London Film Festival 2014
November 11th, 1989: that's exactly when it all started for me. The day when I saw my first ever film at the London Film Festival. For the record, it was Joao Cesar Monteiro's Recollections Of The Yellow House. Who would have thought at the time that a quarter of a century later, I could type a few words into a computer and watch the whole thing instantly? (Answer: Douglas Adams, that's who.)
But that 'quarter of a century' is the most important part of that previous paragraph: I've been seeing films at the LFF for 25 years now. It seemed like the sort of anniversary that needed something big to mark it, and the good people at Mostly Film have given me the opportunity to do just that. So over there you can now read A History Of The LFF In 26 Objects, a personal history of the 25 festivals I've been to so far, leading into the one that starts this very evening (assuming you're reading this on October 8th).
As ever, when I write a piece for Europe's Best Website, I like to provide additional bonus background material for it on my own site. So above, you can find a playlist of the LFF trailers that played before festival screenings, from various times over the last couple of decades. In order, they cover the years 1993-1995, 2003-2005, 2006-2008, 2009, 2010 (more of a bumper, really, although that year we also saw a more traditional web-only trailer), 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. It's fascinating to see how the marketing of the event has changed over the years, and regular LFF attendees should get a kick out of watching some of these again.
What's that? You're saying that's not enough bonus material for you? What more could you want?
This is my 26th festival: you should know how it all works by now. If not, you can always look here (or here, here and here if you'd like to help a brother out financially). Those links, between them, should tell you everything you need to know about my first 25 LFFs. As for the 26th... well, watch this space.
- Wednesday October 8th - Altman, Come Back To The Five And Dime Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean
- Thursday October 9th -The Dead Lands, Dear White People
- Friday October 10th - The Colour Of Pomegranates, The Cut, Listen Up Philip
- Saturday October 11th - Captivated, Electric Boogaloo, The Great Invisible, The Possibilities Are Endless
- Sunday October 12th - 1001 Grams, Black Coal Thin Ice, Kung Fu Jungle
- Monday October 13th - The Creator Of The Jungle, War Book, X+Y
- Tuesday October 14th - Black Souls, The Goddess, Rosewater, Stray Dog
- Wednesday October 15th - Birdman, The Dawn Of Technicolor, Walking Under Water
- Thursday October 16th - No Man's Land, We Come As Friends, Why Be Good?
- Friday October 17th - Dragon Inn, Margarita With A Straw, Tender
- Saturday October 18th - Girlhood, The Immortalists, Near Death Experience
- Sunday October 19th - Guys And Dolls, The Satellite Girl And Milk Cow, The World Of Kanako
- The Wrap Party - final thoughts on this year's festival from me and The Belated Birthday Girl
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