David Cronenberg's Horror Masterpiece The Brood Getting The Blu-Ray Treatment This July

The Brood, one of David Cronenberg's most chilling and disturbing works finally gets its long-awaited UK Blu-ray debut thanks to Second Sight Films

This early masterpiece from the maestro of horror, stars Oliver Reed and Samantha Eggar and is still as shocking today as it was on its original release. It comes to DVD and Blu-ray packed with brand new bonus features on 8 July 2013.

Frank Carveth (Art Hindle - Invasion of the Body Snatchers) is becoming increasingly concerned about his ex-wife Nola's (Eggar) secretive treatment at the sinister 'Somafree Institute of Psychoplasmics'. Headed by cult figure Dr Raglan (Reed - The Devils), his controversial and extreme methods seek to unleash his patients rage, which take on physical manifestations. As Nola's increasingly psychotic anger is vented during her sessions, brutal murders befall those at whom it's directed. When Frank's daughter is abducted he is led to Raglan's Institute and a terrifying, repellent final confrontation, renowned as one of the most notorious scenes in horror cinema.

BONUS FEATURES:

• MEET THE CARVETHS - Art Hindle & Cindy Hinds interviewd by Fangoria Editor Chris Alexander
• THE LOOK OF RAGE - Interview with cinematographer Mark Irwin
• PRODUCING THE BROOD - Interview with producer Pierre David
• CHARACTER FOR CRONENBERG - Interview with actor Robert A. Silverman
• CRONENBERG: THE EARLY YEARS - Writer/Director David Cronenberg discusses how he broke into filmmaking

Pre-Order/Buy:The Brood On Blu Ray 

Eureka Entertainment acquire Sundance-winner Computer Chess

The groundbreaking, Alfred P. Sloan Prize-winning, and fiercely independent “artificially intelligent” comedy from Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation, Beeswax),Computer Chess which continues to collect raves on the festival circuit, is slated for a national UK theatrical release from Eureka! Entertainment and a home-video release as part of Eureka!’s The Masters of Cinema Series.

Eureka! Entertainment are thrilled to announce that they have acquired all UK/Eire rights to Andrew Bujalski’s Computer Chess, which had its debut in January at the Sundance Film Festival. Computer Chess is the fourth feature film from the brilliant and maverick American filmmaker Andrew Bujalski, whose previous works include Funny Ha Ha (the early ‘00s film that arguably kicked-off the so-called “mumblecore” movement of American independent cinema), Mutual Appreciation (an acclaimed comic portrait of love and longing in the milieu of the Brooklyn indie music scene), and Beeswax (which among its principals starred Alex Karpovsky, the indie filmmaker and actor who has gone on to great renown for his role in Lena Dunham’s cultural-phenomenon and hit TV series Girls).

Prior to final completion of Computer Chess, Bujalski was awarded a Tribeca Film Institute Sloan grant in 2012. Directly following Bujalski’s newest and long-anticipated film’s Sundance premiere, Computer Chess was given the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Award, which honours a film based around the theme of science and/or technology. The film went on to have its International Premiere at the latest Berlin Film Festival, and will be presented as part of the distinguished BAMcinémafest this June in Brooklyn for its New York premiere, before moving on to a major UK festival debut in anticipation of a UK theatrical run coordinated by Eureka! Entertainment in late autumn, and an early-2014 Blu-ray and DVD release as part of the highly esteemed and awarded-winning Masters of Cinema Series.

A boldly intelligent ensemble comedy with a feel and atmosphere that surpass easy comparison, Computer Chess takes place in the early-1980s over the course of a weekend conference where a group of obsessive software programmers have convened to pit their latest refinements in machine-chess and the still-developing field of artificial intelligence (AI) against an assembly of human chess masters. Computer Chess is a portrait not only of the crazy and surreal relationships that come to pass between the abundance of characters who participate in the weekend event (and among whose ranks include Wiley Wiggins, the revered indie-game developer and star of Richard Linklater’s classic Dazed and Confused), but of the very era of early computing itself – and of the first, rudimentary video games – and (if that weren’t enough) of the hopes and insecurities that persisted through the film’s “retro” digital age into the present-day — that semi-virtual, hyper-social, maybe-kind-of-dehumanised landscape that, let’s face it, is our very own 2013. If that still weren’t enough: it’s also one of the wittiest, most shift-and-cringe-in-your-seat, and entirely LOL-hilarious movies of recent times.

“The UK has been great to me and my films in the past,” states Computer Chess director Andrew Bujalski, “and I couldn’t be more delighted to be bringing Computer Chess there with the (intimidatingly named!) Masters of Cinema Series. I hope that means that THEY’VE mastered cinema — I’m still, uh, working on that... And my education certainly wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t try to make at least one bizarre, left-field, mindbender movie — Computer Chess is that. I’m eager to get it to British audiences.”

Ron Benson, Managing Director of Eureka! Entertainment, comments: “Computer Chess is an audacious, poignant, and entertaining movie. It’s a rare film indeed that has the capability of appealing not only to general audiences, but to hardcore film buffs, to video-game enthusiasts, to chess mavens, to science lovers, to folk who are mesmerised by ‘retro’ design in all its forms — and to anyone who’s interested in how we collectively made our way from that earliest 1980s ‘digital era’ all the way up to the period of the iPhone and of the iPad. Audiences who took interest in the smash-hit retro-gaming documentary The King of Kong — not to mention anyone who has a warm place in their heart for Robert Altman’s classic ensemble film Nashville — will fall head-over-heels with Andrew Bujalski’s Computer Chess.”

Craig Keller, producer of The Masters of Cinema Series, remarks: “It’s an immense pleasure to be able to include Andrew Bujalski’s Computer Chess in The Masters of Cinema Series. With the astonishing series of films that Bujalski has directed over the last several years, this director has made his mark as one of the most consistently thrilling, most intelligent filmmakers in American cinema — okay, let’s just say world cinema taken as a whole, never mind as an ‘indie filmmaker’ or otherwise. Seeing Bujalski’s debut feature Funny Ha Ha was literally a life-changing experience for me, and he has not only consistently ‘delivered’ with each subsequent film but, from Mutual Appreciation to Beeswax, has exceeded, and checkmated, expectations. His work should be, and indeed of late has been, an inspiration to an entire generation of young filmmakers; it’s a body of work that sets the bar very high indeed for anyone, in any country, to aspire toward. Computer Chess, with its radical retro video aesthetic and wry rumination on digitality and where-we-are-today, marks another breakthrough. It’s an awesome film that’s sure to attain cult status and expose his vision to an even wider audience. It’s even farther-reaching, more ambitious, than everything he’s done before. And so I would have to say, simply and without hyperbole, that this is one of the most exciting releases we’ve had the honour of releasing.”

The Masters of Cinema Series producer Craig Keller and Eureka! Entertainment’s Managing Director Ron Benson negotiated the deal for the film with Andrew Herwitz, head of The Film Sales Company on behalf of the producers.

Computer Chess stars Patrick Riester, Myles Paige, James Curry, Robin Schwartz, Gerald Peary, and Wiley Wiggins. The film was produced by Houston King and Alex Lipschultz, and was directed by Andrew Bujalski.

check out the trailer...

Jeff Nichols' Mud Review

Jeff Nichols' Mud successfully presents a tale of broken romances and coming of age in a woozy Arkansas Summer, but falls victim to lashings of melodramatic clichés and an overstretched runtime.

The Take Shelter director's latest feature follows two teenage boys Elis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) who encounter Mud (Matthew McCougnahey), a fugitive who hopes to be reunited with his on-off girlfriend, Juniper (Reece Witherspoon).

Nichols' well-crafted sense of Americana and childhood nostalgia immediately suggest parallels to tales like Rob Reiner's Stand By Me - however, Mud feels slightly more contrived and dependent on manipulative melodramatic techniques than Reiner's film. Nichols' narrative is filled with Southern charm and sharply realistic characters, with the director capturing childhood hope and innocence in troubled surroundings. This core essence of Mud is relatively simple, but Nichols' screenplay has a tendency to dwell on elements that do not feel entirely relevant or pressing such as Neckbone's home life or the workings of Elis' parents relationship - resulting in the somewhat intimidating 135 minute run time. Nichols does provide a well-staged and dramatic conclusion to his Southern tale, however, this ultimately appears thirty minutes too late subsequently lessening its impact.

Cinematographer Adam Stone shoots Mud with a hazy gaze - capturing a modern America filled with Walmarts and fast-food places. This provides a modern  glance at youthful innocence in contemporary South - serving as somewhat of a 21st Century re-envisioning of the work of Mark Twain.  Stone has the ability to capture the sun-soaked beauty in anything from a grocery store parking  lot to Mud's island hideaway.  This sense of nostalgia and Americana is heightened by an impeccable soundtrack featuring the likes of The Beach Boy's Help Me Rhonda.

The real driving force behind Mud is the performances by the film's two young leads, Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland - both of which feel utterly genuine. Sheridan in particular pours such natural heart and soul into the role of Elis that it would be a challenge not to be impressed.

McCoughnahey also excels as the smart, chip-toothed  titular character who enchants Elis and Neckbone. However, McCougnahey's performance really reaches its peak in Mud's conclusion when the boys realise Mud's life is not exactly perfect. It would have been nice had Reece Witherspoon been given slightly more to do than play the two-dimensional loose-lipped Southern girl.   Cult favourites Joe Don Baker and Sam Shepard also leave a lasting impact with two smaller roles, alongside magnificent American Horror Story star, Sarah Paulson.

Mud serves as a hazy slice of Americana - ably capturing a changing world seen through the lens of youthful innocence. The impact of the stellar performances and cinematography, however,  is weakened by a over-stretched runtime and melodramatic clichés.

★★★☆☆

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Matthew McCougnahey, Reece Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Tye Sheridan
Director: Jeff Nichols
Release: 10th of May 2013
Rating: 12A

BBC Films' West Is West to premiere on BBC Two on Saturday 18th May

BBC Two will premiere West Is West, the sequel to internationally acclaimed and multi-award winning film East is East, on Saturday 18th May at 22:15.

West is Westis a coming of age story about confronting ones true desires and fears, no matter the age.

Thirteen year old Sajid (Aqib Khan) is struggling to meet his Pakistani father’s traditions in his home of Manchester, England. When Sajid finds himself in some trouble after ditching school his father George (Om Puri) decides to send him to Pakistan for a month to live with his first wife, whom he abandoned 30 years ago, to learn discipline and to grow-up. Upon arrival, Sajid finds that his father is not as highly regarded as he may have thought, and that Pakistan is not as idyllic as it was made to seem. George arrives at the end of the month to collect Sajid but is faced with his own self-image issue and realises that he himself has much to learn as well.

Directed by Andy De Emmony, West Is West stars Om Puri alongside Aqib Khan, Linda Bassett, Lesley Nicol, Ila Arun and Jimi Mistry.

Watch Trailer For J-Slasher It's A Beautiful Day (Kuso Subarashii Kono Sekai)

 A'World class slasher movie'  It's A Beautiful Day (Kuso Subarashii Kono Sekai) asks the question, is it really a beautiful day for all in this movie, watch the trailer!

Directed by Asakuro Kayoko It's A Beautiful Day apparently filmed in Los Angeles stars Korean actress Kim Khobbi (Breathess)as Ah-Joong a student who finds herself mixed up in a horrific incident. She gets invited by some Japanese students to a camp area just outside the city and despite the fact she's struggling with the language barrier she becomes even more alienated  when the others are more interested in sex, drugs and alcohol. Things go down hill even more when a group of malicious siblings decide to target the camp Ah-Joong and the students are living.

It's A Beautiful Day is set for a 8th June 2013 Japanese release, film stars Akihiro Kitamuro (Human Centipede), Nanako Ohata and Shijimi.

Synopsis

Korean international student A-Joong (Kim Kkobbi) takes part in a camp at a country village, located in the suburbs of Los Angeles. A-Joong isn't happy with the Japanese international students who seem to be addicted to alcohol, drugs or sex. At that time, some brothers, who make a living through murders and burglary, target the cottage where the international students stay.

source: Nipponcinema, AsianWiki

Watch UK trailer For Indie Horror Static

Milo Ventimiglia and Sara Paxton star in the critically acclaimed creepy horror Static which makes its debut on DVD thanks to Second Sight Films.

A young writer (Ventimiglia – Heroes, Rocky Balboa) and his wife (Sarah Shahi – Life) are struggling with the loss of their child but just as they are trying to get their lives back on track a hysterical young woman (Paxton – The Innkeepers, Last House on the Left), turns up at their secluded house in the middle of the night, claiming she is being chased by mysterious masked men. Letting her stay the night the couple are soon drawn into the horror when the unknown force starts to stalk them, a terrifying game of cat and mouse ensues, resulting in a shocking conclusion and one of the most chilling film finales of recent years.

Second Sight Films have sent us the UK trailer check it out



Static is written and directed by Todd Levin a music director making his feature film debut and will be premiering in the UK on DVD on 15 July 2013. No word on USA date however Cinedigm are confirmed they have the North American rights to the film, so an announcement on the date will be soon. We will be reviewing the film so stay tuned nearer the time to read that review

Pre-order/Buy:Static On DVD

Have Fun With Buckles In Short Film

 Clowns you sometimes wonder why people are terrified of them maybe Joe Ballarini has the answer in his short Buckle. Whilst waiting for his next studio project the Dance Of The Dead writer decided to keep his mind occupied by creating this horror short starring Signal star Justin Welborn. It's birthday time and Buckles has turned up to spread some birthday but as you'll see they get more than they bargained.

Great stuff here and thumbs up to Twitch for finding this little gem! Enjoy.

BUCKLES from Hidden Staircase on Vimeo.

Terracotta Far East Film Festival Lauch 2013 Programme

Tickets are now on sale for the fifth edition of the annual Terracotta Far East Film Festival.
Over the years the festival has seen the event go from strength to strength. This year is set to be the biggest yet, expanding to 27 films spread over 4 sections and 2 venues from 06 - 15 June 2013.

The core of the festival will remain a hand-picked selection of the best CURRENT ASIAN CINEMA at The Prince Charles Cinema. This all UK Premiere section reflects the vibrancy and energy in Asian filmmaking today. Ranging from realist dramas to romance, light comedies to spy action thrillers, swordfighting epics to gothic fairytales, the festival aims to balance the representation of Asian countries.

Terracotta Festival 2013 (TFEFF13) will open with Hong Kong action COLD WAR on Thursday 06 June 2013.

This year’s edition will also see a return to last year’s Terror Cotta Horror night on Friday 07 June in association with Film 4 Frightfest. The triple bill has now extended to an all-night horror marathon.

The organisers also have added the “IN MEMORY OF” section to mark the tenth anniversary of two of Hong Kong’s best loved and most missed stars: Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui.

Terracotta Festival 2013 will close out at the ICA with “SPOTLIGHT ON: Indonesia”. 11 - 15 June will be an entire week dedicated to Indonesian cinema, from the country's freshest emerging talent alongside work by established filmmakers. This new section will bring rare insight into one of Asia’s rising film powerhouses.

Guest actors and directors will be attending the festival to introduce their films, host Q&A sessions and run Masterclasses on various aspects of what it means to be a filmmaker today. Filmmakers in attendance will be announced closer to the festival dates.

Terracotta Far East Film Festival full Programme:


IN MEMORY OF: Leslie Cheung & Anita Mui

DAYS OF BEING WILD by WONG Kar Wai, Hong Kong – Wed 29 May 2013, 20:45
1994/ Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles/ 94mins/ starring Leslie CHEUNG, Maggie CHEUNG, Andy LAU, Tony LEUNG Chiu Wai
One of the most acclaimed masterpieces of modern cinema from one of Hong Kong’s finest auteur directors.


ROUGE by Stanley KWAN, Hong Kong – Thurs 06 June 2013, 17:50
1988/ Cantonese with English subtitles/ 96mins/ starring Anita MUI, Leslie CHEUNG
Part Romeo & Juliet, part ghost story, an outstanding and timeless classic.


HAPPY TOGETHER by WONG Kar Wai, Hong Kong - Fri 07 June 2013, 12:30
1997/ Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles/ 96 mins/ starring Leslie CHEUNG, Tony LEUNG Chiu Wai, CHEN Chang
The story of a gay love triangle slowly fragmenting and dislocating amidst the beautiful city of Buenos Aires.



CURRENT ASIAN CINEMA

COLD WAR by Sunny Luk, Longman Leung, Hong Kong – Opening Film Thurs 06 June 2013, 19:50
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Cantonese with English subtitles/ 102 mins/ starring Aaron Kwok, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Andy Lau
Police dealing with a sophisticated hijacking of a police van are outwitted at every turn.



LOVE ME NOT by Gilitte LEUNG, Hong Kong – Fri 07 June 2013, 14:30
UK Premiere/2012/ Cantonese with English Subtitles/ 92 mins/ starring Kenneth CHENG, Afa LEE
A sweet and daring portrait of blurred sexuality and love complications.



WHEN A WOLF FALLS IN LOVE WITH A SHEEP by HOU Chi-Jan, Taiwan – Fri 07 June 2013, 16:35
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Mandarin with English Subtitles/ 86 mins/ starring KO Chen Tung, CHIEN Man Shu, KUO Shu Yao, Nikki HSIEH
Vivid colours, lush set pieces and stop motion animation create a surreal, dreamy vision of Taipei.



YOUNG GUN IN THE TIME by OH Young-doo, South Korea- Fri 07 June 2013, 18:35
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Korean with English subtitles/ 95mins/ starring HONG Young-geun, HA Eun-jung, CHOI Song-hyun
Quirky, low-budget time travel romp filled with sex shops, robot hands and Hawaiian shirts.



KARAOKE GIRL by Visra Vichit VADAKAN, Thailand - Fri 07 June 2013, 20:30
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Thai with English subtitles/ 77 mins/ starring Sa SITTIJUN, The Sittijun family.
Realistic, unseedy portrayal of a lovely and lovelorn Bangkok hostess.



THE ASSASSINS by ZHAO Yiyang, China – Sat 08 June 2013, 12:00
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Mandarin with English subtitles/ 107 mins/ starring CHOW Yun Fat, TAMAKI Hiroshi, Crystal LIU Yi Fei
CHOW Yun Fat in a historical swordfighting epic tale of love, power and betrayal.


THE STORY OF YONOSUKE by OKITA Shuichi, Japan – Sat 08 June 2013, 14:20
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Japanese with English Subtitles/ 160 mins starring KORA Kengo, YOSHITAKA Yuriko
A story of a college student with an unusual name and a warm heart, spanning his college days in 1980’s Tokyo, as told by his closest friends and associates.


DRUG WAR by Johnnie TO, Hong Kong – Sat 08 June 2013, 17:30
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Mandarin with English Subtitles/ 107 mins/ starring Louis KOO, SUN Honglei, LAM Suet
Johnnie To’s fast moving actioner features a police captain and an arrested and coerced drug lord out to smash a major drug ring.


THE BERLIN FILE by RYOO Seung-wan, South Korea – Sat 08 June 2013, 19:45
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Korean with English subtitles/ 120mins/ starring HA Jung-woo, Gianna JUN, HAN Suk-Kyu, RYOO Seung-bum
North and South Korean agents in Berlin are tangled up in a BOURNE style multi-agency web of deceit.


SEE YOU TOMORROW, EVERYONE by NAKAMURA Yoshihiro, Japan - Sun 09 June 2013, 12:25
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Japanese with English Subtitles/ 120 mins/ starring HAMADA Gaku
Filmmakers behind the hugely entertaining FISH STORY bring you a multi-layered look into life on a Japanese council estate.


A WEREWOLF BOY by JO Sung-hee, South Korea - Sun 09 June 2013, 15:30
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Korean with English subtitles/ 125 mins/ starring SONG Joong-ki, PARK Bo-young, YOO Yeon-seok
Fantasy romance along the lines of EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, taking a traditional fairytale structure and setting it against a 1960's technicolor Korea.


THE BULLET VANISHES by LAW Chi Leung, Hong Kong – Sun 09 June 2013, 18:00
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Mandarin with English Subtitles/ 108 mins/ starring LAU Ching Wan, Nicholas Tse
Detectives are called to a munitions factory where murders involving “phantom bullets” are puzzling the forensics teams and spooking the local workforce.


THE LAND OF HOPE by SONO Sion, Japan - Sun 09 June 2013, 20:05
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Japanese with English Subtitles/ 133 mins/ starring HAMADA Gaku, ORTEGA Naomi
SONO Sion takes a step back from his usual over-the-top film-making style for a restrained drama dealing with a family’s struggles after the aftermath of a Fukushima-style nuclear power plant explosion in their town.



Terror Cotta Horror All-Nighter
COUNTDOWN by Nattawut POONPIRIYA, Thailand – Fri 07 June, 23:30- 07:10
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Thai and English with English Subtitles/ 90 mins/ starring Pachara CHIRATHIVAT, Jarinporn JOONKIAT, Pattarasaya KRUESUWANSIRI
New Year’s Eve in New York City goes wrong for three flat-mates when their drug dealer overstays his welcome and turns psycho on them.


BELENGGU by Upi, Indonesia – Fri 07 June, 23:30- 07:10
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Indonesian with English Subtitles/ 100 mins/ starring Abimana ARYASATYA, Avrilla.
Visions of violent murders, a giant, knife throwing rabbit and a mysterious femme-fatale. What is really going on in Elang’s head?


HENGE by HAJIME Ohata, Japan – Fri 07 June, 23:30- 07:10
UK Premiere / 2012/ Japanese with English Subtitles/ 54 mins/ starring MORITA Aki, KAZUNARI Aizawai
What would you do if the person that you loved most in the world turned into a monster right before your eyes?


THE GHOST STORY OF YOTSUYA by NAKAGAWA Nobuo, Japan – Fri 07 June, 23:30- 07:10
1959/ Japanese with English Subtitles/ 76 mins/ starring AMACHI Shigeru, KITAZAWA Noriko, WAKASUGI Katsuko
A classic retrospective presentation of an old Japanese Macbeth-like folk tale.


ZOMVIDEO by MURAKAMI Kenji, Japan – Fri 07 June, 23:30- 07:10
UK Premiere / 2011/ Japanese with English Subtitles/ 76 mins starring YAJIMA Maimi, NAKAJIMA Saki
Could you survive a zombie apocalypse? Zomvideo will show you how.


SPOTLIGHT ON: Indonesia

THE DANCER by Ifa ISFANSYAH, Indonesia – Tue 11 June, time tbc
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Indonesian with English Subtitles/ 107 mins/ starring Oka ANTARA, Prisia NASUTION, Slamet RAHARJO, Dewi IRAWAN, Hendro DJAROT, Lukman SARDI
The story of a girl destined to be the ronggeng of her village in the 60's political turmoil. Indonesia’s official entry at the 85th Academy Awards.


LOVELY MAN by Teddy SOERIAATMADJA, Indonesia – Wed 12 June, time tbc
UK Premiere/ 2011/ Indonesian with English Subtitles/ 76 mins/ starring Donny DAMARA, Raihaanun NABILA, Yayu aw UNRU, Luddy SAPUTRO
A provocative, powerful father-daughter story unlike any you’ve seen.


WHAT THEY DON’T TALK ABOUT WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT LOVE by Mouly SURYA, Indonesia – Thurs 13 June, time tbc
UK Premiere/ 2012/ Indonesian with English Subtitles/ 105 mins/ starring Karina SALIM, Ayushita NUGRAHA, Nicholas SAPUTRA, Anggun PRIAMBODO, Lupita Jennifer
At a special needs boarding school, the students are like any other teenagers: they attend classes, pursue artistic endeavours, and occupy their minds with love and dreams.

POSTCARDS FROM THE ZOO by Edwin, Indonesia – Fri 14 June, time tbc
2012/ Indonesian with English Subtitles/ 96 mins/ starring Ladya Cheryl, Nicholas SAPUTRA, Adjie Nur AHMAD
Premiered at Berlinale, a story which revolves around Lana, a girl who was raised in a zoo after she was abandoned.


OPERA JAWA by Garin NUGROHO / Arturo Gp / Arswendi, Indonesia – Sat 15 June, time tbc
2006/ Indonesian with English Subtitles/ 125 mins starring Martinus MIROTO, Artika Sari DEVI, Eko SUPRIYANTO
A traditional Indonesian tragedy is reworked into a visually stunning musical in OPERA JAWA.

THE BLINDFOLD by Garin NUGROHO, Indonesia – Sat 15 June, time tbc
UK Premiere / 2012/ Indonesian with English Subtitles/ 90 mins starring Jajang C. NOER, Adriani ISNA, Eka Nusa PERTIWI
The story of three young people lured into a radical Islamic organisation.



Venues:

IN MEMORY OF: Leslie Cheung & Anita Mui, CURRENT ASIAN CINEMA, Terror Cotta Horror All-Nighter at Prince Charles Cinema
7 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BY / Box Office : +44 (0)20 7494 3654

Tickets at Prince Charles Cinema: £8.50 non members, no concessions/ £6.00 (PCC Members)

(Friday afternoon: £6.50/ £4.00)


Festival Pass: £59.50 non members/ £48 members

EARLY BIRD PASS*: £55 non members/ £45 members (excludes Terror Cotta Horror Night and ICA Spotlight on Indonesia)

*if you buy early before Sunday 12th May, midnight

Terror-Cotta Horror All-nighter: £22 non members/ £19.50 members

SPOTLIGHT ON: Indonesia at Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA):
The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH / Box Office: +44 (0)20 7930 3647

Tickets at ICA: £10 / £8 Concessions / £7 ICA Members

More information or to  book tickets head over to Terracotta website: www.terracottafestival.com

Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England will be the first ever UK film released on DVD, on free TV, VoD Same Day!

Film4, Picturehouse Entertainment, 4DVD, Film4 Channel partner for day-and-date release– with support from the BFI Distribution Fund

Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England will be the first ever film to be released in UK nationwide cinemas, on free TV, on DVD and on Video-on-Demand on the same day – with Film4, Picturehouse Entertainment, 4DVD and Film4 Channel partnering for nationwide multi-platform distribution on Friday 5th July. The film is one of the first to receive funding from the BFI Distribution Fund New Models strand, which supports experimental and ambitious release models.

The unique release will give audiences and fans of Wheatley’s previous films (Down Terrace, Kill List, Sightseers) the choice of how and where to experience his new film – a brilliant psychedelic trip into magic and madness – whether it’s amidst an audience in the cinema, followed by a satellite Q&A with Ben and the cast; delving into multiple extras on a special edition DVD; from the comfort of the sofa showcased with a director’s intro and interview on TV; or the freedom to watch when they want on VoD. The more intrepid audiences can also follow in the footsteps of the film’s characters, with screenings planned in a field (or few) in England across the summer.

A Field in England is the first feature to be developed and fully financed through Film4’s innovation hub Film4.0, and was conceived as a film which would be funded, shot, edited and distributed in an agile and ambitious way. A digital masterclass designed to immerse audiences in the making of the film will also launch around release, developed by Film4.0 in partnership with the filmmakers. Through behind-the-scenes interviews, on-set videos, and unseen rushes, Ben Wheatley, cast and key crew will take the audience on a unique journey through the creative choices that determined the final cut.

Ben Wheatley says: "It's great to team up with Film4 to make this film and to work with new partners such as Picturehouse and 4DVD. We have tried to innovate with this film, in production and distribution. I'm very proud of the results and look forward to sharing the film with the audience."

Anna Higgs, Film4.0 Commissioning Editor, says: “From the word go, A Field in England was a hugely original idea - you'd expect no less from Ben and Amy – so we wanted to build the project with the team in a way that was true to that. The film is a really exciting next step in the progression of Ben's work as a director and will be something the likes of which a whole generation of audiences won't have ever seen. I'm incredibly pleased we've formed this innovative partnership to take this brilliant film out to them in a truly ground-breaking way."

Sue Bruce-Smith, Film4’s Head of Commercial and Brand Strategy, says: “Ben is undoubtedly one of our boldest, brightest and most audience savvy filmmakers and so it made complete sense to look to develop a project with him that would lend itself to this kind of daring and innovative release. We’re lucky to have found in Picturehouse Entertainment, 4DVD, the Film4 channel and BFI partners who share our vision to disrupt the status quo and experiment with new distribution patterns, to create this exciting event style release.”

Clare Binns, Director of Programming and Acquisitions, says: "We're proud to have an intimate understanding of our audience, as are Film4, which is what makes this collaboration so exciting. Our eagerness to explore and experiment with new platforms of distribution in an evolving film landscape makes us all the more thrilled to be able to get this innovative film out there to the audience it so readily deserves. Ben Wheatley is a genuinely unique British talent and we could not be happier to be working with him on this film."

A Field in England is written by Amy Jump and produced by Claire Jones and Andy Starke at Rook Films, with Anna Higgs Executive Producer for Film4. Protagonist Pictures are handling international sales.

interview with Devil's Business director Sean Hogan

On the eve of the UK TV premiere of THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS on Horror Channel, Sean Hogan talks about the future of the horror film industry, the importance of a good script and his forthcoming doc on the UK comic 2000AD.

THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS is broadcast on Sat May 11, 22:55,

Q: How did The Devil’s Business come together?
SH: I’d been waiting a long time for another project to come together, and out of sheer frustration, I had a meeting with my producer Jen Handorf one night and proposed that we made something for very little money, just to get back in the saddle. I’d recently seen Down Terrace and really liked it, and my feeling was that you didn’t need a whole lot of money to make something, just a good script, talented actors and one location. So I sat down and wrote Devil’s Business to be done along those lines. What happened then was, the other project finally happened, but turned out to be a nightmare experience. So once the dust had settled, I really needed to wash the bad taste out of my mouth. So Jen proposed we went back to The Devil’s Business. It came together really quickly after that, we basically pulled it all together in a few months.

Q: Did the script take long to write?
SH: Not really. It was short, for one thing! And I was kind of on a roll when I wrote it; I’d written about five scripts already that year so the gears were well oiled. Besides, it really was one of those times where the characters took over and wrote themselves – it always sounds horribly pretentious when writers say that, but what can I tell you, it’s true! I normally outline much more than I did on Devil’s Business, but in this instance I just sat down and started writing with only a vague sense of what was going to happen. For instance, when I wrote Pinner’s monologue, I didn’t really know what he was going to say or how it would impact the rest of the film; all I knew was that he was going to tell a strange story. And it all just came flooding out. It certainly isn’t always that simple, so I have fond memories of writing it.

Q: Was it a hard movie to cast?
SH: No, we were fairly lucky in that department. We didn’t have a casting director, so it was largely a case of me and Jen scouring Spotlight and looking at showreels etc. That was how we found Billy Clarke, who played Pinner. He was the first person who read for the part and I just loved him immediately. Johnny Hansler was someone I’d auditioned for another film – he wasn’t right for that part but I made a note that if we ever did Devil’s he’d be great for Mr Kist, so we just made him an offer based on that. And Jack Gordon was a recommendation via his agency, who Jen had a working relationship with. Again, he just came in and rocked the audition. Easiest casting process I’ve ever had, despite the lack of resources.

Q: How did you go about funding for the film?
SH: It was private money. We wanted to control the production ourselves - because we’d had enough of meddling, crooked, incompetent executives – so Jen and I invested some money to get things going. And then we approached some other people we knew to kick in some cash as well. We knew that if we tried to get it made through official industry channels it would take forever and we’d have to put up with a ton of less-than-helpful script notes, so we made a decision we’d just do it our way – for less money, but with more control. It was hard work doing it on the budget, but the actual experience of doing it with no outside interference was sheer bliss.
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Q: The film picked up some great reviews including one that stated “…smart British horror has a touch of the Roald Dahl to it” that’s quite a compliment.
SH: We were very happy with the response, without a doubt. From my perspective, I had no idea how the film would be received; it was just cathartic to make it. I figured that it was such a small production that it might easily disappear without a trace. And besides, it isn’t really a conventional horror film in many ways; it’s quite dialogue-driven and character-based, which always puts some people off. So I was definitely steeling myself for the worst. But then we premiered it at FrightFest and got wonderful reviews, and it went on from there. So I was delighted – I’ve had bad luck with UK distribution in the past, so to get that sort of a reaction was very rewarding. And it definitely made everyone’s hard work worth it.

Q: You must be pleased that the film is getting its UK TV premiere on the Horror Channel?
SH: Certainly am. Again, if you’d said to me when we were shooting it that the film would eventually play cinemas, come out on DVD and then show on TV, I’d have probably asked you what you were on and where could I get some. The Horror Channel has been very supportive of me and so I’m really pleased we’ve found a home here.

Q: What state do you think the British horror movie industry is in?
SH: It’s very tough, certainly at an independent level. DVD sales are down and whilst I think VOD will eventually take up the slack, it isn’t there yet. But horror is reliant on those sorts of areas to make it viable. So you get a lot of distributors asking you to make something along the lines of what was successful last year. Which I hate hearing, not least because that never works. I’ve certainly been asked to make something similar to Kill List, for instance. But Kill List was successful because it wasn’t like anything else at the time, and if you just try and copy that, the audience will smell it a mile off. And anyway, we kept getting compared to Kill List anyway, so why would I want to do that again? I honestly think a lot of it comes down to a lack of respect for the genre; a lot of industry people just see it as product and not worth any serious consideration. Therefore you get a lot of crap being made, just because it ticks certain commercial boxes. And so if you want to do something different, you run into difficulty. But there are definitely good UK filmmakers out there, so I just hope that everyone keeps plugging away and making films one way or another. Because if history shows us anything, it’s that good horror usually comes out of the independent sector anyway.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a director or work in the horror industry?
SH: It’s obvious, but my primary point is always to pay attention to your script. The writing really isn’t worth a damn in most horror films. And yet it costs no money to get your characters and dialogue written properly. So if you can’t write, find someone who can. Similarly, cast good actors – they may not be famous names, but you can certainly find people who can act. Trust me, it’s easy if the script is good – actors are desperate for quality material. Don’t make something that’s just by the numbers – we’ve all seen the classic horror films, doesn’t mean we want to see slavish copies/homages. Figure out what really scares you and put it onscreen – because if it scares you then odds are it will scare someone else. And for god’s sake yes, please try and be scary. Rape and torture are not scary, and I’m so incredibly bored with how much of that we’re seeing right now. It’s easy to be upsetting, but it’s not easy to be scary.

Q: So what are you working on at the moment?
SH: Jen and I are developing a script called No Man’s Land, which is a horror movie set in the trenches of WWI. We’ve had a lot of interest over that, so I’m hopeful we can get that going this year. I’m attached to a bunch of other projects as well, but that’s where I’m focusing right now. I’m also producing a documentary called Future Shock!, which tells the story of the legendary UK comic 2000AD. That’s proving to be a lot of fun, and the response to us making it has been great. That should be ready sometime next year.

Sean Hogan, thank you very much.
Read our review of the Devil's Business here.

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