London Film Festival 2004

London, Wednesday, 15 September, 2004 – Today the Times bfi London Film Festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron announced this year’s programme of 180 features and 103 shorts from more than 60 countries, showcasing the latest cinema from the four corners of the globe: Angola to Uruguay and Hackney to Hollywood Boulevard. From 20 October to 4 November over sixteen days and nights cinemas around London will play host to films and film-goers from around the world.

This year’s line-up will include work from acclaimed emerging directors such as Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Tawfik Abu Wael, Zach Braff and Nicole Kassell, films from festival favourites Eric Rohmer, Ousmane Sembene, Theo Angelopoulos, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, Lukas Moodysson, Sally Potter, Takashi Miike, Lucretia Martel and Francois Ozon and the latest titles from marquee names including Mike Leigh, David O. Russell, Jonathan Demme, Zhang Yimou and Mira Nair.

The Opening Night Gala screening will be the UK Premiere of Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake, fresh from winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. London 1950, Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton, who picked up the Best Actress award at Venice) lives with her husband (Phil Davis) and grownup children. The epitome of respectable working class family, they are not well off but are happy and close. What Vera’s family doesn’t know, is that for more than 20 years she has been helping young women who find themselves in trouble.

The international premiere of David O. Russell’s existential comedy I ♥Huckabees, starring Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Watts, Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman will close the Festival at the Closing Night Gala. Husband and wife detective team (Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin) help others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman) and Brad Stand (Jude Law) up all night worrying.

Commenting on this year’s programme Festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron said, ‘I’m delighted with the diversity and quality of this year’s selection which is strong in originality and imagination. In showcasing new work from well known directors alongside films from the yet to be known, it brings together some of the most distinctive voices in international cinema’.

Editor of The Times Robert Thomson stated, ‘Sandra and her team have put together an outstanding programme. The breadth and depth of this year’s Festival highlights the continued creative growth of the film industry from all across the globe. As the UK’s leading newspaper for coverage of the film industry, The Times is delighted, and proud, to be sponsor of the 48th London Film Festival’.

This year’s programme is divided up into a series of distinct strands highlighting different cinematic areas and themes. Galas & Special Screenings
French Revolutions
Experimenta
Sky Movies Film On The Square
Cinema Europa
Treasures From The Archives
New British Cinema
World Cinema
Short Cuts & Animation

The Times bfi London Film Festival is the UK’s leading international film festival and runs from October 20 to November 4, 2004. Its extensive programme attracts record-breaking audiences to both its London and subsequent touring events, as well as international stars and a wide range of established and emerging film-makers from around the world to introduce their films, participate in panel discussions, Masterclasses and special events. This year expected guests include directors Mike Leigh (Vera Drake), David O. Russell (I ♥ Huckabees), Jonathan Demme (The Manchurian Candidate), Lukas Moodysson (A Hole In My Heart), Susanne Bier (Brothers), Daniel Burman (Lost Embrace), actor Kevin Bacon (The Woodsman), cinematographer Tim Orr (Dandelion, Undertow), composer Nathan Larson (The Woodsman, Palindromes) and Pixar animator Brad Bird (The Incredibles).

Pressetext

The Times bfi 48th London Film Festival 2004
Künstlerische Direktorin: Sandra Hebron

Filme von Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Tawfik Abu Wael, Zach Braf, Nicole Kassell, Eric Rohmer, Ousmane Sembene, Theo Angelopoulos, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnes Varda, Lukas Moodysson, Sally Potter, Takashi Miike, Lucretia Martel, Francois Ozon, Mike Leigh, David O. Russell, Jonathan Demme, Zhang Yimou, Mira Nair ...