Southend Film Festival 2016

26th may - 30th may FRINGE FESTIVAL 15TH MAY - 4TH JUNE

www.southendfilmfestival.com info@southendfilmfestival.com 07981 824283

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS

Welcome to the 2016 Southend-on-Sea Film Festival

CONTENTS

I am delighted to welcome you to the eighth annual Southend-on-Sea Film Festival, the largest film festival in Essex.

5

Venues & Tickets

One of the key features of our festivals is that they showcase new British films, as a reminder that our indigenous film industry can produce some outstanding works. This year, two cases in point are our Gala night presentations, both World Premieres. For our Opening Gala I have been delighted to select London Heist, a powerful, fast-paced thriller starring Craig Fairbrass. This will be the centrepiece of this prestigious black tie event, at which you will have the chance to walk up the red carpet alongside our many guests. And our Closing Gala will showcase one of Southend’s favourite sons, actor Mike Edmonds, when we proudly present the affectionate and heart-warming documentary Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story.

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Festival Guests

8

Opening Gala

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Closing Gala

10 - 17

Film Listings

18 - 19

Schedule

20 - 27

Film Listings

34

Festival Team

New British features are sprinkled throughout the festival, together with the usual mix of World Cinema, classics, documentaries, children’s films and audience favourites. And you’ll find many of the features are supported by short films, all of which, I am delighted to say, are from the UK, emphasising just how much talent there is in our own industry.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the support that you, and our sponsors, provide, and I thank you all most sincerely.

POWERED BY THE SOUTHEND BID

I really do hope there is ‘something for everyone’, and the Festival Team and I look forward to welcoming you to the Southend-on-Sea Film Festival.

Paul Cotgrove : Festival Director

We are delighted to welcome you to the eighth Southend-on-Sea Film Festival.

Southend-on-Sea’s growing reputation for an outstanding cultural offer is further cemented by events such as its film festival. This spans an increasingly long period - months if you include the Horror-on-Sea event each January.

The festival brings new audiences to the town from far and wide, whilst offering a great package for local residents.

There will be something in this programme for you and your family, but why not do something different this year: try a new genre or look at one of the great Fringe events in one of our many cultural venues.

This festival is just one example of a fantastic year-round offer found in Southend-on-Sea. Stay up to date with events for your family and friends by using www.visitsouthend.co.uk Rob Tinlin : Chief Executive : Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

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RAY WINSTONE

Southend-on-Sea Film Festival Patron

Like us on Facebook: Southend.Film.Festival.Essex Follow us on Twitter: @sthendfilmfest COVER PHOTO:

Craig Fairbrass in London Heist 3

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VENUES & TICKETS

Park Inn Palace BALLROOm

ROYAL VIEW SUITE

Park Inn by Radisson Palace Hotel, Church Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 2AL www.parkinn.co.uk/hotel-southendonsea 01702 455100 OdeoN

Focal Point Gallery

London Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1TJ www.odeon.co.uk 08712 244007

The Forum, Elmer Square, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1NB www.focalpoint.org.uk 01702 534108

THE FORUM

TAP

Elmer Square, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1NE www.theforumsouthend.co.uk 01702 534111

Old Water Works, North Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 7AB www.t-a-p.org.uk

THE RAILWAY HOTEL

PALACE THEATRE

Clifftown Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1AJ 01702 343194

430 London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 9LA www.southendtheatres.org.uk 01702 351135

BEECROFT ART GALLERY

PIER VIEW SELF CATERING LUXURY APARTMENTS

Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6EX 01702 212511

5 Royal Terrace, Southend-on-Sea, www.pierviewluxuryapartments.co.uk 01702 437900

All Main Festival tickets are £5 (no concessions) unless specified otherwise.

Tickets for the Opening Gala at the Odeon and tickets in advance for the Closing Gala and other screenings at the Park Inn Palace Hotel can be obtained, up to Thursday 26th May, by telephone on 01702 618747 or in person from the Visitor Information Centre at Southend Pier (Western Esplanade, SS1 1EE). For details of on-line ticket sales please see www.southendfilmfestival.com. Tickets for the Opening Gala are not available from the Odeon.

From Friday 27th May, remaining tickets for screenings at the Park Inn Palace Hotel will be available at the Festival Desk at the venue. Tickets may be reserved by calling the Festival Information line on 07981 824283.

Ticket information for the Fringe Festival is shown under each film or event.

See map on rear cover for venue locations.

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JOIN US AT THE FORUM BIG SCREEN FOR AN OUTDOOR CINEMA

FESTIVAL GUESTS In addition to the many celebrities and guests who will be joining Festival Patron RAY WINSTONE for the Opening Gala we will also be welcoming the following very special guests to this year’s festival:

Alexander Abineri, director, Le Chef (p9) Mark Baxter, writer/producer, Tubby Hayes – A Man in a Hurry (p21) KEITH BONSOR, director/producer/DJ, Essex Disco Fever (p11) Molly Brown, director/animator, The Weird World of Molly Brown (p14 and p21) Tony Burke, director, Him (p16) Stuart Burrell, escapologist, All That for a Piece of Paper (p15) Simon Cluett, scriptwriter, Bonded by Blood 2 (p16) Niki Cornish, director, Revealing Silent Stories (p17) DICK DE VIGNE, nightclub owner/DJ, Essex Disco Fever (p11) DARYL EASLEA, music writer/DJ, Essex Disco Fever (p11) Ben Edmond, director, The Family Outing (p16) Charles Edmond, producer, The Family Outing (p16) MIKE EDMONDS, actor, Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story (p9) Robert Farrow, film researcher, The Lost Films of Peter Sellers (p20) David Fox, director, All That for a Piece of Paper (p15) SIMON FRITH, director, Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story (p9) Andrew Gilbert, director, Estate (p16) Julian Hundy, producer, Estate (p16) CHRIS IZOD, cinema historian, More Essex Connections (p20) TOM KING, journalist, Moby Dick (p17) Kate Lane, director, Fear of Water (p15) Adam J. Merrifield, producer, K-Shop (p16) 6

Nancy Paton, director, Post Partum (p14) and Daisy (p20)

MAMMA MIA! SING-A-LONG SUNDAY 22 MAY 2016

Bernd Porr, director, Anna Unbound (p13) Liam Saint-Pierre, director, The Reinvention of Normal (p20) IAN READING, DJ, Essex Disco Fever (p11) Kelly Robinson, director, Across the Sea (p9) ROGER ROBINSON, author, The Laurel & Hardy Laughter Show (p20) SIMON SHERIDAN, producer/director, Respectable: The Mary Millington Story (p13) and Come Play With Me (p14) SNOWBOY, percussionist/DJ, Tubby Hayes – A Man in a Hurry (p21) Martin Stitt, director, Love Me Do (p13) Mike Tack, director, Mr. Samhain (p15) Darren Thomas, director, The Dream Key: Eclipse (p21) Rebecca Tranter, producer, Fear of Water (p15) Adam Wilson, director, Holt (p16)

PROUD TO SUPPORT THE All guest appearances are subject to work commitments

POWERED BY THE SOUTHEND BID

Closing Gala:

Opening Gala:

LONDON HEIST Odeon Cinema / Thursday 26th May / 8pm (Doors open 7.30pm) £25 (inc. Black Tie pre-film reception, from 6.30pm, and after show party) We are thrilled to present the World Premiere of this riveting, fast-paced thriller. Jack Cregan, career criminal, family man and vicious armed robber, is on a mission for revenge. When his father, Alfie, is brutally murdered and their money from a Heathrow airport heist is stolen, Jack, his cousin Sammy and gang members Eddie and Frank, realise there is more to the stolen money and Alfie’s murder than meets the eye. And once Jack begins to dig, he knows that his life will never be the same again.

The shattering revelations that follow force Jack, with the clock ticking, to not only pull off one last, dangerous robbery, but also to exact brutal revenge on all those involved. Set against the backdrop of the gritty streets of London and Marbella’s hedonistic glamour on Spain’s seductive Costa del Sol, London Heist is a gripping revenge thriller along the lines of Point Blank meets Heat.

We are delighted that lead actor Craig Fairbrass will be joining us for this screening Also showiNG: MIDNIGHT OF MY LIFE Steve Marriott is one of the British music scene’s greatest vocalists. It’s July 1985, and while rock’n’roll’s great and good are strutting their stuff at Wembley, Steve is propping up the bar of a dingy pub in Putney, waiting to play to a small crowd of boozers. While he waits for the rest of his band, bitter and drunk, an encounter with a young revival Mod restores his faith. This heart-felt film is a poignant study of talent, ageing and what success means.

Director Phil Davis (who joined us in 2013 as the lead actor in Borrowed Time) will introduce this screening

The Victoria Southend, Genting Club Westcliff, Visit Southend, BTMK Solicitors and Park Inn by Radisson Palace Hotel Southend-on-Sea have kindly sponsored our Opening Gala.

UNDER THE RADAR: THE MIKE EDMONDS STORY Park Inn Palace Hotel / Monday 30th May / 8.30pm / £5 UK : 60mins : 2016 : Certificate ‘U’ We are delighted to present the World Premiere of this wonderful documentary about one of Southend’s favourite sons.

Since getting his first break in Ken Loach’s Black Jack (1979), Mike Edmonds has stolen scenes in some of cinema’s biggest films (Time Bandits, Return of the Jedi, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Harry Potter and more) and worked extensively in theatre, TV and radio. A true “actor’s actor” who’s also a huge hit with fans, he’s met the challenges imposed by achondroplasia (or dwarfism) with his immense talent and a true dedication to the craft.

This fascinating and warm-hearted documentary follows Mike from his early life in rural Essex (and dreams of joining the circus) to a life-changing decision to answer an advert for “midgets” in ‘The Stage’. The career that followed has been truly remarkable. Along with his fine acting skills, Mike’s athleticism, endurance and sheer good humour have made him a favourite of countless cast members, directors and crew. Told in Mike’s own words, and with a memorable selection

of clips, photos and stylised animation, Under The Radar includes contributions from an army of friends and collaborators including Terry Gilliam, Star Wars producer Robert Watts, actors Danny John Jules, Arti Shah and Jeremy “Boba Fett” Bulloch.

We are delighted that Mike Edmonds and director Simon Frith will join us to introduce the screening and take part in a Q&A afterwards.

Also showiNG: ACROSS THE SEA On a bus in London, a boy steals a phone from a young mother. After browsing its contents, he becomes curious, and begins to follow her. But what are his intentions and where will this obsession lead?

Director Kelly Robinson will introduce this screening AND: LE CHEF World Premiere. An Englishman pretending to be a qualified French chef…can prove to be disastrous!

Introduced by director Alexander Abineri

Grosvenor Casino Southend has kindly sponsored our Closing Gala. Following the screening, ticket holders are cordially invited to an after-show reception at Grosvenor Casino.

MAIN FESTIVAL | 27th May - 30th May

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For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

Lullaby of Broadway

Shall We Dance

Never Too Young to Rock

Essex Disco FEVER

Dick Barton at Bay

Murder Ahoy

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Friday 27th May : 1pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Friday 27th May : 3.30pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Friday 27th May : 6pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Friday 27th May : 8.30pm : £5

Royal View Suite Friday 27th May : 1pm : £5

Royal View Suite Friday 27th May : 3.30pm : £5

USA : 89mins : 1951 : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by David Butler

USA : 104mins : 1937 : BW : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by Mark Sandrich

UK : 96mins : 1975 : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by Dennis Abey

UK : 90mins : 2016 : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by Keith Bonsor

UK : 68mins : 1950 : BW : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by Godfrey Grayson

UK : 93mins : 1964 : BW : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by George Pollock

This wonderful Technicolor musical stars the effervescent Doris Day and the equally energetic Gene Nelson. The story concerns a stage musical star who comes to see her mother in New York, formerly a star but now reduced to performing in a sleazy nightclub, and the machinations of the star’s friends, who try and keep her mother’s demise a secret. The plot is more substantial than in many a Hollywood musical, but the main attraction, of course, is the songs (including ‘You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me’ and ‘Zing went the Strings of my Heart’) and the dancing. A thoroughly enjoyable film!

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers once again romp through familiar romantic entanglements and a string of toetapping dance routines. Petrov, a Russian ballet dancer, and musical comedy star Linda Keene are thrust into a marriage of convenience - and she wants the shotgun wedding to be followed by an even quicker divorce! For their seventh outing the matchless George and Ira Gershwin provided a superb score, including ‘They All Laughed’, ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off’, and the Oscar-nominated ‘They Can’t Take That Away from Me’. It’s so good you’ll believe Fred really is Russian!

This zany, madcap, long unavailable gem was made at the high point of glam rock in 1975. It offers a unique opportunity to experience the driving, feel-good sounds of the era’s top pop combos in their pomp.

Featuring a fabulous line-up, including Mud, The Rubettes and The Glitter Band, this provides aural nostalgia at its most intense. Don’t worry too much about the linking story, about a ‘talent detector’ van scouring the country, though it does star Peter Denyer and Freddie Jones, just enjoy this glittery little time capsule – and check out those fashions: did we ever really dress like that?!

We are delighted to present the World Premiere of this nostalgic look at those wonderful disco nights when crazy hairstyles and funky music were all the rage. Previously unseen footage, the only film known to survive, will take you back to the 70s, 80s and 90s, and to local venues such as Time, Tots, Zero 6, Rain, Sweeneys, Perfect Virtue, Adlib and Dukes. Also features exclusive interviews with DJs Dick de Vigne, Ian Reading, Jeff Saint and Ken Todd. And who knows, you may even see yourself!

Sponsored by PACE Property Professionals (paceplc.co.uk)

Sponsored by AGH Event Bars (facebook.com/aghevents)

Based on the hugely popular radio play, which ran from 1946 to 1951, Dick Barton: Special Agent was a great success, and produced two sequels, Dick Barton Strikes Back and this afternoon’s thrilling entry. All three starred our own, Westcliff-born, Don Stannard, as the ex-commando who, with sidekicks Jock and Snowy, and catchphrase “with one bound he was free!”, solved all manner of crimes. In this film our heroes have to find a kidnapped professor and deactivate a death ray before World War III is declared. Great fun – who can forget that memorable theme tune – and do look out for a pre-Avengers Patrick Macnee as a government agent.

After Miss Marple is made a trustee of a merchant marine training vessel, a fellow trustee is poisoned. Naturally, our favourite female sleuth starts an investigation – but after she arrives on board someone starts murdering the ship’s officers… The sublime Margaret Rutherford was born to play Agatha Christie’s famous amateur detective.

Aided and abetted by real-life husband Stringer Davis (here as “Jim Stringer”), and to the eternal exasperation of Charles Tingwell’s Inspector Craddock, she crosses verbal swords with the likes of William Mervyn, Nicholas Parsons, Miles Malleson, Derek Nimmo and Francis Matthews. Great fun!

Sponsored by Genting Club Westcliff (gentingcasinos.co.uk/club/westcliff)

The screening will be introduced by music writer and DJ Daryl Easlea, who will host a post-screening Q&A with director/producer/DJ Keith Bonsor, DJ Ian Reading and DJ/nightclub owner Dick de Vigne After the Q&A, ticket holders are cordially invited to a special ‘Essex Disco Fever Party’ at Grosvenor Casino

Sponsored by Mecca Southend (meccabingo.com/bingo-clubs/southend)

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For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

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La Strada

Force Majeure

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Anna Unbound

Love Me Do

Respectable: The Mary Millington Story

Royal View Suite Friday 27th May : 6pm : £5

Royal View Suite Friday 27th May : 8.30pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Saturday 28th May : 1pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Saturday 28th May : 3.30pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Saturday 28th May : 6pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Saturday 28th May : 8.30pm : £5

Italy : 108mins : 1954 : BW : Subtitles : Certificate ‘12’ Directed by Federico Fellini

Sweden/France/Norway/Denmark : 122mins : 2015 : Subtitles : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Ruben Ostlund

USA : 105mins : 1988 : Certificate ‘PG’ Directed by Robert Zemeckis

UK : 89mins : 2015 : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Bernd Porr

UK : 89mins : 2015 : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Martin Stitt

UK : 109mins : 2016 : Certificate ‘18’ Directed by Simon Sheridan

One of the most beloved films of all time, this unique and beautiful Oscar-winning Fellini classic tells the story of a young woman who is sold to a travelling strong man by her poor mother, desperate for money for food. At first attracted to Zampano, with her own dreams of becoming an artist, Gelsomina soon realises that he is nothing more than a drunkard and a brute. But getting away from him is not so easy. Anthony Quinn infuses Zampano with surprising dignity, being oblivious to the results of his actions. But it is Giulietta Masina, with her round clown’s face and wide, innocent eyes, who steals the film as the waiflike Gelsomina. A masterpiece.

A Swedish family travels to the French Alps to enjoy a few days of skiing.

Everything is perfect, but then an avalanche threatens to turn everything upside down. The mother calls for her husband as she tries to protect their children, but he is running for his life...

Although the disaster fails to occur, the family’s world has been shaken to its core. As their marriage hangs in the balance the father struggles desperately to reclaim his role as family patriarch.

This powerful and complex film, which has been shown to families suffering extreme trauma, leaves us wondering just how we would react in such a situation.

It’s 1947 Hollywood. Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins), a down on his luck detective, is hired to find proof that Marvin Acme, gag factory mogul and owner of Toontown, is playing hanky panky with femme fatale Jessica Rabbit, wife of Maroon Cartoon superstar, Roger Rabbit. When Acme is found murdered all fingers point to Roger, and the sinister, power-hungry Judge Doom sets out to bring him to justice. Featuring Southend’s Mike Edmonds, our Closing Gala guest, and the fabulous State cinema, Grays, this wonderfully delightful film is deliciously outrageous fun the whole family will enjoy.

Anna leaves Athens to live with her boyfriend in Glasgow, but her new life triggers traumatic memories. Then, as she descends into violent paranoia, Anna realises that one of her new co-workers holds the key to her past. This powerful psychological thriller, that taps into the current economic crisis in Greece before relocating to striking and dramatic locations in Scotland, was nominated as Best Drama Feature at Cinefest, where lead actress Vasso Georgiadou was nominated as Best Actress. As co-worker Ruth, actress Sharon Osdin deservedly won Best Supporting Actress at Film Fest International.

This twisted love story follows the relationship between a female investment banker and an out-of-work actor. As the couple tentatively start to bridge their differences and fall in love, a romantic bond develops. But in a shattering development this drives them to commit a terrible crime. As the leads, Rebecca Calder (Youth, TV’s Casualty) and Jack Gordon (The Carrier, A Royal Night Out, Fish Tank) excel, as the tension ramps up and their characters’ lives spiral out of control.

World Premiere. In the 1970s there was a pretty English girl-next-door who truly personified the word ‘glamour’. Her rise to the top was meteoric, controversial and scandalous. Mary Millington’s incredible fame brought her a lavish lifestyle and an affair with a serving Prime Minister. But her sexual bravado hid a darker side. Persecuted by the authorities and tortured by self-doubt, she died at the height of her fame in August 1979 at just 33. Mary’s unique life unfolds as a capricious tale of Seventies’ Britain, documenting a young woman’s bravery and determination to be a trail-blazing sexual liberator, but thwarted by a wider society still not mature enough to accept her.

Sponsored by The Victoria Southend (victoriasc.co.uk)

Introduced by director Bernd Porr

Introduced by director Martin Stitt + Dress Rehearsal

Introduced by producer/director Simon Sheridan Screening courtesy of Content Media Corp Ltd and Simply Media Ltd

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For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

Tangerines

Taxi Tehran

Come Play With Me

The Carrier

Labyrinth

Fear of Water

Royal View Suite Saturday 28th May : 1pm : £5

Royal View Suite Saturday 28th May : 3.30pm : £5

Royal View Suite Saturday 28th May : 6pm : £5

Royal View Suite Saturday 28th May : 8.30pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Sunday 29th May : 1pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Sunday 29th May : 3.30pm : £5

Estonia/Georgia : 83mins : 2013 : Subtitles : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Zaza Urushadze

Iran : 82mins : 2015 : Subtitles : Certificate ‘12’ Directed by Jafar Panahi

UK : 90mins : 1977 : Certificate ‘18’ Directed by George Harrison Marks

UK : 90mins : 2015 : Certificate ‘18’ Directed by Anthony Woodley

USA : 97mins : 1986 : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by Jim Henson

UK : 100mins : 2014 : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Kate Lane

When you are a filmmaker and you have been banned by your government for making films, and spent time under house arrest, what are you to do? Jafar Panahi came up with the obvious solution: become a taxi driver – or, rather, pretend to become a taxi driver, so you could drive around the busy streets of Tehran picking up passengers and recording their conversations. Along with his diverse subjects, who include teachers, students and pirate DVD sellers, Panahi discusses the social challenges that Iranian citizens face on a daily basis. The resultant work sheds a remarkable light on an otherwise largely closed society.

Shown as a precursor to the documentary Respectable (see page 13) this definitive 1970s sex comedy stars the effervescent Mary Millington. It follows the saucy exploits of a group of nubile girls who start up a health farm that unbeknownst to them becomes home to master money forgers. The girls are joined by many familiar actors, such as Irene Handl, Norman Vaughan, Alfie Bass, Bob Todd and Rita Webb, as well as the film’s director, glamour photographer George Harrison Marks, in this peculiarly British mix of sexploitation and music hall routines. The film was a smash upon its release and has become one of the UK’s most iconic and fondly remembered sex comedies.

England has been overrun by a pandemic with no apparent cure. As the infection spreads, safety - for a lucky few - looms in the form of a 747. It’s only once the plane is airborne that the survivors discover the infection made it onto the flight with them. As they begin to take sides it becomes clear they’re in as much danger from each other as they are from the infection. Shot through with an uncomfortably intimate tension, The Carrier mixes classic elements of the best apocalyptic movies with its own unique flourishes to create a film that feels both reminiscent of the masters of the genre and fresh enough to be considered a classic in its own right.

Relive the magic! David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly invite you into a magical universe where nothing is what it seems. Babysitting infant stepbrother Toby on a weekend night isn’t young Sarah’s (Connelly) idea of fun. Frustrated by his crying, she secretly imagines the Goblins from her favorite book, Labyrinth, carrying him away. When her fantasy comes true, a distraught Sarah must enter a maze of illusion to bring him back from a kingdom inhabited by mystical creatures and governed by the wicked Goblin King (a wonderful Bowie, who performs five of his songs). This is magical fun for all the family.

Fear of Water is the story of two teenage girls from different backgrounds. Following a tragic event, their paths collide, and they discover a deep friendship and sexual awakening that changes them forever. Starring Lily Loveless (Skins) and newly discovered talent Chloe Partridge, the film features a high profile supporting cast that includes Marcia Warren (Leap Year, Lady Killers), Sara Stewart (Sugar Rush, Philomena) and Alex Macqueen (The Inbetweeners). The story was inspired by events from the life of director Kate Lane: “I wanted to tell a story that was personal to me and could have an impact on young girls who may have gone through a similar experience.”

+ The Weird World of Molly Brown (Part 1) Introduced by director/animator Molly Brown

Introduced by Simon Sheridan, producer/ director of Respectable: The Mary Millington Story

Oscar and Golden Globe nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, this is a powerful and eloquent statement on the futility of bloodshed over racial and ethnic divisions. Set in 1992, during the growing conflict between Georgia and Abkhazian separatists, this compassionate story focuses on two Estonian immigrant farmers who refuse to flee Georgia, staying on to harvest their tangerine crop. When the fighting arrives at their doorsteps, they treat two wounded soldiers from opposite sides.

During their extended period of convalescence, the enemies are forced to confront the reasons that fuel their hatred for each other, and also the conflict that rages around them.

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+ Post Partum: Introduced by director Nancy Paton

+ Mr. Samhain: Introduced by director Mike Tack Sponsored by Brera (brera-london.com)

+ All That for a Piece of Paper: Introduced by director David Fox and escapologist Stuart Burrell Sponsored by Park Inn by Radisson Palace, Southend-on-Sea (parkinn.co.uk/hotel-southendonsea)

Introduced by director Kate Lane and producer Rebecca Tranter Sponsored by The Cultural Engine (twitter.com/theculturaleng)

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For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

K-Shop

Bonded by Blood 2

The Family Outing

Moby Dick

Wild Tales

The Road From Elephant Pass

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Sunday 29th May : 6pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Sunday 29th May : 8.30pm : £5

Royal View Suite Sunday 29th May : 1pm : £5

Royal View Suite Sunday 29th May : 3.30pm : £5

Royal View Suite Sunday 29th May : 6pm : £5

Royal View Suite Sunday 29th May : 8.30pm : £5

UK : 115mins : 2015 : Certificate ‘18’ Directed by Dan Pringle

UK : 87mins : 2016 : Certificate ‘18’ Directed by Greg Hall

UK : 79mins : 2015 : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Ben Edmond

USA : 111mins : 1956 : Certificate ‘PG’ Directed by John Huston

K-Shop is a gritty urban Sweeney Todd inspired horror set in a kebab shop plagued by binge drinking. After his father is killed in an altercation with drunken thugs, Salah’s fate is sealed in a fight with an angry customer. With a dead man on his hands the novice chef turns vigilante, disposing of the body in the one place he knows best...his kebabs. Then, when customers clamour for the tasty ‘new’ kebabs, he seizes the opportunity to seek revenge on abusive, drunken binge drinkers. This is a terrific dark thriller, and there’s no doubt about it: Friday night postpub trips to the kebab shop will never be the same again!

We are pleased to present the World Premiere of this powerful gangland thriller, based on the book by one time ‘Essex Boys’ gang member Bernard O. Mahoney. Set in the aftermath of the infamous 1995 Rettendon Range Rover murders, this sequel chronicles the real life group of younger, flashier criminals who emerged to fill the power vacuum: Ricky Percival, kingpin of his own thriving drugs empire, Damon Alvin, an arrogant loudmouth with a short fuse and Dean Boshell, a small time thief. Their ambitions were fueled by ego, greed and a lust for power that threatened to not only tear their friendship apart but end in tragedy and the ultimate injustice.

It’s the morning after a big family wedding, and everyone seems to be unloading their problems at Kelly’s door. Except for Jamie. He wants his problems safely locked away, but his wife has other ideas, as she decides now is a good time to drag his secret out into the open! From the makers of My Horrible Love, that took the festival by storm last year, comes this dark comedy about another dysfunctional family.

Chigwell and North Weald will never seem quite the same again!

A rare big screen outing for this epic adaptation of Herman Melville’s famous novel. 1840: Captain Ahab (Gregory Peck), skipper of whaling vessel the ‘Pequod’, sets sail from New Bedford, determined to avenge himself on Moby Dick, the whale that took off his leg and left him horribly scarred. Ahab works his crew into a frenzy, as they cross the oceans in search of their quarry, but his obsession takes a tragic turn when Moby Dick is finally sighted. In a rather wonderful Essex connection, the inflatable whale was constructed by Southend-based Airborne Industries!

Argentina/Spain : 122mins : 2015 : Subtitles : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Damian Szifron

Sri Lanka : 120mins : 2008 : Subtitles : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by Chandran Rutnam

Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Pedro Almodovar presented this raucous, wickedly dark and outrageous compendium of six stories exploring the extremities of behaviour involving people in distress. The focus is on revenge, with six characters who take it to the absolute extreme. The film plays a bit like the ‘adult’ Roald Dahl books: the stories are alternatively twisted and hilarious: you won’t know whether watch through your fingertips or laugh out loud! For starters, just imagine the worst ever wedding party, the worst ever road rage incident - or what happens when a demolition engineer gets his car towed! Absolutely terrific – these are truly ‘Wild Tales’!

This blockbuster action film, set during the Sri Lankan Civil War, was based on the novel by Nihal De Silva, which follows a Sri Lankan Army captain and a ‘defecting’ woman on their journey from Elephant Pass to Colombo. As the characters combat hunger and thirst, feisty wild animals, the police and military, and a sex and revengehungry band of army deserters, the distrust and animosity one expects between a Sinhala army soldier and a Tamil Tiger transforms into a loving relationship. A beautifully produced story, this powerful film takes a critical look at male-female relationships and the Tamil-Sinhala conflict.

Introduced by producer Adam J. Merrifield 16

+ Him: Introduced by director Tony Burke

Introduced by scriptwriter Simon Cluett + Estate: Introduced by director Andrew Gilbert and producer Julian Hundy

Introduced by producer Charles Edmond and director Ben Edmond + Holt: Introduced by director Adam Wilson Sponsored by Essex Limos (essexlimos.com)

Journalist Tom King will introduce the film and talk about actor Orson Welles, who portrayed Father Mapple

+ Revealing Silent Stories: Introduced by director Niki Cornish

17

For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE Saturday 28th May

www.southendfilmfestival.com Sunday 15th May

18

MARY POPPINS

14.00

Palace Theatre

p.22

Sunday 29th May

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

13.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.12

Tangerines

13.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.14

Anna Unbound

15.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.13

Taxi Tehran

15.30

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.14

Love Me Do

18.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.13

Come Play With Me

18.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.14

Respectable: The Mary Millington Story

20.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.13

The Carrier

20.30

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.15

Labyrinth

13.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.15

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

19.30

Palace Theatre

p.22

The Family Outing

13.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.16

Wednesday 18th May

gerry anderson - on film!

19.00

TAP

p.22

Fear of Water

15.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.15

Thursday 19th May

‘THE BIG SHORTS’: SOUTHEND STUDENT SHORTS

18.30

Odeon

p.23

Moby Dick

15.30

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.17

Saturday 21st May

Southend Short Film Festival Selection

12.00

Beecroft Art Gallery

p.23

K-Shop

18.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.16

BATA-VILLE: WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF THE FUTURE

14.00

Focal Point Gallery

p.23

Wild Tales

18.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.17

ARTIST FILM RETROSPECTIVE

16.00

Big Screen Southend

p.24

HORROR AT THE RAILWAY HOTEL!

20.00

Railway Hotel

p.25

Sunday 22nd May

SING-A-LONG MAMMA MIA!

15.00

The Forum

p.24

Bonded by Blood 2

20.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.16

Tuesday 24th May

TÖLURNAR (THE NUMBERS)

Beecroft Art Gallery

p.24

The Road From Elephant Pass

20.30

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.17

THE LADYKILLERS

18:30

Pier View Apartments

p.25

The Laurel & Hardy Laughter Show: Auto Antics

13.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.20

Wednesday 25th May

A NIGHT AT THE CINEMA

19.00

TAP

p.25

Tubby Hayes - A Man in a Hurry

13.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.21

Thursday 26th May

OPENING GALA: LONDON HEIST

20.00

Odeon

p.8

More Essex Connections

15.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.20

Friday 27th May

Lullaby of Broadway

13.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.10

Le Havre

15.30

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.21

Dick Barton at Bay

13.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.11

THE LOST FILMS OF PETER SELLERS

18.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.20

Shall We Dance

15.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.10

Les Combattants

18.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.21

Murder Ahoy

15.30

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.11

CLOSING gala: UNDER THE RADAR: THE MIKE EDMONDS STORY

20.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.9

Never Too Young to Rock

18.00

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.10

Wednesday 1st June

WHITE BUS ARCHIVE FILM NIGHT

19.00

TAP

p.26

La Strada

18.00

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.12

Friday 3rd June

CULT NIGHT ‘DOUBLE BILL’

19.00

TAP

p.26

Essex Disco FEVER

20.30

Park Inn Palace Ballroom

p.11

Saturday 4th June

Screenwriting Masterclass

10.00

TAP

p.26

Force Majeure

20.30

Park Inn Royal View Suite

p.12

BEYOND BIBA: A PORTRAIT OF BARBARA HULANICKI

12.00

Beecroft Art Gallery

p.27

All films and venues are subject to possible late change without notice

Monday 30th May

All films and venues are subject to possible late change without notice

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For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

The Laurel & Hardy Laughter Show: Auto Antics

More Essex Connections

THE LOST FILMS OF PETER SELLERS

Tubby Hayes - A Man in a Hurry

Le Havre

Les Combattants

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Monday 30th May : 1pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Monday 30th May : 3.30pm : £5

Park Inn Palace Hotel Ballroom Monday 30th May : 6pm : £5

Royal View Suite Monday 30th May : 1pm : £5

Royal View Suite Monday 30th May : 3.30pm : £5

Royal View Suite Monday 30th May : 6pm : £5

This year we are taking our lives in our hands and having a look at how our favourite comedians got into trouble with their cars! Three of their very best sound shorts – Perfect Day, Going Bye-Bye and County Hospital – will be supported by You Ought to be in Pictures (a Looney Tunes cartoon featuring Laurel & Hardy), fun adverts for Anco wiper blades (featuring L&H look-a-likes) and a L&H ‘Cars’ compilation. So jump into your Model ‘T’ Ford, crank up the engine, and we’ll see you for another terrific, laughter-filled show!

We are delighted to welcome back local cinema historian Chris Izod. This year, he will be taking a look at personalities with Essex connections. To name but a few, these will include actors as diverse as Jeremy Lloyd, Rik Mayall, Phil Davis, Don Stannard (the hero in Friday’s Dick Barton at Bay) and Jamie Winstone (daughter of Festival Patron Ray), entertainers such as Sandie Shaw, Billy Bragg and Paul Simon (who wrote ‘The Sound of Silence’ in a Brentwood pub!) and eccentric innovator and aviator Noel Pemberton Billing, who invented the Bakelite LP record – and set out to construct an airfield at Fambridge!

This fascinating, fully illustrated talk will also include a Look at Life episode.

By popular demand, we present a further screening of the films that took the 2014 festival by storm! These three comedy shorts, starring the legendary Peter Sellers, were made in his formative years in the late 1950s.

Two of them, Dearth of a Salesman and Insomnia is Good for You, were thought to have been lost, while the third, Cold Comfort, had not been seen for many years. Remarkably, all three were famously rescued from a skip

by Robert Farrow, who then contacted festival director Paul Cotgrove. The rest, as they say, is history, with two sell-out screenings attesting to the massive interest in, and enduring popularity of, this most gifted of actor/comedians. So do join us for a further screening of these wonderful films.

UK : 55mins : 2015 : Certificate ’U’ Directed by Lee Cogswell

France : 93mins : 2011 : Subtitles : Certificate ’PG’ Directed by Aki Kaurismaki

France : 97mins : 2014 : Subtitles : Certificate ’15’ Directed by Thomas Cailley

Sponsored by BTMK Solicitors (btmk.co.uk)

Introduced by Robert Farrow

In this warm-hearted portrait of the French harbour city that gives the film its name, fate throws young African refugee Idrissa (Blondin Miguel) into the path of Marcel Marx (André Wilms), a well-spoken bohemian who works as a shoe shiner. With innate optimism and the unwavering support of his community, Marcel stands up to officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation. A political fairy tale that exists somewhere between the reality of contemporary France and the classic cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville and Marcel Carné, Le Havre is a charming, deadpan delight, a lovely, feel-good film with a big heart.

Between his friends and the family business, Arnaud’s summer looks set to be a peaceful one in his dead-end seaside town. Peaceful, that is, until he runs into a fight with Madeleine: a hot-tempered survival fanatic who throws him to the ground while, in a more romantic sense, sweeping him off his feet. The stage is thus set for aimless, easy-going Arnaud to collide with feisty, waiting-for-Armageddon Madeleine! A vibrant and acerbically funny subversion of romantic comedy norms, French filmmaker Thomas Cailley’s debut feature is a smart and unorthodox take on young love that took the top prize at ‘Directors’ Fortnight’ during the Cannes Film Festival in 2014.

Thanks to Roger Robinson, of Southend’s ‘Saps at Sea’ L&H group, for devising and presenting this show Sponsored by Visit Southend (visitsouthend.co.uk) 20

This fascinating documentary, charting the life and times of perhaps Britain’s greatest jazz exponent, includes exclusive interviews with people who worked and gigged with Tubby, as well as his many and varied fans.

A professional jazz musician at just fifteen, by his untimely death at thirty-eight, Edward Brian ‘Tubby’ Hayes had left behind a body of work which has proven to be an inspiration to many like-minded musicians today. For ten years from the mid-1950s, Tubby became a household name. However, years of overwork, drug abuse and ill health culminated in his untimely death in June 1973.

+ Daisy: Introduced by director Nancy Paton

Introduced by Afro-Cuban percussionist, bandleader and DJ Snowboy and writer/ producer Mark Baxter

Sponsored by Pier View Self Catering Luxury Apartments (pierviewluxuryapartments.co.uk)

+ The Reinvention of Normal: Introduced by director Liam Saint-Pierre

+ The Weird World of Molly Brown (Part 2): Introduced by director/animator Molly Brown

+ The Dream Key: Eclipse: Introduced by director Darren Thomas

21

For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

FRINGE FESTIVAL | 15th May - 4th June

22

MARY POPPINS

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

GERRY ANDERSON – ON FILM!

‘THE BIG SHORTS’: SOUTHEND STUDENT SHORTS

Southend Short Film Festival Selection

BATA-VILLE: WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF THE FUTURE

Palace Theatre Sunday 15th May : 2pm

Palace Theatre Sunday 15th May : 7.30pm (Bar opens 6pm)

TAP Wednesday 18th May : 7pm (Doors 6.30pm)

Odeon (Screen 3) Thursday 19th May : 6.30pm - 8pm : Free

Beecroft Art Gallery Lecture Theatre Saturday 21st May : 12pm

Focal Point Gallery : Gallery 2 Saturday 21st May : 2pm : Free

USA: 133mins : 1964 :: Certificate ‘U’

USA: 89mins : 1925 : Silent : Certificate ‘PG’

Buffet on the Mezzanine from 6pm

Free admission. No advance booking.

Admission £8. Tickets available from the Palace Theatre.

The Palace Theatre Cinema presents this dementia friendly screening which, although not exclusively for people with the condition, will be particularly suitable for those affected, their partners, family members and people who care for them professionally.

Everyone is welcome, but please be aware that there might be people talking during the film, moving around and leaving the cinema.

When Jane and Michael are faced with the prospect of a new nanny, they are pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the magical Mary Poppins. Sheer joy! Tea and cake will be available from 12pm, and a pianist will play in the foyer prior to the screening, so do arrive early.

Beneath the sewers of the Paris Opera House, a masked figure lurks. He is Enrique the Phantom, a hideously disfigured composer whose dream is to turn chorus ingénue Christine into a diva.

Lon Chaney, in a career-defining role, superbly portrayed the love-sick Phantom, while the wraith-like Mary Philbin is delightful as Christine.

You are warmly invited to ‘The Big Shorts’– a South Essex College, BA (Hons) Television Production & Screen Media third year student evening showcase of home-grown talent in the short film medium.

An opportunity to see a selection of films that participated in the inaugural Southend Short Film Festival organised by filmmaker Sam Hadden.

UK : 93mins : 2005 : Certificate ‘PG’ Directed by Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie

Admission £4. Tickets available from the Palace Theatre.

Admission £5. Limited seating. Early booking recommended. To reserve tickets, call 07981 824283.

This very special screening will be accompanied live on the Allen Digital Theatre Organ by renowned international silent film organist Donald MacKenzie, from London’s Odeon Leicester Square.

We are delighted to welcome back Gerry Anderson ‘super fan’ Mark Joseph, who will introduce more rare big screen showings – on 16mm film, not digital media – of episodes from ‘Stingray’ (Tom Thumb Tempest/1965), ‘Captain Scarlet’ (Winged Assassin/1967) and ‘Space 1999’ (Dragon’s Domain/1975).

The evening will start and finish with a very special version of the ‘Thunderbirds’ episode Move - And You’re Dead (1966), adapted for screening in two parts, with linking narration by Scott Tracy (Shane Rimmer). We look forward to welcoming fans of Gerry and Sylvia to this very special screening.

You will be impressed by the originality, quality and creativity of a diverse selection of short films from our talented film makers, including: Drama / Psychological Thriller / Horror / Documentary / Docu-Drama / Music Video / and Neo-Noir.

Southend Short Film Festival was created to showcase, as well as celebrate, the work of students and young adults in the film industry, encompassing a wide variety of genres and styles of filmic displays.

Bata-ville is a bittersweet record of an English coach trip to the origins of the Bata shoe empire: the Moravian town of Zlin. Against the backdrop of economic regeneration in their communities, former employees of two now closed UK Bata factories are led by artist/directors Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie on a unique journey through Bata’s legacy, and across a changing Europe. What begins as a free holiday soon becomes an opportunity for a collective imagining of what Tomas Bata’s inspirational maxim, “We are not afraid of the future” can mean in 21st century Britain. Presented as part of the public programme for ‘The Peculiar People’ at Focal Point Gallery.

23

For programme updates go to www.southendfilmfestival.com

24

ARTIST FILM RETROSPECTIVE

SING-A-LONG MAMMA MIA!

TÖLURNAR (THE NUMBERS)

THE LADYKILLERS

A NIGHT AT THE CINEMA

HORROR AT THE RAILWAY HOTEL!

Big Screen Southend Saturday 21st May : 4pm : Free

The Forum Sunday 22nd May : 3pm

Beecroft Art Gallery Tuesday 24th May : Free

Pier View Self Catering Luxury Apartments

TAP Wednesday 25th May : 7pm (Doors 6.30pm)

Railway Hotel Sunday 29th May : 8pm : £3.00 : Over 18s

Big Screen Southend, located outside Focal Point Gallery, presents a retrospective of artist films commissioned by the Gallery since its launch at The Forum in 2013. The Gallery has worked with a series of artists to develop and produce artist films that specifically relate and enquire upon the context of Southend-on-Sea. The result is the beginnings of a film archive that will expand as new work is commissioned each quarter. This screening will include artist films by Hannah Black, Dave Charlesworth, Phil Coy, Benedict Drew, Annika Ström, Renee Vaughan Sutherland, Jennifer West and Richard Whitby.

UK-USA : 104mins : 2008 : Certificate ‘PG’ Directed by Phyllida Lloyd

This 8 minute video will be playing throughout the day on the Screening Wall

UK : 87m : 1955 : Certificate ‘U’ Directed by Alexander MacKendrick

Free admission. Bring your own seats!

Samantha Heriz is a visual artist from the UK, now based in Victoria, Australia.

Her main body of work deals with duration, time and timelessness, often through subtle absurdity. Tölurnar (The Numbers), made in 2015, positions random decimal numbers against an atmospheric Icelandic backdrop.

The viewer is positioned as problem solver, questioning the relationship or non-relationship between the numbers and the image. Without the numbers one is positioned as observer of a beautiful scene, with the numbers one is immersed in problem solving, potentially overlooking the scene. This is the metaphor intended by the video.

Admission £6. Limited to 12 tickets.

Tickets available from 07960 412731.

Big Screen Southend is a partnership project between University of Essex, South Essex College, Southend Borough Council and Focal Point Gallery.

You are cordially invited to join Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgaad in the ‘great outdoors’ for a fun screening of Sing-a-long Mamma Mia! Bring your own seats and settle down (or just dance like crazy at all those ABBA hits!) at this free open air screening of everybody’s favourite feel-good blockbuster musical. We’re on the beautiful Greek isles. After reading her mother’s diary, soon-to-be-wed Sophie invites three of her mother’s old flames to the wedding, to find out which is her father. Once they arrive, the now middle-aged hunks soon rekindle long dormant emotions… So do join us, from 2.30pm for a 3pm start, for a fantastic treat for all the family!

Sponsored by Visit Southend (visitsouthend.co.uk)

Tuesday 24th May : 6.30pm (doors 6pm)

Treat yourself to the luxurious experience of viewing this much loved Ealing comedy in the elegant surroundings of this sumptuous Grade II listed Georgian building. Living alone in King’s Cross, Mrs. Wilberforce has been led to believe that the men renting a room from her are classical musicians. But they have a more sinister motive - and, when this dear old lady discovers their secret, she must be silenced… Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom and Peter Sellers lead an all-star cast in this most delightful of Ealing comedies.

The admission price includes light refreshments.

Admission £5. Limited seating. Early booking recommended.To reserve tickets, call 07981 824283.

Back by popular demand, with an allnew show, local cinema historian Roy Dilley will introduce a further selection of short films covering many aspects of the wonderful world of ‘the movies’, including producing films in Hollywood, British post-war film production, Denham Studios, Odeon and Gaumont cinemas, Pathe news (featuring Southend), Cinerama, the digital revolution in cinemas and some classic trailers. There will also be a fun, on-screen Film Quiz (with pauses while you work out the answers) so you can impress the rest of the audience with your vast knowledge about films! So do join us for another fun, and informative, evening.

We are delighted that Dave and Fi, our good friends at the Railway Hotel, will once again be hosting a show for movie-hungry fans of the weird and the wonderful! This year, the focus will be on 1970s psychological horror, with screenings of Dario Argento’s Deep Red, in which David Hemmings teams up with feisty reporter Daria Nicolodi to investigate a series of gruesome murders, Audrey Rose, in which a stranger tries to convince a couple that their daughter is his child reincarnated, and Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, in which a couple, holidaying in Venice following the tragic drowning of their daughter, encounter a psychic – and, it seems, their daughter, stalking the streets in a bright red cloak…

So do join Dave and Fi for these genre classics – and a great evening out!

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cinema

WHITE BUS ARCHIVE FILM NIGHT: LICENCE TO KILL

CULT NIGHT ‘DOUBLE BILL’: THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE + NIGHT OF THE CREEPS

SCREENWRITING MASTERCLASS: ONE DAY WORKSHOP WITH PAT HIGGINS

BEYOND BIBA: A PORTRAIT OF BARBARA HULANICKI

TAP Wednesday 1st June : 7pm (Doors 6.30pm)

TAP Friday 3rd June : 7pm (Doors 6.30pm)

TAP Saturday 4th June : 10am to 6pm

Beecroft Art Gallery Lecture Theatre Saturday 4th June : 12pm

Admission £60. Tickets available from www.eventbrite.co.uk.

UK : 56mins : 2009 : Cetificate ‘U’ Directed by Louis Price

Ever wanted to write a film or a TV show?

In this special one-day event, acclaimed director, screenwriter and lecturer Pat Higgins (the ‘Essex Auteur’ according to Empire magazine!) will take you through the tricks and techniques of successful screenwriting. From creating characters to idea generation, from how to get those first words onto the paper through to constructing an emotionally satisfying ending, this is a one-day crash course unlike any other; jam-packed with inside information and ways to make sure your screenplay doesn’t fall at the final hurdle. Be sure to bring a notepad (computer or paper) and a sense of humour, and prepare to turbo-boost your writing career like never before!

Free admission. No advance booking.

UK : 133mins : 1989 : Certificate ‘15’ Directed by John Glen Every Wednesday, at our White Bus Cinema at TAP, we screen material from our extensive archives. This is shown on ‘real film’: 8mm, 16mm and 35mm. We begin with shorts and documentaries then, after a break, during which refreshments are available to purchase, we screen a full length feature film. This is a fun, volunteer led evening, for which we only ask a donation of £1 to help with our running costs. (No advance booking.)

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To complement the film festival’s focus on British film, this evening the feature will be a 16mm CinemaScope print of Licence to Kill. In one of the darker entries in this phenomenal series, Timothy Dalton takes his turn at playing that most quintessential of British secret agents, James Bond.

Admission £5. Limited seating. Tickets available during the festival from the Festival Desk or, to reserve tickets, call 07981 824283.

We just couldn’t leave our monthly ‘Cult Night’ screenings out of the festival, so do join our merry band of seekers of cinematic ‘shock and awe’ with two more fan favourites. In The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961), the definitive British science fiction thriller, atomic tests knock the planet off its axis, causing it to heat up and society to break down. And from Fred Dekker (Monster Squad) comes Night of the Creeps (1986) a hugely entertaining 50s ‘B’ movie pastiche in which two college losers attempt to get into a fraternity - and compete to win the girl - by accepting a challenge to break into a lab and steal a corpse. Unfortunately, they unwittingly unleash alien parasites – and a zombie plague ensues!

Documentary about Polish fashion designer Barbara Hulanicki, who founded iconic clothes store Biba in London in the 1960s. Born in Warsaw, she studied in England at the Brighton School of Art and opened Biba in 1964, changing the face of UK fashion.

The store, known for its plush decor, became a social haunt for film stars and musicians while its affordable fashions appealed to the young public. Since Biba closed in 1976, many have attempted to reproduce the magic, but all have missed the key ingredient: Barbara Hulanicki.

TAP, North Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 7AB

We offer a full service at the White Bus Cinema, a 40-seat (and 10 bean bag!) fully flexible screening room.

So why not treat yourself and your friends to a film show on our big screen? Ideal for birthday parties, anniversaries and any social occasions.

Also available for corporate events such as presentations, award ceremonies, team building events and social gatherings.

To discuss hiring the White Bus Cinema please contact Paul Cotgrove at paul@thewhitebus.org.uk or on 07913 554385 Further details at www.thewhitebus.org.uk/whitebuscinema

VICTORIA SHOPPING CENTRE IS PROUD TO SPONSOR THE 2O16 SOUTHEND FILM FESTIVAL The Victoria is home to some of the best stores you will find in Southend. You can shop at some of the biggest high street names or explore the unique independent stores as well as dining at a great range of cafĂŠs and food outlets.

The centre has over 600 car parking spaces and is located a stones throw from Southend Victoria station.

WESTCLIFF

THE PLACE TO BE IN ESSEX One of the proud sponsors of Southend-on-Sea Film Festival

• Stunning Fahrenheit Bar and Grill overlooking the Thames Estuary • Regular live entertainment • State of the art electronic and table games • Dedicated Card Room

theplacetobeinessex.com CASINO

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LATE BAR

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RESTAURANT

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AlternatIVE city of culture

designing compelling brand experiences for our clients, both big and small.

wolfandplayer.com

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ENTERTAINMENT

Supporting

S uthend

are a creative team,

Genting Club Westcliff The Western Esplanade, Westcliff on Sea SS0 7QY 01702 352 919

Something we can help you with?

Get in touch: hello @wolfandplayer.com

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

FESTIVAL TEAM

Festival Director : Paul Cotgrove

South Essex College : Festival Technical Support :

Front of House Manager : David Simpson

Guy Douglas, Brian Warrens, Jon Eastoe and Benjy Adams

Financial Director : Stephen Podgorney Funding Manager : Giles Tofield

Special Thanks :

Programming : Paul Cotgrove

Rebekah Louisa Smith - The Film Festival Doctor

Public Relations : Tracy Jones

David Holloway

Brochure Editor & Programme Notes : David Simpson

Neil Harding

Website Design & Development : Richard Laverick Brochure Design & Development : Lucy Player Social Media Manager : Tom Brown Festival Animation Ident : Aaron Foster Photography : Niki Cornish

EVENT

BARS

ProďŹ t share bars for all occasions...

Festival Press Video : Tom Brown & Richmond Nyarko Projection Team : Richard Laverick & Heather Martin Festival Assistants : Tina Cotgrove, Heather Lucy, Lynn Curme, Jane Brown, Roger Robinson, Yasmin Paterson, Paul Lupton, Sherlye Davis, Wilma MacLeod, Jan Brown, Robert Farrow, Charlie Navarro & Vanda Moyse

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Wondering how to get around Southend during the Festival?

GETTING HERE TRAIN : London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria. Download journery planners at www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk

Prittlewell Station

to via ay th pa Sea eenw r cle Cy gh-on ok G o i Le tlebr t t Pri tree st S Ea

London Fenchurch Street to Westcliff (for Palace Theatre) and Southend Central. Download journey planners at www.c2c-online.co.uk We

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Cambridge Road

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Travel Centre Bus Interchange

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Cycle Park Cycle Path

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INFORMATION : 07981 824283 | info@southendfilmfestival.com www.southendfilmfestival.com

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CAR : Follow main routes to Southend town centre via A127 or A13. Approximately 45 minutes from London. Many pay and display car parks are located throughout the town.

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BUS : Buses run every few minutes on all main routes around Southend. Download timetables at www.firstgroup.com and www.arrivabus.co.uk

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Church Road

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