BFI London Film Festival 2009 – Martyn's Report

Published on October 30, 2009 by Martyn Conterio · View Comments

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And so the 53rd London Film Festival has come to a close. For the past two weeks cinema venues in the West End have hosted world premieres (Fantastic Mr. Fox), Royal Gala screenings (Bright Star) and closed with another world premiere: Nowhere Boy – the story of John Lennon’s youth, directed by Sam Taylor Wood.

What makes the London Film Festival different from all the rest is its lack of exclusivity: it is the people’s film festival! There is a wonderful “no nonsense” approach to the proceedings. It is all focused on celebrating the joy invoked by cinema. There has been pretty much something here for everyone: Hollywood movies, experimental film, comedies, auteur works, shorts, documentaries and animations.

Also packed into the two week programme were screen talks with celebrated actors (Julianne Moore and Clive Owen), director workshops (Gasper Noe, Jane Campion and Jacques Audiard) and retrospective screenings (Abel Gance’s 1919 masterpiece J’Accuse!).

Whilst it frowns upon full glitz-and-glamour awards ceremonies like Cannes and Venice, there is a small gathering to hand out a few trophies. The award for Best Film was given to French prison drama A Prophet directed by Jacques Audiard and living acting legend – John Hurt – was bestowed a British Film Institute Fellowship award.

It was a particularly strong line-up this year with new films by Wes Anderson, John Hillicoat, Jane Campion, Steven Soderbergh, Bruno Dumont, the Coens, Gasper Noe, Michael Haneke, Nicolas Winding Refn, Harmony Korine plus many more!

Personal highlights include Nicolas Winding Refn admitting to the audience at the screening of Valhalla Rising that his wife thinks his movies are boring. And Gasper Noe laughing manically during a screening of Enter the Void. Nothing however can prepare you for the gonzo masterpiece that is Harmony Korine’s Trash Humpers; a very disturbing ode to vandalism, drunkenness and boredom.

With its egalitarian spirit and inclusive set-up, other more snooty, film festivals could learn a thing or two from the London Film Festival. To quote John Keats – the focus of Jane Campion’s brilliant Bright Star – “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”.

Films to Look Out For:

Valhalla Rising (dir: Nicolas Winding Refn)

Bright Star (dir: Jane Campion)

Enter the Void (dir: Gasper Noe)

Nowhere Boy (dir: Sam Taylor Wood)

Trash Humpers (dir: Harmony Korine)

The White Ribbon (dir: Michael Haneke)

A Serious Man (dir: the Coen Bros)

A Prophet (dir: Jacques Audiard)