Refugee story is opening film at Doc/Fest
A FILM about a Burmese refugee family starting a new life in Sheffield is the opening night film at Sheffield Doc/Fest on November 4.
It will be the world premiere of Moving to Mars: A Millions Miles from Burma, a documentary following two families as they are relocated from a refugee camp in Thailand to Sheffield and depicting their emotional and sometimes humorous struggles to adapt.
"I had heard about the film when they were making it in 2007 but then there was a hold-up in completing it and it was only earlier this year I finally got to see it," says Sheffield Doc/Fest programmer Hussain Currimbhoy.
"Watching the early scenes in a Thai refugee camp, I fell in love with it, and then when I heard them say the place they were coming to in Britain was Sheffield I nearly fell off my seat. It was one of those moments, it was perfect for us. And then as the film continues you start seeing things you recognise.
"The film has been made by Mat Whitecross, an exciting young film-maker. That's another important thing for the festival, to encourage new talent."
At the same time the programme will include work by leading film-makers including RJ Cutler, Chris Hegedus and DA Pennebaker, Kim Longinotto, Nick Broomfield, Penny Woolcock, Michel Negroponte, Franny Armstrong and Leslie Woodhead.
Over five days the festival will present more than 120 films from 21 countries, including 19 world premieres, 10 European premieres and 45 UK premieres.
The premier event on the UK documentary industry's calendar is opening its doors wider to the public this year with events in various city centre locations as well as its main base at the Showroom cinema.
There will be a range of free events for everyone. Students and senior citizens are able to receive free standby tickets to the entire programme (excluding opening night). They should turn up ten minutes before the start of the film to check availability.
This year, Doc/Fest is taking over empty shop units along The Moor for a selection of projects.These include Raiders of The Lost Archive, a screening of gems from the Yorkshire Film Archive, an installation by artist Sam Holden that investigates how cinema has influenced the way we respond to experiences and Attack of the 50 Foot Reels, a screening of 20 years of work created on super 8mm film from all over the world.
Artists and filmmakers will talk in the central kiosk on The Moor and a free screening of films from the short film programme will be held on Sunday November 8.
On Thursday November 5 there will be a games workshop in Channing Hall and The Sandpit Tour in The HUBS, curated programmes of social games and playful experiences where artists can develop, test, and refine play-based projects.
Ticketed public events will include A Masterclass with Itay Talgam in the Upper Chapel on November 6 in which the Israeli conductor will demonstrate how the skills of conducting an orchestra translate to the those required to shape the narrative of any storytelling art form.
The Channel 4 Interview: When Documentaries Get Real on November 6 will feature Nick Curwin of Dragonfly Productions , one of Britain's most successful independents, talking to Hamish Mykura, Channel 4's Head of Documentaries and of More4.
The public can also attend masterclasses with Nick Fenton and Luke Morris of Warp Films, Franny Armstrong, director of The Age of Stupid, innovative film-maker Penny Woolcock and veteran Leslie Woodhead, whose latest film is How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin, and The September Issue's R J Cutler.
Tickets are available from the Showroom box office and full details are on www.sheff docfest.com
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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