ICO news
- This week we’re split between Croatia (running the Developing Your Film Festival course in sunny Motovun!) and preparing for Summer Screening Days at the Showroom in Sheffield this weekend. As usual we’ve got a fantastic array of films for you to watch – we’ve a biopic, historical dramas, a contemporary drugs thriller, an dystopian black comedy, some superb new documentaries – and much more. See the full line-up.
- We’ve also been working on upcoming ICO films. First up is our tour, Two Films by Josephine Decker, a new voice in contemporary American cinema who’s been hailed “the most original independent director to surface in the last few years”. Her films Butter on the Latch and Thou Wast Mild and Lovely are screening at cinemas nationwide throughout August, accompanied by special events with Decker and our online project, in which we’re exploring her work and using it as a starting point to investigate ideas about audience development. Find out more.
- Next: L’Eclisse! Our digital restoration of Antonioni’s sumptuously beautiful 1962 masterpiece, released nationwide on 28 August, screened in Cannes Classics earlier this year. Book now to screen it on DCP, Blu-ray or DVD.
- Looking ahead, in autumn we release our Astley Baker Davies retrospective, two programmes of animation – The World of Astley Baker Davies, aimed at adults, and The Big Knights, for younger audiences – by the BAFTA-winning, Oscar-nominated British animators Mark Baker and Neville Astley, the makers of TV’s Peppa Pig. These beautiful, witty animations are an absolute joy to watch, and as our retrospective is funded by the BFI, we can offer speakers and educational resources to support your screenings. Find out more.
- Don’t forget that the deadline for applying to our Practical Programming course is Monday 24th August. If you have an incredible programming idea that you’d like to bring to your venue, then this is a great opportunity to get practical support that’ll make sure you get a great audience. Get the details here.
Other news: resources, opportunities and calls for submissions
- Cinemas, want to improve your film education offer? Check out Into Film’s excellent new advisory pack on working with schools.
- Short filmmakers – The Smalls Film Festival needs your super short shorts – less than 30 seconds – shot on an iPhone. Unleash some short-lived creativity!
- Makeshift Cinema is also seeking short films of all genres.
- Young, south-west-based film lovers: do you have an idea for a short film? Pitch it to Cornwall Film Festival’s Calling the Shots and you could see your short made and screened in Channel 4’s Random Acts strand.
- Have you applied for the John Brabourne Awards? They’re open until 31st July and offer up to 5K awards to people working behind the scenes in film, cinema and commercial TV who are facing difficulties in their careers (such as illness or lack of funding) and need support. Find out more.
- Got a short film to pitch? European Short Pitch is an initiative promoting the European co-production of shorts; if you’re a writer, director or producer from a creative team based in Europe and developing a short film, find out more.
- FLAMIN has just launched round 6 of FLAMIN Productions, offering 30,000 in funding to London-based film artists.
- Another one for Londoners, Film London’s Community Screen Scheme funding closes on 31st July. Don’t miss out!
- Documentarists, CPH:DOX 2015 is now open for submissions!
We like…
- The idea that programmers would become risk-averse is a terrifying prospect for film culture. Ahead of our Josephine Decker tour, read Simran Hans’ excellent BFI online piece on our strategy for these exciting films.
- At Sight & Sound, our friends at Deptford Cinema discuss their volunteer-run, community-led venue.
- “We wanted to our site to encourage cinephilia and encourage people to come along with us and take chances on seeing things they might not have seen (or been aware of) otherwise.” We were very sad to hear of The Dissolve‘s demise, and read this interview with its founders, touching on the changing face of film criticism, with great interest.
- “No animals were harmed in the making of this movie. 70 members of the cast and crew were.” Looking forward to seeing Roar this autumn after reading about its incredible production in Indiewire.