Exeposé Screen Online LFF Video Blog (Video credit: Olivia Luder)
Back in October, Exeposé Screen had the privilege of attending the 2012 BFI London Film Festival. Check out how the Exeposé Online Screen Editors, Liam and Olivia, got on in their video blog above!
For those uninitiated into the world of film festivals, here’s a quick run-down of what you need to know:
Firstly, film festivals are not like music festivals. Venues are usually spread out across a city and they are structured around people hopping from cinema to cinema. Think a lot less camping and a lot whole more sitting down in a dark rooms. Other than screenings, festivals often put on a range of events including parties, ‘q and a’ sessions and discussion panels.
Films festivals often have a theme. Some look at a film genre – from feminism, to horror, to anti-war, while others celebrate a particular filmmaker or period in filmmaking. Many festivals specialise in short-films, providing a unique viewing opportunity for short-film fans and filmmakers.
An important point to note is that usually anyone can go along. Some believe that only people within the film industry are welcome at film festivals. Not so. While some screenings may not be open to everyone, film festivals are often there for the very purpose of getting film lovers of all kinds together.
Film festivals are also a key place for new films to debut. Filmmakers often choose to hold special premieres to capitalise on the concentration of critics and people in the industry. Crucially, they are a place where film producers hunt for distributors to buy their films to release.
A festival provides the perfect environment for a film to gain that all-important buzz. For instance, Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene won him the U.S. Directing Award for Best Drama at the Sundance Film Festival last year and gained a huge amount of critical praise. The film went on to do well in cinemas and launch the careers of both Durkin and the film’s star, Elizabeth Olsen.
This highlights another important aspect of film festivals: awards are a big deal. They can give a film a particular critical legitimacy, as well as gain it the attention of critics and audiences alike. Winning the Palme D’Or from the Cannes Film Festival can mean as much as winning the Academy Award for Best Film, if not more.
Finally, now you’ve read about film festivals you may well be wanting to attend one. The previously mentioned Cannes is the most prestigious and well-established festival whose awards are perhaps most sought after. Unfortunately, it is invite only. The Venice Film Festival is another long-standing European festival, and is actually the oldest in the world. Berlin Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival round out the European heavy-hitters, each providing a wide range of cinema from across the world. The USA’s big two are Sundance Film Festival, established by actor Robert Redford, and Tribeca Film Festival in the filmic-heaven that is New York. Lastly, Canada’s Toronto Film Festival showcases the best of Canadian film as well as much from across the world with some considering it to be the second most influential behind Cannes.
If venturing out of England seems a little extreme, don’t worry – you can find film festivals much closer to home. Animated Exeter, an established animation festival, is on 18-23rd February 2013, while the Exeter Phoenix has their short-film festival, Two Short Nights, on 29-30th November 2012.
Screen Editor, Olivia Luder
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