London Film Festival 2009: Line-up announced
Preview by Jack Foley
FILM fans are to get a triple dose of George Clooney during The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival as three of his new films will be featured as part of the diverse line-up.
The former ER heartthrob turned Oscar-winning actor will lend his voice to opening film, The Fantastic Mr Fox, which receives its world premiere at the festival, and takes the lead in both The Men Who Stare At Goats and Up In The Air.
Both of the latter two films have received debuts at the ongoing Venice Film Festival and overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Artistic Director Sandra Hebron was pleased to include the films as part of another diverse selection of world and international premieres, which includes a total of 191 features and 113 shorts screening alongside an exciting line-up of special events and expected guests.
Aside from the world premiere of The Fantastic Mr Fox, other films celebrating their world premieres include Sam Taylor-Wood’s previously announced closing night gala Nowhere Boy and the Festival’s first ever Archive Gala, the BFI’s new restoration of Anthony Asquith’s Underground, with live music accompaniment by the Prima Vista Social Club, led by Neil Brand.
The Festival will also host 23 European premieres, including Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Scott Hicks’ The Boys Are Back, starring Clive Owen, and Robert Connolly’s Balibo, featuring an outstanding central performance from Without A Trace‘s Anthony Lapaglia.
The four international premieres that will be featured are 45365 from Bill and Turner Ross, Celine Danhier’s Blank City, Mike Judge’s Extract and Rumle Hammerich’s Headhunter.
Festival audiences will also have the chance to enjoy the UK premiere of John Lasseter’s Toy Story 2 in Disney Digital 3D™.
Presenting a total of 146 UK premieres, the festival showcases new work from established and emerging filmmakers alongside debuts by newly discovered talents.
Directors travelling to London to introduce their latest work will include Michael Haneke (Cannes Palme d’Or winner, The White Ribbon), Atom Egoyan (Chloe), Steven Soderbergh (The Informant!), Lone Scherfig (An Education), Ang Lee (Taking Woodstock), Jane Campion (Bright Star), Gaspar Noé (Enter The Void) and Lee Daniels (Precious).
In addition, the festival will welcome back previous alumni such as John Hillcoat (The Road), Joe Swanberg (Alexander The Last) and Harmony Korine (Trash Humpers), whilst also screening films from Jim Jarmusch (The Limits Of Control), Claire Denis (White Material), Todd Solondz (Life During Wartime) and Joel and Ethan Coen (A Serious Man).
The programme introduces the work of debut directors including Tom Ford (A Single Man), Jordan (daughter of Ridley) Scott (Cracks) and Warwick Thornton (Samson & Deliliah).
Amongst the many British directors making their feature film debuts at the festival are Paul King (Bunny And The Bull), Malcolm Venville (44 Inch Chest), David Morrissey (Don’t Worry About Me), Tom Harper (The Scouting Book For Boys), Lindy Heymann (Kicks) and J Blakeson (The Disappearance Of Alice Creed).
For the sixth year running, the festival will host a free outdoor screening in Trafalgar Square.
London Moves Me is an evening of more than 20 archive shorts that, in a link to the restoration of Underground, celebrate transport in London – a whistle stop tour from 1896 to 2009 with live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand. Open to all, London Moves Me will screen on October 22.
As always, complementing the screenings is a full programme of unique Special Events, with an outstanding line-up of directors, writers, actors and producers due to attend the Festival.
Other guests expected to attend the Festival in October include: Clive Owen; Julianne Moore; Ray Winstone; Aaron Johnson; Nick Park; Catherine Breillat; Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Emma Thompson, Matthew Beard, Olivia Williams, Dominic Cooper; Nick Hornby; Lu Chan; Juno Temple; Alex Etel; Eliza May Bennett; Hugh Bonneville; Pauline Collins; Kwyedza Kureya; Federico León; Anurag Kashyap; Tarik Saleh; Josh Harris and James Schamus with many more still to be confirmed.
Commenting on the festival line-up, Artistic Director Sandra Hebron said: “I’m delighted that we have such a strong and varied programme this year, presenting new work from some of the world’s most renowned directors alongside films from exciting new talents, and showcasing creativity and imagination from around the world.
“We look forward to October when film-makers, industry and media guests and our public audiences will join us in London for what promises to be an exciting, stimulating and enjoyable two weeks.”
The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival runs from October 14 to October 29.