Closing Night Gala - Thursday 30th October 2008

After 191 feature films, 109 shorts and 15 world premieres The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival comes to a close. Spanning 16 days and hosting films from over 40 different countries the festival shuts its doors with the European premiere of Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire.  The film tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) an 18-year-old orphan who lives in the slums of Mumbai. Jamal is only one question away from winning twenty million rupees on India’s version of Who wants to be a Millionaire. After being arrested on suspicion of cheating, we are taken on a harsh but also endearing adventure as we begin to understand how this boy from the slums knows all the right answers.

The Gala was attended by young English actor Dev Patel (of Channel 4’s Skins fame) who stated that “it was a totally different challenge playing a guy who’s grown up in the slums”. When asked what the message of the films was as the slums of Mumbai are an ever present reality he said “...Bollywood is escapist cinema ...such a large population of Mumbai live in poverty and slums, they don’t want to watch films that remind them of how harsh their lives are...they want to be escorted into a world where heroes and heroines are madly in love!” 

Also on hand was the film’s director Danny Boyle, who saw this film as “a dream come true” for a film maker, “the opportunity to make an urban film in the ultimate urban environment is unbelievable!” And what of the challenges faced for a British director in Indian territory? “You can’t think about it too much or else you wouldn’t do it because it’s not a very good idea in certain regards ...you have to have people around you who you trust.”

Slumdog Millionaire is an uplifting take on the classic rags to riches story that perfectly combines the excellence of British film making with the colourful and energetic flavour of Bollywood. It is due for general release on 23rd January 2009.

High-profile international filmmakers and actors attended their film's screenings over the 16 days. Opening the festivities was the world premiere screening of FROST/NIXON with director Ron Howard in attendance alongside actors including Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon and the subject of the film Sir David Frost. The European premiere of W. provided more political drama with director Oliver Stone and cast members Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Thandie Newton and Toby Jones introducing the film. Stephan Elliott, Ben Barnes, Colin Firth and Jessica Biel graced the red carpet for EASY VIRTUE and Firth also attended GENOVA alongside costars Perla Haney-Jardine and Willa Holland and director Michael Winterbottom. In addition, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson and Romola Garai joined director Sir Richard Eyre for THE OTHER MAN and Steven Soderbergh and Benicio Del Toro introduced CHE.

Other Festival guests included Spike Lee who was joined by Alexandra Maria Lara for THE MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA and heavy metal group Anvil who performed a surprise set at the premiere of ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL. THE BROTHERS BLOOM premiere was attended by director Rian Johnson alongside Rachel Weisz and Robbie Coltrane whilst Eva Green, Sam Riley and Ryan Phillippe introduced the world premiere of FRANKLYN alongside director Gerald McMorrow. Sophie Okenedo and Paul Bettany joined director Gina Prince-Bythewood for THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, Anne Hathaway joined Jonathan Demme for RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, and Gwyneth Paltrow introduced TWO LOVERS. Rounding off the Festival was the Closing Night Gala screening of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE attended by Danny Boyle, Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto and Anil Kapoor.

British filmmaking and acting talent was out in force with a record number of UK films world premiering at the Festival, including Jeremy Deller's and Nicholas Abrahams' THE POSTERS CAME FROM THE WALLS, Giles Borg's 1234, and Nick Moran's TELSTAR which was attended by the director alongside Ralf Little, Pam Ferris, JJ Fields and Con O'Neill. Musician Vashti Bunyan accompanied director Kieran Evans to the world premiere screening of VASHTI BUNYAN: FROM HERE TO BEFORE whilst Eran Creevy was joined by Riz Ahmed and Daniel Mays for SHIFTY and Robert Carlyle introduced I KNOW YOU KNOW with director Justin Kerrigan. Steve McQueen was present to introduce HUNGER with cast members Liam Cunningham and Michael Fassbender whilst Peter O'Toole and Jeremy Northam accompanied New Zealand director Toa Fraser for DEAN SPANLEY.

Other international filmmakers who flew into London included: Ari Folman (WALTZ WITH BASHIR); Laurent Cantet (THE CLASS); Lance Hammer (BALLAST); Albert Serra (BIRDSONG); Ketan Mehta (COLOURS OF PASSION); Ramin Bahrani (GOODBYE SOLO); Jaime Rosales (BULLET IN THE HEAD); Paolo Sorrentino (IL DIVO); Agnes Varda (THE BEACHES OF AGNES); Uli Edel (THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX); and Alex Gibney (GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON). Directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne were joined by lead actress Arta Dobroshi for THE SILENCE OF LORNA whilst Nanni Moretti accompanied Antonello Grimaldi for QUIET CHAOS. Several filmmakers presented multiple projects such as actor-directors Bouli Lanners (LOUISE-MICHEL, ELDORADO) and Nandita Das (RAMCHAND PAKISTANI, FIRAAQ). In addition, experimental filmmakers Nathaniel Dorsky and Alina Rudnitskaya each introduced selections of their short films.

Benicio Del Toro, Danny Boyle, Michael Sheen and Robert Carlyle were welcomed on stage for Tiscali Screen Talks while Charlie Kaufman and Peter Morgan discussed their craft at the Script Factory/NFTS Masterclasses. Several new American directors were present for panel discussion INDIEWOOD IS DEAD … LONG LIVE THENEW, TRUE INDIES including Barry Jenkins (MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY) and Azazel Jacobs (MOMMA'S MAN), and a host of British directors and producers debated the current state of the UK film industry at the BRITISH FILM BOOM! event. Close Up with Time Out once again sparked debate across the Festival with discussion topics ranging from THE ETHICAL PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE ON FILM to CINEMA UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH, and The Variety UK Achievement in Film Award was presented to Ralph Fiennes.

At the Closing Gala the following three awards were presented: director Sergey Dvortsevoy received the Sutherland Trophy for TULPAN; director Matthew Newton was awarded the 11th FIPRESCI International Critics Award for THREE BLIND MICE; and the 13th Annual Satyajit Ray Award went to MID-AUGUST LUNCH directed by Gianni di Gregorio. Other awards include the TCM Short Film Award which went to LEAVING directed by Richard Penfold and Sam Hearn, and The Times BFI London Film Festival Grierson Award was presented to directors Renaud Barret and Florent De La Tullaye for VICTOIRE TERMINUS.

Saturday 25th October 2008 - Che Part 1 and 2 – UK Premiere

Its day 11 of The Times 52nd BFI London Film festival and the Red Carpet has been laid out for the UK Premiere of Che. The four hour long epic follows Ernesto Che Guevara from his humble beginnings as a doctor desiring to unite South America to a full blown revolutionary leader and his involvement in the Bolivian campaign of 1966. The authentic and intriguing film is screened in two parts; Part One (The Argentine) and Part Two (Guerrilla).

Present on the Red Carpet was the charming and funny Benicio Del Toro who plays Che Guevara and the talented actor joked that "it was like reading the encyclopaedia!" when researching the part. He was joined by director Steven Soderbergh, who when asked why he decided to direct the films stated "why not? ... [he's] one of the key figures of the last century who was worth looking at."

The Argentine will be on general release on the 2nd January 2009 and Guerrilla opens on the 20th February 2009.

Thursday 23rd October 2008 - The Secret Life of Bees – European Premiere

Another night, another premiere as The Times 52nd BFI London Film Festival is now in full swing and donning the red carpet is the cast and crew from the film The Secret Life of Bees. Boasting an all star cast (Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okenedo and Jennifer Hudson) the film is set in 1962 during the racially charged times of Southern America and tells the story 14-year-old Lily Owens (Fanning) and her struggle for love and acceptance after her mother is killer in a tragic accicent. Running away from her abusive father with her house keeper Rosaleen (Hudson) she happens upon the Boatwright sisters (Latifah, Okenedo and Keys) and their bee farm and thus begins a problematic, emotional and rewarding journey as she finds romance, approval and a family.

Based upon the best selling novel of the same name the film is a tear jerker and a packet of Kleenex is most definitely required.  "I loved the book tremendously, I cried when I read it" says director Gina Prince-Bythewood "I felt like I had to make the film." However when asked if this film is just for women, "Nooo!" she smiles, "if you look at our poster it seems it's only marketed towards woman but the great thing is when husbands or boyfriends are dragged to it that they come out being as moved as the women." The validity of that statement is soon to be seen as the film opens in the UK on the 5th December.

Thursday 16th October 2008 - Miracle at St Anna - UK Premiere

It's was a chilly Thursday evening when the Odeon West End became the home for the UK Premiere of Spike Lee's latest film. Set in the 1980's it opens with an elderly postal worker shooting a customer (while he is trying to buy some stamps) point blank in the chest. In order to find out why this mild manner retired Army veteran would do such a thing we are taken back to 1944 and told the story of four young soldiers fighting in Italy during the Second World War. While trying to return a young Italian boy to his family they some how end up behind enemy lines and soon get involved in much more than they bargained for.

As with many Spike Lee productions the film revolves around race and the four brave solider are African-American, with Lee hoping to give what he calls "…a different take on World War II." He aims to put right the wrongs Hollywood has created and tell of the multitude of Black soldiers who "came to Italy to liberate their country from fascism and the Nazis". Miracle at St Anna is, as you can expect, hard-hitting, brutal and emotional and due to be general release later this year.

The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival Opening Night film, Oscar winning director Ron Howard's FROST/NIXON, brings to the screen writer Peter Morgan's (The Queen, The Last King of Scotland) electrifying battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and David Frost, a jet-setting television personality with a name to make, in the untold story of the historic encounter that changed both: Frost/Nixon.  Reprising their roles from Morgan's stageplay are Frank Langella, who won a Tony for his portrayal of Nixon, and Michael Sheen, who fully inhabited the part of Frost onstage in London and New York.

The programme for The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival includes a record number of world and international premieres alongside a stellar line-up of special events and guests. Opening Night film, Ron Howard's FROST/NIXON, is one of the Festival's 15 world premieres and the Closing Night Gala is the European premiere of Danny Boyle's SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

An outstanding selection of new British films will world premiere at the Festival, including Nick Moran's TELSTAR, Eran Creevy's SHIFTY, and Gerald McMorrow's FRANKLYN in addition to Shashank Ghosh's QUICK GUN MURUGAN from India and Samir Habchi's BEIRUT OPEN CITY from Lebanon. The 12 international premieres at the Festival include SUGAR from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Ketan Mehta's COLOURS OF PASSION and Nanette Burstein's AMERICAN TEEN. Festival audiences will also have the chance to attend the first public screening of Marc Forster's QUANTUM OF SOLACE, immediately following the film's world premiere on 29 October.

Also hosting 20 European and 119 UK premieres, the Festival showcases new work from established and emerging filmmakers alongside feature film debuts by newly discovered directing talents. The programme includes the latest work from Laurent Cantet (Cannes Palme d'Or winner, THE CLASS), Oliver Stone (W.), Steven Soderbergh (CHE PART 1 & PART 2), Raymond Depardon (MODERN LIFE), Jonathan Demme (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED), Stephan Elliott (EASY VIRTUE), Agnes Varda (THE BEACHES OF AGNES), Shyam Benegal (WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR), Rian Johnson (THE BROTHERS BLOOM), Gabor Csupo (THE SECRET OF MOONACRE), Nuri Bilge Ceylan (THREE MONKEYS); Fernando Eimbcke (LAKE TAHOE), Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (THE SILENCE OF LORNA), Woody Allen (VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA) and Terence Davies (OF TIME AND THE CITY). In addition to welcoming back previous Festival alumni - such as Kelly Reichardt (WENDY AND LUCY), Pablo Trapero (LION'S DEN) and Bouli Lanners (ELDORADO) - the programme introduces the work of debut directors including Lance Hammer (BALLAST), Juraj Lehotský (BLIND LOVES), Enrique Rivero (PARQUE VIA) and Ursula Meier (HOME).

Contributing to an especially strong line-up of British films are the latest features from distinguished UK directors including Michael Winterbottom (GENOVA) and Richard Eyre (THE OTHER MAN), in addition to new work from Justin Kerrigan (I KNOW YOU KNOW) and Pat Holden (AWAYDAYS). British directors making their feature film debuts at the Festival also include Steve McQueen (HUNGER) and Sallie Aprahamian (BROKEN LINES), whilst a special panel event, BRITISH FILM BOOM, will celebrate and examine the new generation of British film talent.

Amongst those films representing new French cinema are Arnaud Desplechin's A CHRISTMAS TALE, Christophe Honoré's LA BELLE PERSONNE and Philippe Grandrieux's A LAKE. Contemporary European cinema is celebrated in the Cinema Europa strand which includes 29 films, such as Ole Christian Madsen's FLAME & CITRON from Denmark, Hungary-Germany co-production DELTA, UPRISE by Sandro Aguilar from Portugal, and INVOLUNTARY by Ruben Östlund from Sweden. In addition, the Film on the Square strand includes Uli Edel's THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX from Germany and Antonello Grimaldi's QUIET CHAOS from Italy.

The best of world cinema will transport Festival audiences around the globe with films from 43 countries including Iceland, Kazakhstan, Chile and Liberia. Mexico's Rodrigo Plá directs THE DESERT WITHIN and Kim Jee-Woon's THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD hails from South Korea, whilst Francis X. Pasion's JAY and Annemarie Jacir's SALT OF THIS SEA represent new filmmaking from the Philippines and Palestine respectively. A diverse slate of new films from the US includes Gina Prince-Bythewood's THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES and Peter Sollett's NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST, which screen alongside a strong selection of films representing a new wave of American independent filmmaking, such as Antonio Campos' AFTERSCHOOL and Courtney Hunt's FROZEN RIVER. Highlighting this trend is a special panel event entitled INDIEWOOD IS DEAD … LONG LIVE THE NEW, TRUE INDIES which will discuss the future of the US Indie scene.

Documentary Gala, Alex Gibney's GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON, is one of 19 documentary features at the Festival which will compete for the annual Grierson Award for best feature-length documentary. Ari Folman's animated documentary WALTZ WITH BASHIR and James Toback's TYSON also screen, in addition to CITIZEN HAVEL by Pavel Koutecký and Miroslav Janek from the Czech Republic and Sacha Gervasi's ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL. With a total of nine short film programmes and six experimental shorts programmes, audiences enjoy a wealth of choice ranging from recent work by the capital's most exciting new filmmakers in the LONDON CALLING selection, to SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN - an assortment of films which focus on the perils of growing up. 

The Festival's cutting edge Experimenta strand includes surrealist biopic THE FEATURE by Michel Auder and Andrew Neel, in addition to new restorations of 35mm films by French writer and theorist Guy Debord, and RR - the latest film from American auteur James Benning. Treasures from the Archive celebrates the legacy of cinema with a new restoration of Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST to mark the classic western's 40th anniversary, alongside the first two major restorations from Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation – Metin Erksan's DRY SUMMER from Turkey and Djibril Diop Mambéty's TOUKI BOUKI from Senegal.

For the fifth year running, the Festival will host free outdoor screenings on Trafalgar Square. In celebration of archive cinema, LONDON LOVES is two nights of archive film screenings with Neal Brand providing live piano accompaniment to HIGH TREASON on 23 October and screenings of 15 shorts celebrating the capital on 24 October.

Complementing the screenings is an impressive slate of unique Special Events, with an outstanding line-up of film talent due to attend the Festival. THE ETHICAL PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE ON FILM and CINEMA UNDER GEORGE W BUSH promise to be provocative free events for audiences, whilst THE JOURNEY FROM WRITING INTO DIRECTING IN HOLLYWOOD will examine the popular transition from writer to writer-director which several directors in this year's programme have made. FROST/NIXON screenwriter Peter Morgan and SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK's writer-director Charlie Kaufman will participate in Masterclasses and Robert Carlyle will be one of four special guests in the Screen Talks series of career interviews.

Other guests expected to attend the Festival in October include: Michael Sheen; Eva Green; Atom Egoyan; Gwyneth Paltrow; Sam Riley; Nanni Moretti; Rian Johnson; Omar Sharif; Laurent Cantet; Jessica Biel; Michael Winterbottom; Arnaud Desplechin; Colin Firth; Laura Linney; Michel Houellebecq; Liam Neeson; Alex Gibney; Antonio Campos; Penelope Cruz; Ben Barnes; Danny Boyle; Christophe Honoré; Nathaniel Dorsky and Steven Soderbergh.

Commenting on the Festival line-up, Artistic Director Sandra Hebron said: "We are delighted to be able to present such a diverse and high quality programme of films and events, with an unprecedented number of world, international and European premieres. We are excited that London in October will play host to world renowned directors, writers and actors, as well as to some of the most important new voices in international cinema."

James Harding, Editor, The Times, added: "Yet again the programme for The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival has produced an outstanding selection of films with an extraordinary blend of cultures, themes, and formats ensuring something for all tastes and all ages. The London Film Festival has a breathtaking schedule that mixes films from those new to the scene, as well as great offerings from established filmmakers. It is a programme that clearly demonstrates London's role as a unique showcase for the industry. We are thrilled to be part of the Festival for our sixth year as title sponsor."

The Closing Night Gala of The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival will be the European Premiere of Danny Boyle's SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who finds himself  just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'.  Arrested on suspicion of cheating, Jamal tells the police the incredible story of his life on the streets, and of the girl he loved and lost. But what is a kid with no interest in money doing on the show? And how does he know all the answers?  When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the police and sixty million viewers are about to find out … Dev Patel (Skins) stars alongside an all-Indian cast including Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Madhur Mittal and Freida Pinto in this uplifting drama set and shot in India.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE was adapted for the screen by Oscar®-winning writer Simon Beaufoy (THE FULL MONTY) from the bestselling novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup. The film was produced by Christian Colson and Executive Producers Tessa Ross and Paul Smith, with cinematography from Boyle's regular collaborator Anthony Dod Mantle (28 DAYS LATER). Pathé Distribution will release the Film4 funded film in the UK in early 2009 and Pathé International is handling international sales.

In addition to bringing the Festival's 16 day celebration of cinema to a close, Danny Boyle will give a career interview as part of the Tiscali Screen Talks series.

Sandra Hebron, the Festival's Artistic Director comments "We're thrilled to be closing our Festival with this latest film from one of the UK's most talented and versatile directors. Pulling together a wealth of talent from two continents to tell this moving and truly contemporary tale, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE will bring this year's Festival to a vibrant and cheering close."

On having his film invited to close the London Film Festival, Danny Boyle comments: "I am delighted that the film will receive its European premiere at the London Film Festival. I hope that Londoners will respond to this story about another great megatropolis - Mumbai, "the Maximum City".'

The full programme for The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival will be announced next Wednesday 10 September.

The Festival runs from 15-30 October 2008

www.bfi.org.uk/lff

OPENING NIGHT FILM ANNOUNCED

The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival will open on Wed 15 Oct with the world premiere of Universal Pictures' electrifying drama FROST/NIXON, from Oscar®-winning director/producer Ron Howard.

Adapted for the screen from his own stage play by BAFTA-winning scriptwriter Peter Morgan, FROST/NIXON sees Michael Sheen and Frank Langella reprise their West End and Broadway roles as journalist David Frost and President Richard Nixon.

Receiving its world premiere in the same city that launched the play's phenomenal success, FROST/NIXON re-creates the televised David Frost/Richard Nixon interviews that attracted the largest audience for a news program in the history of American TV in summer 1977, and the weeks of around-the-world, behind-the-scenes manoeuvring between the two men and their camps as negotiations were struck, deals were made and secrets revealedâ?¦all leading to the moment when they would sit facing one another in the court of public opinion.

Festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron comments: "We're delighted to be opening our festival with this fascinating study of a unique moment in cultural and political life. Engrossing and entertaining by turns, and brilliantly performed, it is a film with strong London links and a perfect opener for this year's festival."

As Cannes approaches, we thought this would be a good moment to update you on plans for this year's Times BFI London Film Festival.

Programmers have spent the year so far researching and viewing titles from around the world, attending other international festivals, looking for the best work available to us to present to our audiences in October. They've already confirmed a number of titles they're excited about, and, since the impressive selection for the Cannes Film Festival has been announced, expectations are high for many of the films screening there.

It's particularly gratifying to see favourite filmmakers featured in the competition. With a strong European and international flavour, the line-up includes LFF alumni such as the Dardenne brothers, Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Atom Egoyan, Lucretia Martel, Paulo Sorrentino and Pablo Trapero. We're looking forward to seeing the new film by Jia Zhangke, recently the subject of a BFI Southbank retrospective, and intrigued by Steven Soderbergh's Che project and Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York.

Elsewhere in the the programme we're looking forward to new films from Terence Davies, Kelly Reichardt, Lisandro Alonso and Bent Hamer amongst many others. Cannes is, of course, always capable of providing surprises and bringing new talents to the fore, so we look forward to discovering films from first-time directors, some of which we hope may go on to feature in our programme and compete for the Sutherland Trophy.

Once they return from Cannes, the selection process will be in full swing, as they aim to meet our the July programme deadline. A reminder that this year, the Festival will run from 15-30 October, in 15 cinemas across the capital.

Festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron announced today that The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival will take place from Wednesday 15 October through Thursday 30 October 2008.

This highly regarded and anticipated event in Europe's cultural calendar attracts leading international filmmakers, industry professionals and the media together with large public audiences to London for a two week showcase of the best in contemporary world cinema. 

Alongside a public screening programme which presents 180 feature films and 130 short films each year, the Festival hosts panel discussions, masterclasses, screen talks and live events, as well as a comprehensive education programme and a slate of industry events and screenings.

Artistic Director Sandra Hebron said, "We are very much looking forward to presenting the 52nd edition of the Festival, and have already begun selecting films which will help us in our aim of bringing to London some of the year's finest international cinema. Whilst the Festival will always be committed to presenting exciting new films which otherwise would not be seen in the UK, our October dates also make us ideally positioned to premiere high profile quality titles due for winter and spring release, as well as to showcase some of the most hotly anticipated awards contenders. In a busy autumn calendar, we are looking forward to building on our success to make The 2008 Times BFI London Film Festival an unmissable event."

The Times BFI London Film Festival programme for 2008 will be announced in September.