Frozen River #Mid-August Lunch (AE/bfi)
Conversations with my Gardener #
Burma VJ #
35 Shots of Rum (Verve)
Looking for Eric (Icon/MPLC)
Shaftesbury Arts Centre
13 Bell Street
Shaftesbury
SP7 8AR
Please click on the postcode to display a map in a separate window.
Frozen River #
Mid-August Lunch (AE/bfi)
Conversations with my Gardener #
Burma VJ #
35 Shots of Rum (Verve)
Looking for Eric (Icon/MPLC)
# will be available for booking from BFFS
In addition, shorts were shown before each main film.
The reactions to the films can be viewed by clicking on the link to a PDF file.
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ANOTHER FULL HOUSE FOR SW VIEWINGThe Arts Centre in the Dorset hill-top town of Shaftesbury has been the venue for South West Group Viewings on a number of occasions as far back as 1984 but the Group’s latest visit broke all records. Fortunately, the Arts Centre has recently taken over some of the next door building so was able to accommodate the sell-out crowd of 125 delegates from 32 Societies that arrived for the Autumn Viewing. The other good reason for returning to Shaftesbury venue was the catering and Sue Cadmore and the Arts Centre team did not disappont. Paul Schiling and the Film Society committee also made sure that the day went well and were able to show off their newly refurbished venue. |
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The headline news on the films previewed was the good showing of three titles recently added to the BFFS Block Booking catalogue. Burma VJ , an exceptional Danish documentary on the fight for democracy in Burma, topped the ratings whilst the gentle French comedy Conversations with my Gardener with Daniel Auteuil and the Oscar-nominated Frozen River were close behind. Ken Loach’s latest, the good-natured comedy Looking for Eric with the charismatic Cantona, was also a hit but left some delegates wondering whether their village society was ready for the ripe language. The delightful Mid-Summer Lunch also won approval but the latest reflective drama from director Claire Denis, 35 Shots of Rum, divided the audience with as many As as Ds and Es. |
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SOUTH WEST GROUP AGM REPORT
The Group's AGM, held
after lunch in the main Theatre during the Viewing, heard from Co-Chair John
Holmes of an active 18 months since the last AGM supporting community cinema in
the South West. Fellow Co-Chair Ralph Willett completed the double act with a
gentle reminder that one of our aims was to promote World Cinema. Some support
for this came during the Members Forum when consultant Julia Vickers reported
that the BFFS annual National Survey had found that the top three films shown by
societies in 2008 were The Kite Runner, Persepolis and Happy-Go-Lucky.
Julia also stressed the good news that pressure from the BFFS in involving
MPLC in non-theatrical DVD distribution appeared to have resulted in Filmbank
changing their policy and allowing venues to screen their own copies under
licence. This and other initiatives in support of community cinema, including
the Block Booking scheme, public liability insurance and the new Source Book,
were being delivered despite the difficult funding position which had meant the
loss of two members of staff including Ros Hill. The remaining staff member in
the Sheffield office, Jaq Chell, was also a guest at the Viewing and she
stressed the need for all societies to renew their memberships early in the New
Year. In his report as Regional Secretary, Brian Clay reported that BFFS
membership in the region was approaching 70 but he agreed that it was important
that all potential non-commercial exhibitors became full or associate members
for BFFS to be able to continue to provide the high level of support both
nationally and through the SW Group.
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