The second week of Leeds International Film Festival starts today with over 150 screenings, events and exhibitions to experience until 16th November. Here is a guide to some of the highlights still to come at LIFF 2017.
Official Selection
There are more chances to see some of the most talked about films of the year in the second week of LIFF 2017, including Good Time, Loveless, and The Square. LIFF returns to the legendary City Varieties on 10th November to present special previews of two major films being released in November, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool and Battle of the Sexes.
European dark comedies are often audience favourites at LIFF and two new ones receive their UK premieres in Leeds: The Teacher and Under the Tree, both screening from 11th November. Actor and filmmaker Paddy Considine has returned to Yorkshire for his second film as director after Tyrannosaur in 2011: Journeyman screens on 10th & 11th November.
From the director of Carol, the closing film at LIFF 2015, Wonderstruck is another Todd Haynes film set in New York, this time a family fantasy drama based on the best-selling novel by Brian Selznick. This year’s closing film – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri from the director of In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths – won the audience award at Toronto Film Festival and it will be a great finale to LIFF 2017.
Cinema Versa
LIFF’s documentary section expands in the second week with a full programme every evening in the Albert Room at Leeds Town Hall. The line-up in the Albert Room includes films about musicians A Life in Waves: Suzanne Ciani and A Story of Sahel Sounds, the acclaimed A River Below about the Amazon, and Gaza Surf Club presented in partnership with Leeds Palestinian Film Festival.
In Victoria Hall at Leeds Town Hall there are three unique documentary experiences: Arcadia (10th November) which is a celebration of rural life crafted from over 100 years of archive footage; the spell-binding Brimstone & Glory (13th & 14th November) about an extraordinary festival of fireworks in Mexico; and Mountain (14th November), the new film from the director of Sherpa about the power and allure of mountains.
There is also an additional screening of Ex Libris: The New York Public Library announced for 13th November at the Hyde Park Picture House: Frederick Wiseman’s wonderful documentary is all about the importance of libraries in people’s lives.
Fanomenon
LIFF’s fantasy film extravaganza continues with two more epic Fanathon events: Night of the Dead returns to the Hyde Park Picture House on 10th November for non-stop horror from 11pm to 8am; and an extra marathon film event takes over Victoria Hall on 12th November featuring four film adaptations of Japanese manga, three of them directed by Takashi Miike.
At Vue and Everyman LIFF presents exclusive screenings of new fantasy films by independent filmmakers from around the world including Animals (Austria), Dave Made a Maze (USA), The Line (Slovakia), The Mimic (South Korea), and Rift (Iceland). At Everyman there are also special previews of two new British fantasy films, both attended by the filmmakers – Canaries (11th November) and Habit (15th November).
Fantasy films from the Far East are very popular at LIFF and there are two screening together at Hyde Park Picture House on 11th and 12th November: the delightful Japanese comedy Summer Time Machine Blues and the action-packed Thai thriller Bad Genius about a league of exam cheaters.
Fanomenon’s retrospective programme at LIFF 2017 includes French cult classics Diva and Nikita, and Nordic noir originals The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Headhunters. On 11th November at Victoria Hall Diva, Nikita and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are all screening together.
The closing film of Fanomenon at LIFF 2017 this year is Lynne Ramsey’s outstanding crime thriller You Were Never Really Here starring Joaquin Phoenix, who won best actor at Cannes.
Retrospectives
The retrospectives at LIFF 2017 continue with highlights including: British Sea Power performing live with classic Polish animations in Victoria Hall; Stalker at Victoria Hall and Taste of Cherry on 35mm at Hyde Park Picture House as part of Magnum Photos and Masters of Cinema; The Vanishing and Mother from BFI Thriller on Tour; The Man on the Roof and The Flight from States of Danger and Deceit; and The Lives of Others on 35mm as part of LIFF’s celebration of the 30th anniversary of the European Film Academy.
Leeds Short Film Awards
All the short film competitions have already screened at LIFF 2017 on the opening weekend, but on 16th November the winning shorts will be screened twice together in a special programme at Everyman. For more short film fixes, the Big Screen on Millennium Square is presenting daily shows of wonderful shorts from Channel 4’s Random Acts, with screenings daily at 10am, noon, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm and 10pm from 10th to 16th November.
Exhibitions
All four exhibitions at LIFF 2017 run until 16th November.
Magnum Photos & Masters of Cinema: A collection of remarkable shots of film sets from Magnum photographers. The exhibition is in the Film Festival Bar at Leeds Town Hall until 16th November, opening times: 5pm to 9pm weekdays, noon to 9.30pm at weekends.
Dogwoof Film Posters: A special exhibition of film posters from Dogwoof, the UK’s leading distributor of documentaries. The exhibition is at North Bar on New Briggate until 13th December, opening times: Monday & Tuesday 11am to 1am, Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 2am, Sunday noon to midnight.
Celebrating Louis le Prince: The world’s first films were made in Leeds by Louis le Prince – find out more in this celebration presented by Northern Film School and Leeds Beckett University. The exhibition is at Leeds Central Library until 16th November, opening times: Monday to Wednesday 9am to 7pm, Thursday 9am to 6pm, Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm, and Sunday 11am to 3pm.
An Unlikely Muse: The Hyde Park Picture House is embarking on an exciting new chapter as the Grade II listed cinema is being renewed. This exhibition features work from artists who have been inspired by the cinema over the years. Presented at the Staircase Gallery at Leeds Town Hall, the exhibition can be viewed at the venue daily during LIFF 2017.
