 144 Potters Lane, Newtown, B6 4UU

22. Millennium Point Curzon Street, B4 7XG

3. Barber Institute of Fine Arts University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TS

13. The Electric Cinema 47-49 Station St, B5 4DX

23. The Mockingbird Custard Factory, Gibb St, Digbeth, B9 4AA

4. BCU, Parkside 6 Cardigan St, Birmingham B4 7BD

14. Flatpack Kavarna @ MW Unit 9 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley St, Digbeth, B5 5RT

24. Netherton Arts Centre (nac) Northfield Road, Netherton, Dudley, DY2 9ER

5. Birmingham & Midland Institute 9 Margaret St, B3 3BS

15. Flatpack Palais @ The Bond 180-182 Fazeley St, Digbeth, B5 5SE

25. Old Joint Stock Theatre 4 Temple Row West, B2 5NY

6. Birmingham Cathedral Colmore Row, B3 2QB

16. Grand Union @ MW 19 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley St, Digbeth, B5 5RT

7. Birmingham Conservatoire Paradise Place, Fletchers Walk, B3 3HG

17. Great Western Arcade Colmore Row, Birmingham B2 SHU

26. Opus 54 Cornwall St, B3 2DE 27. Ort Cafe 500-504 Moseley Rd, Balsall Heath. B12 9AH

31. The REP Centenary Square, Broad St, B1 2EP 32. Vivid Projects @ MW 16 Minerva Works. 16 Fazeley Street. B5 5RS 33. The Woodman New Canal St, Digbeth, B5 5LG Flatpass Partners 34. Alfie Birds The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, B9 4AA 35. Rico Libre Tapas 11 Barn Street, B5 5QD 1. 6/8 Kafé 6/8/ Temple Row, B2 5HG 36. Sushi Passion Great Western Arcade, B2 5HU

19. Hotel Du Vin 25 Church St, B3 2NR

29. St Paul’s Church St Paul’s Square, Jewellery Quarter, B3 1QZ

37. The Karczma Polish Millennium House, Bordesley Street, B5 5PH

20. Impact Hub Walker Building, 58 Oxford Street, Digbeth, B5 5NY

30. Stryx @ MW 13 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, Digbeth B5 5RS

38. The Warehouse Café 54-57 Allison Street, B5 5TH

18. Home Café Deli 24-26 Church Street, B3 2NP

9. BOM 1 Dudley Street, B5 4EG 10. Centrala @ MW Unit 4 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, Digbeth, B5 5RT

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28. Spotted Dog 104 Warwick St, Digbeth B12 0NH

8. BM&AG, Edwardian Tea Rooms Chamberlain Square, B3 3DH

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A4 11. Custard Factory Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4AA

24 St J

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VENUES

1. 6/8 Kafé 6-8 Temple Row, B2 5HG

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Events

Barber Institute of Fine Arts Take the A38 (Bristol Road), turn onto Edgbaston Park Road then left onto Pritchatts Road. Parking available in the North-East Car Park. Buses include 61 and 63. University Station is a 10 minute walk away. Trains leave New Street Station regularly.

The Drum Take the A38 towards Aston. Go over the Aston Expressway and onto the ringroad towards Dartmouth Circus roundabout.

Straight over the roundabout, up Thomas Street and left at the top of the road on to Park Lane. Take the slip road on the left before the traffic lights. Alternatively, take the 33 or 51 bus from the city centre.

mac birmingham Located in Cannon Hill Park, opposite Edgbaston Cricket Ground (off A441 Pershore Road and A38 Bristol Road).

Buses from the centre include: 1, 35, 45, 47, 62 and 63.

Netherton Arts Centre (nac) A 30 minute drive from Birmingham.

Exit at Junction 2 of the M5 then take A4034 towards Black Heath then A4100 to Netherton. For info on public transport links, see the Flatpack site.

Ort The 50 bus from the centre goes past Ort. Bus information: http://nxbus.co.uk/

50

Timeline

9th Annual

INDEX A—D

PAGE

D—M

PAGE

M—T

PAGE

T—X

PAGE

8Bit Lounge

9

DVD Bang

23

Making Shadows

7

Taste of Flatpack, A

11

Altered Yesterdays

24

Eclectic Method

6

Man With a Movie Camera

9

Tickets

48

Amusement Park, The

20

Edwardian Horror Show

9

Map

49

Time + Motion

21

Elemental

20

Media/Culture

24

Tokyo Tribe

15

Europe in 8Bits

9

Miners Shot Down

10

Tomorrow Is Always Too Long

15

exhibitions & installations

Nour, Salih Hassan

25

Travelling for a Living

12

Numbskull

14

Tribe, The

15 10

Andersson, Roy

16-17

animation 6, 10-11, 15, 18-21, 23, 25, 29 Animation and Beyond

21

10-11, 20, 22-23, 28

Arcades Walk

6

Fairy Tales

11

Observations

19

Trouble in Paradise

AVA Exhibition

28

Family Portraits

19

Outer Sight 16mm Speakeasy

23

Uncle Tony, the Three Fools

Beatfreeks Workshop

7

Festival of (In)appropriation

20

Ozu, Yasujiro

Beats of the Antonov

25

Film Bug

8

Paper Cinema’s Odyssey, The

Benshi

7

Finnish Line, The

20

parties

Between Us: Birmingham Portraits

11

Flatpack Day by Day

Beyond the Realm

18

Flatpack Hub

Birmingham guide

47

Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, The

10

6

6, 9, 21, 22

and the Secret Service

25

Unlikely Film Quiz

22

Venues

49

Peggy Seeger in Conversation

13

Video Essays

23

22

People Like Us

6

Video Strolls

23

Flatpack Map

49

Physarum Experiments, The

24

Waddington, Ben

Flatpack Short Film Awards

22

Pilgrimage of Ti-Jean, The

13

Walk Cheerfully

Flatpass

48

Pigeon on a Branch

30-45

Calendar

26-27

Camera Obscura Workshops

10

food and drink

Cartoon Rock

11

Force Majeure

14

8, 48

Force to be Reckoned With, A

Celluloid City

7, 19

walks

7

6, 23, 24

17

Way of the Benshi: Open Mic

Polyester in Odorama

23

WFMU

11

Rex the Runt

22

WFMU Live Broadcast

22

19

When You Wore a Tulip

23

10, 11, 22, 47

Reflecting on Existence, A

6, 24

7

22, 25

Centrala

23

Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, A

14

Riddles and Recitals

Chris Paul Daniels in Conversation

28

Girlhood

14

Roy Andersson: Commercials & Shorts 17

Where Do We Go From Here?

13

CineCafe

11

Gone For A Soldier

13

Scalarama 2015: Campaign Launch

23

Wigout, The

23

Citation City

6

Heart Bypass

22

Seeger, Peggy

13

workshops

House of Friends

13

Sellotape Cinema

city symphonies

6, 8, 11

19, 21, 22

Club Two-Five-Six

9

I Want to be a Cinema

22

Sex and Broadcasting

Coffee Cupping

11

I’m a Filmmaker, But I Want To Eat

28

Shallcross, Paul

6, 22

I’m Lichen It

24

Shape Shifters

Collabradors

25

World of Internet Cats, The

8

Year Zero: Black Country, The

13

29

You, The Living

17

11

Zarafa

29

8-11, 17-20, 22-23, 29

Zbigniew Rybczynski: Media Pioneer

23

8, 9

Collage Party

6

Ink & Pixels

20

Shizzles and Giggles

Colony, The

13

Interactive Filmmaking Workshop

28

shorts

11, 29

Internet Cat Videos

8

Sidewalk Stories

Colour Box, family film

10

Colour of Pomegranates, The

15

Internet’s Own Boy, The

25

silent cinema

Communicating with Puppets

20

Irishmen, The

13

Sirens

35

Coventry Kids

12

iShorts Showcase

20

Smith, Albert

22

Creeping Garden, The

24

Joe the Chainsmith

12

Songs From the Second Floor

17

Cross City Walks

23

Joy of Film, The

19

Standby for Tape Backup

7

Cross Frequencies

19

Landmarks 1-3

12

Strange Adventures

29

Culture Club

24

Landmarks 4-6

12

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll

Life Less Ordinary, A

18

Lil Bub and Friendz

8

Sun! Zoom! Spark!

22

Lisa Gornick’s Live Drawing Show

10

Swipeside

20

Ta-Co Workshop

20

Dawson, Richard

23, 24

DIY Sci-Fi

28

documentaries 8-10, 12-13, 19-20, 23-24, 25 Doghouse, The

22-23

Donnellan, Philip

12-13

Drawn To Be Wild

29

live cinema 6, 7, 10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 28 LOLGBT Shorts

10

Magic Cinema, The

11

7, 10, 11, 20, 22, 24, 28, 29

7-9, 11, 15

and Miss Osborne, The

tableaux vivants

15

15, 17

talks + Q&As 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 21-22, 24-25, 28

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS THIS IS FOR YOU

MEAD GALLERY FILM

See website for film times.

Imagining a University The First 50 Years of The University of Warwick Art Collection Wed 29 Apr – Sat 20 Jun This FREE exhibition examines how the forces that shaped the University also influenced the development of the collection and includes the work of over 60 artists such as Yoko Ono, Terry Frost, and Andy Warhol.

Wild Tales This Oscar-nominated Argentinian film is a collection of horribly delicious shorts based around the theme of vengeance.

Still Alice A vibrant and accomplished college professor (Julianne Moore) disappears in front of her friends, family and herself as Alzheimer’s disease slowly destroys her mind.

Love is Strange New to Warwick Arts Centre?

STAN’S CAFE

A Translation of Shadows Wed 22 – Fri 24 Apr A world premiere from local heroes Stan’s Cafe. A Japanese film, a besotted narrator and trouble ahead.

CHRIS BRETT BAILEY

This is How We Die Tue 19 & Wed 20 May A prime slice of surrealist trash, an Americana death trip and a dizzying exorcism for a world convinced it is dying…

LIVE LIVE CINEMA

The Little Shop of Horrors Wed 10 – Sat 13 Jun

Family Day Sun 31 May Celebrate the start of summer with the whole family with a glorious day of theatre, games, food, sports, films, crafts and much more.

Dinosaur Zoo Fri 3 - Sun 5 Apr The perfect Easter treat.

See these awesome prehistoric creatures on the stage as you’ve never seen them before!

Aliens Love Underpants Fri 29 - Sun 31 May This zany and hilarious tale based on the bestselling children’s book is wonderfully brought to life on stage for the very first time.

MUSIC

COMEDY

Mexrrissey Mexico Goes Morrissey

Milton Jones

Thu 30 Apr A band made in Mexico City reinventing Morrissey’s songs south of the border.

Together they sound like a brass and accordion led combo from the smallest village with the biggest bleeding heart.

Stornoway Sat 9 May Stornoway will be performing songs from their new album which has been produced by Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters).

Django Django Fri 22 May 7.30pm Part of the Warwick Music Festival, celebrating 50 years of the University of Warwick.

and the Temple of Daft Fri 24 Apr 8pm Yes, him with the loud shirts and messed up hair from Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow and multiple series on BBC Radio 4. An evening in the company of an idiot.

Rich Hall 3:10 to Humour Sun 26 Apr 7.30pm The award-winning Montana native renowned for his expertly crafted tirades and quick fire banter with audiences and delightful musical sequences tours the British Isles once again.

Dylan Moran Wed 13 May 8pm Dylan Moran, star of Black Books, Shaun of the Dead and Calvary is back with his new stand up show.

Warwick Arts Centre

@warwickarts

Box Office 024 7652 4524 / warwickartscentre.co.uk

Still Alice

Dylan Moran

Simon Patterson, Cosmic Wallpaper, 2002, digital wallpaper

Dinosaur Zoo

Roger Corman’s cult 1960 film is screened whilst the live soundtrack is created by four performers working at break-neck speed.

This is How We Die

We’re the biggest arts centre in the Midlands, showcasing the best in theatre, films, dance, music, classical music, visual art and comedy.

See warwickartscentre. co.uk/your-visit for details on how to get here.

A recently married gay couple (John Lithgow, Alfred Molina) are forced to move into separate households after they lose their home, an arrangement which causes many unforeseen challenges.

THEATRE & DANCE FAMILY

Warwick Arts Centre, The University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL

52

Events

9th Annual