Arts & Culture
Originally published on Tuesday, 8th January 2013
FILMATHON
From Utah and Palm Springs to Berlin and homegrown cinema
If anyone has captured the overall sentiment of January, it's Selfridges. Their No Noise concept features a Quiet Shop (no phones, no talking) selling an edit of de-branded products, "Headspace" pods with guided meditation and The Silence Room for some inner-sanctum down time. While we understand that January can't be all peace and quiet, we're turning to the Big Screen for a little of our own mind time-out.
Film is in the 2K13 air: we’re willing to sit through a 3-hour, heavy hitting Tarantino; the Box Office is rife with big league Oscar-worthy contenders (Gangster Squad, Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln, Quartet); and our choice of home-watching has consisted of Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Searching For Sugar Man.
If you’re after a more alternative scope, there’s plenty on. The highly lauded London Short Film Festival has just started, showing an edited crop of the UK’s cream of independent cinema, as well as industry events and parties – our pick is tonight’s Fashion Popcorn party, an exploration of the links between fashion, film and technology. For something lighter head to the Studio Ghibli Select-Rospective, a celebration of the Tokyo Anime House, which will show My Neighbour Totoro, Porco Rosso and Spirited Away back to back.
For a side of travel with your cinema, then Sundance is looming, though you’ll have to blag/bribe as ticket packages are sold out (sit tight for London’s turn in April). If not, we can look forward to the highlights coming our way soon: LA-based, Generation X drama Afternoon Delight, a Beasts of the Southern Wild-esq short (complete with Quvenzhané Wallis) Boneshaker and Don Jon's Addiction, the “A-lister” one.
Alternatively, there’s Slamdance – which runs alongside Sundance (also in Utah) as the self-proclaimed ‘anarchic’ festival – and the Palm Springs Fest which showcases the best international festival circuit films of 2012. Expect, among others, Amour, Barbara and Rust and Bone. Otherwise, book ahead for Tribeca this spring.
Europe-wise, the Berlinale in February is one of the best on the continent, showcasing about 400 films – mostly premieres – of every genre imaginable. And lastly, for buffs who really want to talk film, the Berlinale Talent Campus offers hands-on training for producers, directors and scriptwriters as well as screenings from emerging talent submissions: this year’s theme was “Some Like It Hot”.
Info
London Short Film Festival, until January 13, at cinemas Londonwide
Studio Ghibli Select-Rospective, January 13 from 12.25pm, The Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BY
