April Events

There’s no possible way you can be angry with April. April Fools, April showers, longer day, this is one hell of a month.

There’s no possible
way you can be angry with April. April Fools, April showers, longer day, this
is one hell of a month. In the wake of British summertime and the 2012
London Olympics, we’ve rounded up the best of the month’s film events held by
organisations, venues and institutions all over the country so you’ve got
something to look forward to in the meantime.

Consistent in their mission to promote awareness and
education, Dochouse has an inspiring
selection of global documentaries across the month showing at four key London
venues. Mika Koskinen’s focus on Chinese local government diplomacy Red Forest Hotel and the challengingly
funny Empire of Dust enjoy their UK
premieres as part of the season, which is held every Thursday, and Yemen revolution
feature The Reluctant Revolutionary
is followed by a Q&A with director Sean
McAllister. DocHouse is a
leading organization in bringing international and domestic documentaries alike
to UK audiences through festivals, seasons and events, as well as offering
courses in documentary making itself. Find details of all their upcoming
screenings HERE

Up north
the hugely acclaimed Bradford Film
Festival returns for its 18^th year. This year’s opening film is
movie marmite Damsels in Distress, Whit
Stillman’s much
anticipated fourth feature about a well to do trio of college girls, and shows
at the National
Media Museum’s Pictureville Cinema on the 19^th of April. From
then on it’s a riot of special screenings, including academy nominated Albert Nobbs, Spanish animation Wrinkles and British drama In Love
with Alma Cogan, as well as an after dark collection of creepy horror
instalments and no less than eight UK premieres making up the festival’s
Uncharted States of America.

Barbara
Windsor and Ray Winstone will
be popping along for a chat this year, and also the festival will be hosting a
filmmakers weekend brimming with classes, workshops and talks to help spur on
the next Ken Loach or Shane Meadows. The lovely festival
website, including full programme, news and ticket information, can be found HERE http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/bradfordinternationalfilmfestival

Danny
Boyle directing the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics later in the year is an easy excuse to
celebrate the best in British directors, and BFI Southbank are heartily
promoting this with a month long celebration of our nation’s finest film
makers. In association with Birds Eye
View, an organisation that focuses on women in film, the riverside cinema
will be playing a programme of acclaimed female filmmakers, including Lynne Ramsey who last year brought us
the BAFTA nominated adaptation of We
Need to Talk About Kevin, Fish Tank
director Andrea Arnold and Oscar
nominated Lucy Walker (Countdown to Zero.) Dreams Of A Life director and writer Carol Morely will also be appearing to
talk about her career and women’s contribution to cinema. The month’s screening
and booking information can be found on the BFI Southbank website HERE

Just teetering on the first of the month (technically this
starts on the 29^th of March but who’s judging) is Dead by Dawn, the menacingly named
horrorfest held in Edinburgh’s FilmHouse.
An annual event, the weekend bears some of the most gruesome and grotty horror
films around, with deliciously tacky Japanese fright fest Red Tears clashing against chilling child flick The Omen and small town Spanish spook Lobos de Arga. Probably the most
prolific film of the weekend however will be Drew Goddard and Joss
Whedon’s Cabin in the Woods (Main Picture), the slasher film and then some that will
terrify and tantalise whoever manages to snatch up a ticket on the closing
night. To boot there’s a short film competition and showcases, guest speakers
and a decent offering of free stuff. Grab your tickets while you can HERE

Saturday the 14^th at the XOYO in London you will find the Fringe!Gay film festival presenting a special lesbian drop in
afternoon and a selection of short films for absolutely free. The Fringe!
Festival will be running from the 12^th to 15^th of April
and will be promoting the deadly combination of films, parties, and creative
events to help promote the 20^th anniversary of New Queer Cinema.
With film’s like Weekend and The Kids Are Alright bringing lesbian
and gay cinema firmly onto the radar, an event such as this is perfect for scouting
out the type of critically and publically acclaimed films that make it into
awards season. Details of this free event and the rest of the festival can be
found HERE

So whether it’s scares, thrills, an education or inspiration in
cinema that you are craving for the next few weeks the above should whack a
content smile on your face wherever you are.