Articles from First Weekenders Club
Dec 16, 2009 | No Comments | BySophie Ivan
Sam Taylor-Wood in action:directing Nowhere Boy
About a third of the way into Nowhere Boy, there’s a moment which snaps the viewer back to director Sam Taylor-Wood’s debut short, Love You More: a close-up of a needle being delicately settled on a vinyl groove, an audible crackle which sparks an electric sense of silent anticipation and sexual tension… And then a rock ‘n’ roll record lets rip. Except, this time round, it’s not 1978 and it’s not the Buzzcock’s unrestrained ‘Love You More’ providing both foreplay and soundtrack to the teenage protagonists’ charming, fumbling, randy lovemaking; it’s the fag end of the 1950s, it’s Screamin’ Jay Hawkins howling, thrilling ‘I Put a Spell on You’ on the stereo, and the two thumping hearts trying not to be heard over it belong to a teenager called John Lennon and his estranged mother. In essence, it’s a tad more complicated this time round. Read the full story
Nov 30, 2009 | No Comments | ByLaura Lacey-Freeman
Cracks director: Jordan Scott
Jordan Scott has wanted to direct feature films for a long time – it was just a question of finding the right material. And when Cracks came along, she knew instantly that she’d found the script that she was waiting for. Set in an austere, all girls’ boarding school, Cracks is a dark and troubling story of obsession and loss of innocence. Scott has directed short films – including Never Never and Portrait – and contributed a segment to All The Invisible Children, a collection of seven short films with a common theme, the exploitation of children, which also included sections from Spike Lee and John Woo. For Scott, 30, filmmaking is in the blood. Her father, Sir Ridley Scott, has directed modern classics including Alien, Thelma and Louise, and Gladiator. Her mother, Sandy Watson, is a producer and her uncle, Tony Scott, and brother, Jake Scott, are directors. She has also directed commercials for several leading brands including Prada, Renault and Land Rover. Cracks is her feature film debut. Read the full story
Sep 10, 2009 | No Comments | ByMarcie Maclellan
Three Miles North of Molkom directed by Corinna Villari-McFarlane and Robert Cannan
Three Miles North of Molkom, a documentary that follows fabulously relatable characters through the Shamanic rituals of a Swedish spiritual-enlightenment festival is a film that should be seen. It has been described as “a sheer delight” by The Mirror, “a hoot” by The Guardian and “hilarious” by The Times, but filmmakers Corinna Villari-McFarlane and Robert Cannan, do not want viewers to walk away with the notion that ‘this is dark’ or ‘this is hilarious.’ Unafraid of confusion, they simply hope that you will walk away sensing that something amazing has happened. And, cynic or believer, hippy or not, you will. Read the full story
Jul 28, 2009 | No Comments | ByRachel Millward
Rumba, in selected cinemas from Friday 31st July
Now this is a film to get excited about. Highly stylised, entirely original, startlingly optimistic and very, very funny, this 77 minute treat from directing trio Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy, is a charming fusion of film and physical theatre. Like a breath of very fresh sea air, the expert cast employ movement and dance to convey narrative and emotion, with hardly any dialogue. It’s quirky in the very best sense of that slightly irritating word. It’s the type of innovative style we have seen occasionally in short film, but which is very rarely given the chance to blossom into a feature. Well, this time, thanks to the creative investment of Belgium and France, it has - and we suggest you don’t miss out!
Our friends at the ICA have very kindly given us 3 pairs of tickets to give away to you lucky readers for the opening night: Friday 31st July, at 8.15pm.
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Jul 8, 2009 | No Comments | ByMarcie Maclellan
Rebecca Miller
BEV’s new reviewer Marcie MacLellan has both read and watched Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and last week had the chance to talk to the inspirational director, Rebecca Miller. Read on for her review:
“I’ve had enough of being an enigma, I want to be known.”
When this line is delivered by the title character of Rebecca Miller’s new film, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, it’s hard to predict what surprises are in store. Played by a subdued Robin Wright-Penn, Pippa Lee appears to be anything but mysterious. But as with any good movie, all is not as it seems.
Perhaps this line is one of the more poignant in the film because Miller is a bit of an enigma herself. Writer, director and best-selling author of the book of the same name, Miller’s life could read like a Hollywood script. But it’s her unwillingness to box her film into a particular genre or wax lyrical about its main message that makes her so elusive – in the best kind of way.
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Jun 30, 2009 | No Comments | ByBirds Eye View
American Teen is the touching and hilarious Sundance hit from Director Nanette Burstein, following the lives of five teenagers through their senior year of high school in a small town in Indiana. It screened at the BEV festival in March this year, followed by a fantastic Director Q&A with Nanette Burstein via video link-up to the States. Audiences loved it!
COMPETITION: To celebrate the release of American Teen on DVD Birds Eye View has five copies to give away to our lucky blog readers. Don’t miss out! Read on for details…
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