The 33rd FilmBath Festival returned with a wonderful opening weekend, marking the start of 10 days worth of screenings across the city of Bath.
As the festival offers a chance to see the hottest new films months before they hit the cinemas nationwide, film fans flocked to a sold out screening of Poor Things from Yorgos Lanthimos on Friday night, an Oscar tipped film which was heaped with praise from the audience. There was similarly glowing feedback for Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy’s performances in gritty drama The Bikeriders. French mouth-watering film The Taste of Things a.k.a The Pot Au Feu was another festival sell out starring Juliette Binoche.
Image: Poor Things by Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Emma Stone
Additional festival flavours included hosting legendary director Carol Morley after the screening of her latest film, Typist Artist Pirate King. There was no barrier between her and the audience after her fascinating Q&A as she talked individually to audience members handing out her special Typist Artist Pirate King badges. The film talent continued with live and virtual Q&As with the creators of documentaires Women Behind The Wheel and Is There Anybody Out There?, which were both really well received, offering unique insights that aren’t available on streaming services or on typical trips to the cinema.
Similarly, a sold out pre-film talk to 20,000 Species of Bees was hosted by Bath based Spanish school Todo El Mundo, offering an introduction to the language and culture of the film’s setting, the Basque region of Spain. Audiences were equally treated to an introduction to Queendom, a documentary about a queer performance artist turned activist in Putin’s Russia, from Queer Vision Film Festival Producer Jason Barker and local queer activist and drag queen Nik Jovčić-Sas (also known as Mother), who shared his experience and connection with Eastern Europe and drag.
There was reason to celebrate on Monday 23 October, as FilmBath Festival held their annual IMDb New Filmmaker Awards, which showcases the freshest new talent in film. Taking home the New Filmmaker Award on the night, as decided by the audience and the judging panel, was Annie Hammond, an up and coming filmmaker whose touching film Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye tenderly portrayed a daughter’s long postponed visit to her mother, set against the backdrop of the north Cornish coastline. Annie’s win was especially well deserved, having made it to the final of FilmBath’s IMDb Script to Screen Award back in June. Annie was delighted to be handed the coveted New Filmmaker Award by IMDb founder and CEO Col Needham and she will also receive £2000 to go towards her next film, as well as £1,000 worth of hire kit from Visual Impact.
With several days worth of films still left to buy tickets for, upcoming titles at the festival include a preview of All of Us Strangers, which has a star studded cast including Claire Foy, Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott and has received rave reviews since its inclusion at the London Film Festival (LFF). Also on the FilmBath programme that was featured at LFF and took home prizes at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival include Hirokazu Koreeda’s Monster.
Image: All of Us Strangers by Andrew Haigh, starring Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott
This year, the festival has partnered with other festivals, local businesses and institutions to help expand its reach to the viewing public. Bath Spa University for instance have partnered on a screening of Sheila Hayman’s Fanny: The Other Mendelssohn with a live music accompaniment from two young and talented student musicians from the university. Furthermore, Budō, Bath’s only Izakaya and Sake bar, will be providing authentic Japanese snacks at the screening of Kōji Fukada’s Love Life.
Also on Thursday 26 October, FilmBath are partnering on Dust to Data with Dorothy House, Kilter Theatre, University of Bath and University of Bristol, an interactive, live film event at Widcombe Social Club concerning a future where digital immortality becomes a reality.
On the closing weekend, FilmBath Festival will be recognising the work of industry legends Danny Boyle and John Hodge. Three films will be screened which the director and the writer have collaborated on, including the 90s classic Trainspotting. This will also feature a Q&A with the pair, live and in person.
As is tradition for the festival, several other FilmBath screenings will be accompanied by interviews with directors and writers, including Paul Sng (Tish), Sheila Hayman (Fanny: The Other Mendelssohn) and Ken Loach (The Old Oak).
FilmBath is continuing its 'Pay What You Can' scheme for 2023, which encourages all to come and enjoy the power of film from just £5. Tickets for the remaining screenings are on sale now.
FilmBath are a charity and rely on the generosity of its supporters and would like to thank the BFI, IMDb, Visual Impact, GWR, The Bird Hotel, Hawkers Joinery, The Group of Seven, The Norie Trust, TSL Consulting, Mayden Foundation, The Raven, Resolution Design, Jenny Mackewn, The Raby Family Trust, Mallory’s Jewellery, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and Bath Box Office. They would also like to thank their team of volunteer programmers, stewards and film note writers who allow the festival to happen.
Jasmine Barker, Festival Director says: "I encourage everyone in Bath to come and explore the beauty of experiencing other people’s lives and stories through the lens of cinema. Film is a universal language that transcends borders and brings us together, and our film festival is the place where these stories from around the world take centre stage and spark conversations that resonate far beyond the screen. There are many flavours of film to get your teeth into, whether you come on your own or with family this festival is a chance to experience something a bit different, it’s time to grab the popcorn and support your local film festival!"
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