Why I Love Film Festivals

Apart from all the MOVIES!

The London Film Festival is currently in full swing.  And while I get to take a backseat working from Greece, I also get to watch my colleagues in the UK indulge in stroppy talent-handling and late boozy nights with journalists.  I've been to opening nights, closing nights, gala screenings, you name it, several times now and I never fail to fall in love that little bit more with film festivals.

They do a fantastic job of bringing what would otherwise be considered unknown films to interested audiences. And not only that, but when the film festivals are successful and they acquire enough media attention then they could really do a lot for a country's/city's image.  Take this article in last month's Guardian in the UK on the Athens Film Festival.  It's a really positive piece on a city trying to make the best of a very bad situation.  I'm so glad to see that amidst all the bad press that the international media also sees some positive things coming out of this country.  

I encourage each and everyone of you to find a film festival near you and buy tickets for a film you would never normally see.  Be adventurous, widen your horizons and you might have a whole new enjoyable experience.  You may even learn something new!  Loads of festivals have writers, directors, producers and actors in attendance after the film screenings to take part in Question & Answer sessions.  These are a lot of fun and a great opportunity to meet and engage with people with which you wouldn't normally have the chance.  Film festivals are a great thing and we, as audience members, should support them.

For an essential guide to the film festival and films you shouldn't miss, take a look at this Daily Telegraph article.

Some of the films at the London Film Festival that are getting me excited.

Carnage by Roman Polanski

Jane Eyre by Cary Fukunaga

Martha Marcy May Marlene by Sean Durkin

Shame by Steve McQueen

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lynne Ramsay

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