Organisers hail Chichester International Film Festival success
Organisers of the Chichester International Film Festival are delighted with the way it went – the first under new artistic director Walter Francisco.
With a diverse programme of screenings and events, the festival attracted record numbers and new audiences from across the area.
Walter said: "I have been overwhelmed by the feedback so many of our audience members have passed on to me and the team. It is a huge team effort to put on this 15-day festival of film. The special events, new venues, film choices, strands and visiting filmmakers were extremely well received, and I hope that my first festival as artistic director has attracted some new people to the wonder of film.
“Despite a shortened festival, this year’s event still presented almost 100 films over 15 days across six different venues showing the festival’s commitment to increasing access for everyone. There were 15 UK/English premieres, ten previews, four talks and ten Q&A screenings with visiting filmmakers and actors including Juliet Stevenson, Rory Kinnear and acclaimed documentary filmmaker Tony Palmer.”
More than 2,000 people went to Priory Park for the Festival’s annual opening weekend of open-air screenings with Barbie on the Friday night, The Lego Movie and Dirty Dancing on the Saturday and on the Sunday, Wonka (in partnership with Stonepillow) and Stop Making Sense.
“Now a staple of the film festival, some memorable live events included a captivating jazz performance by the three-piece ensemble, HarmonieBand which played their own score to Anthony Asquith’s stylish and atmospheric silent 1920s romantic drama Underground at St John’s Chapel.
“The combination of live music and cinema was also seen during Buster Plays Buster at The Spring in Havant where drummer Buster Birch’s jazz quartet performed a wonderful score to the very funny Sherlock Jr starring Buster Keaton which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year; The Chichester City Band honoured 100 years of Film Music at St Paul’s Church with a specially curated film montage; Havana Bar played host to a special Prince-themed evening, with a packed screening of Purple Rain followed by a club night; while the tapas bar El Matador vibrated to the sound of castanets with its tapas banquet and Flamenco evening following the screening of A Chef for Dali.”
In a joint venture with the Chichester Cabaret Club, the Festival presented a new Canadian film about a drag artist called Solo followed by a live performance from the club’s Mistress of Ceremonies, Dawn Gracie and entertainment from The Madame.”
Walter added: “The Audience Award for best feature film went to Blaga’s Lessons by Stephan Komandarev, and for the first time the festival presented a new Gibson Award.”
Judged by Roger Gibson, founder of the Festival and Chichester Cinema, and by Walter, it is given to the film which best embodies the qualities that Chichester Cinema has championed since its inception in 1979. The inaugural Gibson Award went to About Dry Grasses (Turkey) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan.