For immediate release: 14 January 2015
FLATPACK FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 9TH EDITION HIGHLIGHTS
19-29 MARCH 2015, BIRMINGHAM
“Joyously inventive” The Guardian
“An incredible mix of film and music for all ages.” The Times
“A treasure trove of a festival.” Sight and Sound
“An inviting explosion of creativity and inventiveness” Huck
The critically acclaimed Flatpack Film Festival returns to Birmingham this Spring for its ninth annual
edition. A ten-day event that has carved out a unique place in the UK’s film scene, Flatpack 2015 brings
together a magnificently eclectic line-up of new features, shorts and special guests with an allencompassing definition of ‘film’ in all its forms crossing over into music and the arts. The festival
programme is a film gathering like no other, providing an alternative route-map to Birmingham with walking
tours, installations and pop-up screenings at venues across the city. Kicking off in the city centre, Flatpack
2015 will move gradually out towards the arches, warehouses and galleries of Digbeth, offering visitors a
fresh look at the city.
Running from 19-29 March the full Flatpack programme will be announced in early February. In the
meantime, here’s a taster of what’s in store…
Headline events include: THE FILMS OF ROY ANDERSSON a celebration of the Swedish director’s
devastating, deadpan vision. To complement a special pre-release screening of his Venice prize winning
new film; Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, this programme is a chance to explore
Andersson’s absurdist comic universe in a selection of his earlier films.
The Japanese tradition of Benshi, a fine art of live film narration, finds its way to Birmingham with WAY OF
THE BENSHI. As well as a more traditional Benshi performance to accompany Japanese auteur, Yasujirô
Ozu’s silent gangster film Walk Cheerfully (1930), Stan’s Cafe will be talking about new benshi-inspired
work ‘Translation of Shadows’. Ross Sutherland will also present his Edinburgh hit, ‘Standby For Tape
Backup’, a one man show in which he communes with his late grandfather via an 80s videotape of
Ghostbusters.
A TALE OF LIFE, LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENT RADIO. Amongst this year's fresh crop of
documentaries is the UK premiere of Sex and Broadcasting, directed by Tim K Smith, which tells the
improbable tale of listener-funded freeform US radio station WFMU. Following the New Jersey outfit's
choppy passage through the recession, it's an inspiring film that raises all sorts of questions about survival
and independent culture. Given that the production of Flatpack has been soundtracked by WFMU since its
early years, the festival are delighted to confirm that Stationmaster Ken Freedman will be broadcasting a
special one-off show from Birmingham to mark the film’s premiere.
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ANIMATION AND BEYOND showcases the ever-growing parameters of animation through master
classes, demonstrations, panel discussions and keynote lectures. Birmingham City University’s new art
school will host a day for industry professionals as well as for those individuals who are looking to make
their way into the sector. Guests will include Japanese visual music duo Usaginingen and Cartoon d’Or
winners, Emma De Swaef and Marc James Roels (Oh Willy!).
An exhibition exploring the relationship between animation and interactivity, AMUSEMENT PARK makes
its way to the UK for the first time from Finland. Focusing on a group of contemporary Finnish animators,
whose practice transcends screen-based work, the exhibition is made up of nine works including Elli
Vuorinen’s ‘Memory Trace’ in which viewers are invited to leave their mark in a bed-sized pin board and
Kaisa Penttila’s immersive life-size zoetrope, ‘Garbage Whirl’.
Continuing the Scandinavian connection, Flatpack present the UK premiere of THE DOGHOUSE, a first
person film installation by Danish artists Johan Knattrup Jensen, Mads Damsbo and Dark Matters.
Using immersive Oculus Rift technology, the work invites the individual viewer to explore what it’s like to be
someone else in a very personal and often private way.
The 2015 programme also includes a special TRIBUTE TO PHILIP DONNELLAN. Described in his
Guardian obituary as “one of the greatest of all documentarists”, Philip Donnellan (1924-1999) worked with
the BBC for over four decades, and was based at the BBC in Birmingham throughout the 60s and 70s.
Producing and directing over 80 raw-edged and poetic documentary films and programmes, Donnellan’s
work highlighted people rarely given a voice on television at that time. His legacy is celebrated in a
weekend of screenings and talks at MAC Birmingham, including a restored version of The Colony (1964)
and folk legend Peggy Seeger in conversation.
Known for its creatively inventive programming, Flatpack continues to rethink the LIVE CINEMA
experience in a number of ways. The ninth edition does not disappoint; from Paper Cinema’s ‘live
animation’ take on The Odyssey to the new show from the influential and pioneering audio-visual collage
artist People Like Us; ‘Citation City’; working with sampling, appropriation and cutting up of found footage
and archives. Silent cinema is also represented with live score events planned at venues across the city
including St. Philip’s Cathedral and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
The full Flatpack programme will include feature previews, prize-winning documentaries, experimental film,
late night parties, short film competition programmes, and walking tours in the heart of the city as well as
the ever popular family strand COLOUR BOX, complete with workshops and hosted screenings.
Notes to editors:
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TICKETS for selected events and Flatpack passes will be on sale from 29 January.
www.flatpackfestival.org.uk Twitter: @flatpack
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SAVE THE DATE - The London festival press launch will take place on 6 March – formal invite to
follow
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ABOUT FLATPACK:
After starting life as a monthly night in a Digbeth pub ten years ago, Flatpack’s mobile film empire
has grown to include cinema-tents, family film tours, DVD compilations and archive archaeology.
Not to mention an annual festival recognised as one of the most distinctive and downright fun in the
UK calendar, which has seen admissions grow annually since launching in 2006.
For further press information, requests or images, please contact Sarah Bemand
or Luke Neve at Margaret_ firstname@margaretlondon.com / 020 7923 2861
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