LIDF09 bowed out with a bang by means of a day full of documentaries at the British Museum, followed by the festival award ceremony and closing party where LIDF Director, Patrick Hazard announced the winners.
LIDF09/London Review of Books Best Film Award
Keep Looking / Cherche toujours
Special Mentions
Megumi
Km 43.3 Transylvanian Timber
The LIDF team would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to making the festival a success: filmmakers, audiences, our fantastic volunteer team, the London Review of Books, Ecover and our many supporters.
Also, a last-minute thanks to Institut Français.
Though LIDF09 may be over, LIDF will continue it’s screenings all year around with our DocSpot programme and other events, so subscribe to our newsletter to be reminded of film times.
The city as you have never seen it before, a visual meditation on the space we inhabit in The Solitary Life of Cranes, Thursday 7pm at the Courthouse Hotel, followed by a conversation with director Eva Weber. The sky will never be the same again.
From construction to ruin with Karosta: A Life After the USSR, 6:30pm at the Barbican, in a portrait of a shattered Latvian society living in the remains of a USSR military base. Discuss the film with Peter King and a team of academic experts.
Hope is the only thing that keeps some alive in Megumi, 7:30pm at the Renoir Cinema. Despite being allegedly kidnapped by North Koreans over 30 years ago, her family cling to the possibility that she will one day return. Then let the director know you thoughts in the post-film discussion.
A funny and incredibly moving journey into the world of adoption rounds off the night at 8:30pm at the Barbican. Palna’s Daughters is complemented by a debate with Dr Pasi Väliaho from Goldsmiths.
Four great films, with four great conversations. Life can only get better.
Making films makes a difference… and watching them can too. Join us at The Soho Hotel 7:30pm on Monday 30 March for our charity gala in aid of Cancer Research UK, and take a trip through an Italian national park and the Himalayan plateau.
As ever, the film will be accompanied by challenging and informative discussion, with the Director of Stone Pastures and world-experts from Anthropology and Himalayan Studies, and most importantly, you!
Tickets are on sale now and must be booked in advance, they are expected to be popular, so we would advise getting yours now.
Some have to fight for what they believe in. Hear their stories this Sunday afternoon with a Renoir Cinema double bill from 3pm which will take you from those encouraging reconciliation in the Arab-Israeli conflict, to a woman fighting for civil libeties in Iran.
Also this afternoon join us at the Roxy Bar and Screen for the ever popular Sunday at The Roxy events. Watch films. Eat. Drink. Think. All for £7 per session.
Sesssion 1 starts at 2pm: Shanghai Bound, Sanza Hanza, Bus Lovers (Busólogos), Rapresent, My Amersham, The Last Pig (Ultimul porc), Intifada NYC, Helium, Life must inspire trust (Preciso que a vida inspire confiana), Close Your Eyes and Look At Me, Shooting Locations, Plane Days.
Session 2 starts at 6:30pm: The Narcotic Farm, Six Floors to Hell, Voices Across the Wall
Last, but by no means least, wrap up the weekend with Intelligent Life at The Soho Hotel tonight at 7.30pm, a visually stunning portrait of modern American life shot in high-definition.
Don’t forget we lost an hour last night when we went to British Summer Time, so adjust your clocks, book your tickets, and then come and join us for more great documentaries.
LIDF09 filmmakers, panel members, industry insiders and the LIDF09 team came together for opening night drinks at the Horse Hospital this evening. The event was a chance to celebrate a successful first day, for ideas to be shared, old friends to meet, introductions to be made, and most importantly, conversations to be had.
Photos of the evening are up on our flickr page. In fact, we had so much fun we somehow managed to lose an hour.
Events such as this are scattered throughout the festval, and are a great chance to meet and debate with the filmmakers.
Are you as excited as us?! 8 days of films kick-off 4pm today at the Curzon Soho with The Age of Stupid, a challenging dramatisation of climate change staring Pete Postlethwaite followed by a discussion with director Franny Armstrong and LIDF director Patrick Hazard.
Tattoos, locomotives and latex will (amongst other things) be making an appearance when we screen all of prolific director John Samson’s films – never before seen together – tonight at 6pm at the Horse Hospital.
And another exclusive: the UK Premiere of Fidelity, 7:30pm at the Charlotte Street Hotel. An intimate portrait of the transformations occuring in Cuban society. Followed by a discussion headed by at panel of world experts on Cuba.
Tickets have been selling quickly for all events, so we would strongly suggest pre-booking online to avoid disappointment. See you at the cinema!
We are absolutely delighted to unveil the new trailer for LIDF09.
The trailer was very kindly created by our wonderful friends at UP, who also designed our print and screen graphics for the festival. Music was composed for LIDF by the marvelous Noah and the Whale. Our sincere thanks to them both.
You can also see the trailer on blip.tv.
