The new initiative, featuring over 50 events, boasts a varied and exciting programme for everyone and anyone across the country looking for things to do at home during the latest lockdown.
Blasting brilliant new cinema directly into homes across the UK, AMPLIFY!’s online film festival (November 6–22) presents distinctive features, a free shorts programme, hot topic docs, engaging Q&As and industry events.
This exciting first-of-its-kind initiative has been co-curated by FilmBath, CINECITY (Brighton), Cambridge and Cornwall Film Festivals for the purpose of giving everyone something to look forward to in these challenging times.
Programme highlights include over 25 UK premieres such as Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut Falling, a Cannes 2020 official selection fresh off its successful screening at San Sebastian International Film Festival, where Mortensen was honoured with the Donostia Award for his work. Following its Sundance Film Festival screening earlier this year, Luxor, starring Andrea Riseborough, hits the UK screen along with Patrick (De Patrick), which casts Flight Of The Conchords’s Jemaine Clement in a Belgian dark comedy about a nudist camp.
Other UK premiere highlights explore what it means to be human in Robolove; a journey into adulthood in I never cry; an outsiders view of Brexit Britain in Cat in the wall; and a drama about a women trying to find a pretend husband in Open Door.
The Documentary strand includes Chilean film The Mole Agent, winner of San Sebastian International Film Festival’s Audience Award for Best European Film and Caught in the Net, a compelling story of a virtual flytrap set for online paedophiles.
The Cambridge Film Festival brings its immensely popular Camera Catalonia strand to AMPLIFY!, featuring a great selection of new films from Catalonia, and includes the UK premieres of La Inocència (The Innocence) (pictured); Keith Haring 1989 Barcelona and My Mexican Bretzel.
Audiences have the opportunity to see six short programmes for free, including the prestigious IMDb Awards from FilmBath; Cornwall's International shorts programme and South West best regional shorts; as well as CINECITY’s New Voices – a collection of regional shorts made by 16 to 25-year-olds, supported by Screen and Film School Brighton. I Still Breathe is London-based filmmaker Alfred George Bailey's response to the death of George Floyd and features a score from composer Nicky Brown and Academy Award-winning sound designer John Warhurst.
In addition to a comprehensive programme of features and short films, AMPLIFY! also delivers a range of director Q&As, workshops, and networking events including a roundtable discussion with noted journalist Charles Gant entitled Distribution In Uncertain Times; a Q&A with German director-producer Jens Meurer following the UK Premiere of An Impossible Project and hosted by Bill Lawrence, former Creative Director at Showroom Cinema and Head of Film at the National Museum of Photography; a casting panel hosted by Backstage Magazine; and a LIM (Less Is More) script development talk supported by Creative Europe and a number of other events supported by the UK-wide talent development programme BFI NETWORK, using funds from the National Lottery.
BFI London Film Festival Director Tricia Tuttle said: "AMPLIFY! is a fantastic initiative by some of the country's top film festivals. We’ve all been keeping in close contact over the last months, sharing information on the challenges and strategies for planning film festivals in a pandemic. These festivals do such important work in getting independent films to audiences, championing underrepresented voices — films from female and LGBTIQ+ filmmakers from around the world and from diverse backgrounds.
“This year has seen so much great collaboration between festivals and it's an absolute pleasure to see them combining forces for the good of audiences and filmmakers. I will be settling down after my own festival to watch some great work on the AMPLIFY! platform."
Holly Tarquini and Philip Raby, the Co-Directors of FilmBath, said: “The COVID crisis has threatened all of our organisations, so it’s an absolute joy to be able to work together and put on such a juicy online festival — with tons of Q&As and special events.” Tim Brown from CINECITY Brighton added, “Working with new partners in a completely new way is the best response to events and an exciting way to take audiences on new adventures in world cinema.”
Director of Cornwall Film Festival, Louise Fox believes AMPLIFY! will be a celebration. “The joy of film sits at the heart of this year's celebratory festival programme, a great example of how we can come together whilst being apart to be engaged and inspire our local and national audiences.”
Tony Jones and Matthew Webb from Cambridge Film Trust said: “2020 would have marked the 40th Cambridge Film Festival and it is only right that during these times we are working, side by side, with our friends FilmBath, Brighton CINECITY, Cornwall Film Festival to offer an exciting film experience for you all. We hope to see you at AMPLIFY!”
AMPLIFY! What people are saying:
Jason Wood, Home: "As film festivals are forced to pivot and explore new models, AMPLIFY! represents the coming together of four regional film festivals, each bringing their distinct voice and vision to the mix. Featuring an exciting and eclectic programme of films, both shorts and features, from an expert team of co curators (including former colleagues Tony Jones and Tim Brown) the film’s presented and eclectic and distinctive, and offer the opportunity for audiences across the country to again come together - both online and with a physical screening element - to celebrate the best that the moving image has to offer. Viva Cinema!”
Eve Gabereau, Modern Film: “I am very happy that the AMPLIFY! Film Festival has formed to bring new films to people across Bath, Brighton, Cambridge, Cornwall and beyond through a digital platform of preview screenings and online events. It's a positive and innovative outcome to a situation that has been so very difficult for physical venues and box office revenues - and it's great for the industry too as it keeps the film value chain going and is audience-focussed.”
Carolyn Saunders, Filmmaker: “AMPLIFY! is poised to do exactly what its name suggests - to amplify the voices of filmmakers and communities that we don't hear from often enough. I'm particularly excited to see the female-led and female-directed films in the program, and the films made by older-yet-emerging filmmakers - now those are voices we really need to hear! I'm looking forward to a festival full of fresh visions and memorable films."
Phil Hunt, Bohemia Media: “Bohemia Media’s reason d’être is to spread the word of diversity. Part of the Bohemia Club group which spreads the word of diversity in many different sectors, no matter what the status is of the theatrical world, we endeavour to bring incredible stories to a variety of ways of viewing and it’s wonderful to see the endeavours of AMPLIFY! ensuring independent voices are heard no matter what the state of the world.”
Tony Jones, Cambridge Film Trust: “AMPLIFY! provides a new exhibition model for distributors, agents and filmmakers in these times of lockdown and restrictions. Home cinema will not replace the cinema experience that we all love, but this is a platform for recognition of a cinema we’re all missing.”
AMPLIFY! is offering reduced ticket pricing for all 16–30-year-olds, as well as those who are unemployed, living on state pension alone, single parents, refugees, and students. Ticket pricing begins at £5 with full pricing information available on the website.
To view the full programme, please visit: www.amplifyfilm.org.uk
AMPLIFY! Film Festival’s Principal Partners: IMDB, TTP, Studio 24, Screen and Film School Brighton, University of Brighton, Falmouth University School of Film & Television
Image: Still from the film La Inocència (The Innocence)
AMPLIFY!
A collaboration between FilmBath, Cambridge Film Trust, CINECITY in Brighton, and Cornwall Film Festival, AMPLIFY! is a virtual film festival born out of a determination to give all of our audiences the festival films they love, despite us being battered by Coronavirus and social distancing. AMPLIFY! will deliver a brilliant online smorgasbord of previews, feature documentaries, Ibero-American features, shorts, and industry events. Even better, the programme is super F-Rated: more than half of our films are directed by women.