“Joyously inventive” The Guardian
“An incredible mix of film and music for all ages.” The Times
“With its punkish DIY sensibility, the festival is by any standard one of the UK’s most
ambitious and creatively programmed” – Sight and Sound
“Britain’s most exciting and innovative film festival” – Lonely Planet
Born in a Digbeth pub as a short film night, Flatpack Film Festival has since grown in many interesting and wonderful directions. A one-of-a-kind film jamboree, Flatpack celebrates its tenth birthday this spring with a jam-packed week of screenings, performances, installations and happenings. Kicking off slightly later than usual (19-24 April), and keeping a tighter focus on central Birmingham this year, you can expect the usual boundary-defying cinematic fun and games. Venues will range from the UK’s oldest cinema to a large multi-coloured inflatable, with Birmingham Museum’s grandiose Gas Hall serving as the festival hub. The full programme will be announced in March, but in the meantime here’s a taster of what will be on offer:
Optical Sound
A weekend of live soundtracks and A-V performance, with new scores to classic films exploring the fantastic; Murnau’s Faust (1926) and Dreyer’s Vampyr (1932), and a live set by mechanical magician Pierre Bastien. Music documentaries include NG83, an elegy for Nottingham’s break-dancing scene.
Action Space
Exploring the legacy of the pioneering 1970s performance art group. Includes a recreation of one of their legendary inflatables, and the first chance to see a new film about the group by Huw Wahl.
Blind Cinema
Unique piece devised by Belgian artist Britt Hatzius. As you enter the cinema you are blindfolded by a group of schoolchildren, who then provide a whispered description of the action onscreen via ear-trumpets.
Unpacked
A series of events and workshops mining a rich seam of creativity which turns cinema on its head, Featuring Berlin AV collective Transforma, Italian experimentalists Flatform and an installation by Gebhard Sengmüller.
Celluloid City
We delve into Birmingham’s movie-going heritage, including a recently unearthed company scrapbook from the century-old Electric Cinema. Plus an exhibition of Richard Nicholson’s beautiful photographs, taken in projection boxes around the UK.
Karel Zeman
The UK premiere of Karel Zeman: Adventurer In Film, a new documentary about the visionary Czech director (The Outrageous Baron Munchausen, The Voyage of Sinbad), with Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton among those paying tribute, and a chance to see his newly-restored 1958 masterpiece, Invention for Destruction.
Short Film Competition
A brilliant place to take the temperature of international film, Flatpack are very pleased to announce the addition of a 6th award to this year’s festival. Flatpack are teaming up with Channel 4’s short form arts strand, Random Acts. Known for choosing bold, creative films, the good folk at Random Acts will choose their favourite short film under 5 minutes from this year’s short film competition programme to join their coveted catalogue. The winning director will receive £4000, as well as the chance of the film being aired on Channel 4.
Other attractions include walking tours, parties, a typically eclectic screening programme of previews and rediscoveries, and popular family strand Colour Box.
Eye-popping 3-D Design revamp
You may have noticed the jazzy new colours adorning Flatpack’s logo. This dashing new look is part of the festival’s new and improved identity; a memorable makeover to commemorate the Flatpack’s grand entrance into double figures. A timelapse photoshoot for the three dimensional logo, made from pieces of coloured wood, can be viewed at http://flatpackfestival.org.uk/2016/01/design-revamp/
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