Sections
0113 224 3801
Tickets on sale 2nd Feb
City Centre Box Office Leeds Central Library Leeds
Wartime Perspectives
For obvious reasons, the Second World War was a highly influential event for international cinema, providing the inspiration and subject matter for many filmmakers beyond the propaganda machine of the war years. With the recent release of the landmark German feature Downfall and its far-reaching resonance with UK audiences, and the 2005 VE/VJ Day Anniversary celebrations, now is the perfect time to reassess some of the classics, revealing multiple perspectives on the war experience from a range of the many countries involved. LFQ presents a season of diverse and brilliant films which focus on the experiences of ordinary people during the war rather than battle-heavy action films, from the operatic Russian classic The Cranes Are Flying to Polanski's recent Palme d'Or winner The Pianist, from claustrophobic Hungarian drama Confidence to heart-rending Japanese animation Grave of the Fireflies, and under-rated gems like British alternative history It Happened Here and the East German masterpiece Naked Among Wolves.
Mama Africa
The British Film Institute's major initiative Black World partners with African Film Tour to present Mama Africa, a new touring programme featuring some of the best of African female talent behind and in front of the camera. The programme seeks to challenge stereotypical perceptions of Africans, to broaden representations of Africa on screen and to place black creativity at the heart of world cinema by celebrating revolutionary black film-makers past and present, as well as highlighting the new talent and innovation emerging today. It is a fresh and inspiring cross-cultural film programme that will promote awareness of the artistic, cultural and political context in which black cinema has emerged and how it continues to shape contemporary British film, video and music culture.
London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on Tour
Now in its 19th year, London's Lesbian and Gay Film Festival showcases the finest examples of recent queer cinema. 2005 proved to be an exceptional year with film-makers showing increasing confidence and creativity in tackling disturbing and difficult subjects through conventional narrative drama and experimental work. Headlining is the festival's sassy opening night film, Prey for Rock'n'Roll, a delicious biopic about sexy LA rock chick Cheri Lovedog, starring Gina Gershon. There are also literary adaptations, represented by Sugar, based on short stories by the infamous indie director Bruce LaBruce, acclaimed documentaries such as Andrew and Jeremy Get Married, the endearing story of two British gay men in their golden years, shorts and more.
View London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on Tour
LFQ Specials
LFQ special screenings continue throughout the summer with fantastic previews and treasures from the archive. Leeds Film Festival favourite and subject of the 2002 retrospective, Peter Watkins made one great, iconoclastic film in America, Punishment Park. Hardly shown since its minimal release in the 70s, it's about to be re-released in the UK and gets an LFQ preview in July. The terrifying House of 1000 Corpses was the Fanomenon opener in 2003. It's horrific sequel The Devil's Rejects get a summer release in the UK and is also previewed in LFQ. The original American indie maverick John Sayles also has a new movie showing, an inspiring political satire Silver City screening in July. A brand new season of classic avant-garde films begins with three films by cult New York artist Michael Snow and there is also a chance to see a programme of some of the best films by the great Stan Brakhage.