Conference Leeds

Preview of Leeds International Film Festival

Written by Louisa Parker

Preview of Leeds International Film Festival
Gala opening at the Leeds Town Hall. Photo attribution: Rick Harrison

Leeds International Film Festival (3rd to 20th November 2011) is the biggest UK film festival outside London. It has a varied programme of commercial and independent, experimental, international and documentary films. The 25th LIFF begins on the 3rd of November 2011 with a gala opening at Leeds Town Hall, where there will be a screening of a new version of Wuthering Heights, by the BAFTA award winning film maker, Andrea Arnold.

Filmed on location in the wilds of North Yorkshire, Wuthering Heights premiered at the Venice Film Festival and stars Kaya Scodelario as Catherine Earnshaw and James Howson as Heathcliffe. By casting a black actor as Heathcliffe, this will be the first time that a film version of Emily Bronte’s famous novel takes into consideration her description of Heathcliffe as being ‘dark skinned’

Venues for Leeds International Film Festival

The festival is a great chance to view films in venues other than cinemas, such as the Howard Assembly Rooms at the Grand Theatre, a 350 seat flexible venue, recently restored to its original Victorian splendour and worth a visit all year round for a varied programme of art, talks and performance, all programmed by Opera North.

Other LIFF venues include East Street Arts – Leeds’ biggest artists’ studios, the University of Leeds, Leeds Art Gallery and Town Hall, Nation of Shopkeepers and the Hi-Fi club. However if you prefer a bit of popcorn with your pelicular there are festival screenings at the Hyde Park Picture House on Brudenell Road and at the Vue Cinema in The Light Shopping Centre.

Leeds International Film Festival pre-launch night

This year also sees a LIFF taster and launch of the official programme on Light Night Leeds, the 7th of October, with free screenings of the silent classic Nosferatu with live organ accompaniment. Also showing are animated films by the Quay Brothers and a special screening of A Poet Goes North, a 1960 documentary featuring Sir John Betjeman. Its Number 39 on the Light Night Leeds guide, see the Light Night website for further details.

Some very big films have premiered at the Leeds festival, including The Butterfly Effect and Finding Nemo, but it is perhaps best to approach a festival like this as a sort of pot luck event, without trying too hard to pick out particular films to see.

Allow yourself to be surprised and take a few risks, there are several programmes of films, about to be announced as I write, with something to please everyone. You don’t even need to worry about missing out as the most popular films, especially those which sell out, are repeated during the last weekend of the festival so that audiences get a second chance to see them.

Highlights of the 25th Leeds International Film Festival

Look out for an appearance by Paul Merton, introducing Silent Clowns, a night of silent film comedy genius, also a concert film by the Icelandic band Sigur Ros and John Carpenter’s The Thing.

It’s possible that I am of too nervous a disposition to attend the famous Day of the Dead/Night of the Dead at the Hyde park Picture House and the City Varieties, a gore filled splatter fest, which this year features a Cuban zombie film, Juan of the Dead, a special treat for Spanish language fans like me. Perhaps I’ll be ok if I take someone to hold my hand.

There are hundreds of films showing at the festival, arranged into five programmes: Cherry Kino’s ‘wondermental cinema’, Cinema Versa for documentaries, Fanomenon for Horror and Sci-Fi, UK premieres in the Official Selection and Short Film City (the clue’s in the title) and don’t forget the Thought Bubble

The full programme of films will be announced on the 7th of October at Leeds Town Hall as part of Light Night Leeds and you will be able to pick up an official guide here as well as attending some free screenings, starting at 6pm.

Tickets for Leeds International Film Festival

Tickets for the 25th LIFF are on sale now and although it is possible to pay for films on the door at individual events you should think about buying a pass which lets you into every screening over the 18 day festival if you are serious about seeing a lot of films, it’s very good value, especially if you buy an early bird pass (£80 before the 24th of October, £95 after) although watch out, it only gives you a discount at a couple of important events.

There is a double pass which is even better value at £140 before the 24th. Tickets can be bought online but must be picked up from the Box Office at the Carriageworks Theatre in Millennium Square.

Find out more details on the Leeds International Film Festival.

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