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Wednesday 2 November 2011

ASFF Opens - 150 Films. 15 Venues. 4 Days. York, UK

The Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) opens Thursday 4 November in York. Four days of films, talks, parties, networking and some of the best innovative cinema around. Join us in York for a fantastic weekend of film.

You can get tickets from The Festival Hub, Visit York, 1 Museum Street, York or online www.asff.co.uk

For further information on our talks and master classes

See you in York this weekend!

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Crunch: The Art and Music Festival | Hay-on-Wye | 18 - 20 November



The 4th edition of Crunch: the Art and Music Festival at Hay promises to be an extravaganza of contemporary art, talks and debates, new music, comedy and cabaret. Entitled 'Awake in the Universe' and looking at what gives art the ability to raise us from our emotional and intellectual slumbers and where is contemporary arts edge currently to be found? Are the elements of the contemporary art world asleep and where should we look for vitality?

The rich programme features what promises to be a stimulating debate between controversial art historian Julian Stallabrass, artist Susan Hiller and postmodern painter and psychoanalyst Bracha Ettinger, Serpentine Director Hans Ulrich-Obrist on the daily practice of curating and outspoken artist Jake Chapman on the inspiration behind his seminal work in conversation with Paradise Row founder Nick Hackworth.

Aesthetica picks out some highlights from the incredible line-up of events that we think you should watch out for:

Unpleasure | Sunday 20th November 2.30pm
Jake Chapman in conversation with Nick Hackworth
As one half of the most consistently provocative pairing in contemporary British art, Jake Chapman is no stranger to controversy. In conversation with Paradise Row founder Nick Hackworth, Chapman reveals the inspirations behind such seminal works as Insult to Injury and Death, and the nuances of his darkly comic, pessimistic philosophy. He will also be showing work with Paradise Row as part of the Crunch Art Fair.

Swimming and Flying | Saturday 19th November 3.30pm
Mark Haddon
Author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and playwright Mark Haddon reveals what his fears of flying and wild-swimming can tell us about the conflict between poetic and rational thought, the power of silence, and the nature of art.

British Sea Power | Friday 18th November 10.30pm
Having cemented their status as the “resolutely iconoclastic, supremely melodic… and utterly unique” champions of indie rock’n’roll (Paste), headliners at Port Eliot this summer, British Sea Power bring their illustrious widescreen sound to Crunch.

Nicolas Roeg | Saturday 19th November 12.30pm
From his early involvement in Lawrence of Arabia, to directing Performance, The Man who Fell to Earth and Don't Look Now, Nicholas Roeg became known for films that evaded traditional narrative and which have had a lasting impact on cinema. Roeg makes the case for a cinema defined by risks, accidents and misadventures.

Boo Ritson in Conversation | Saturday 19th November 4pm
Artist Boo Ritson, whose work merges painting, sculpture, performance and photography, chats about pratice. Ritson’s work can be seen in Poppy Sebire Gallery’s space in the Art Pavilion.

Beaty Heart | Saturday 19th November 8.30pm
Drum-synth collective Beaty Heart deliver afro-inspired party pop to set hearts and minds on fire, earning comparisons to Animal Collective and Vampire Weekend.

These are only a small selection of events taking place across the festival weekend. With events spanning a variety of genres, it will be a weekend to overwhelm the senses.

Crunch: The Art & Music Festival at Hay 18 - 20 November
artfestivalathay.org

LIKE FILM?
The Aesthetica Short Film Festival is the first film festival ever to be hosted in the historic city of York. The festival is a celebration of independent film from across the world with 150 films being screened from 30 countries. ASFF opens 3 November and continues until 6 November. For tickets and further information visit the website www.asff.co.uk or call (+44) (0) 1904 629 137.

Image:
Remarks on Medan (Tahrir version) Jasmina Metwaly

Aesthetica Short Film Festival: Meet the Filmmakers Event | Merchant Adventurers' Hall | York | Saturday 5 November


Spanning across 4 days, 15 venues with 150 films screening, the Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) opens this Thursday 3 November and features a diverse selection of films, a programme of talks and discussions from industry leaders and a series of evening events offering visitors the opportunity to experience independent short film in a unique setting.

As part of the programme, ASFF will present Meet the Filmmakers in the glorious, ancient monument of the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall. This evening screening will be followed by a panel discussion where our filmmakers will share invaluable industry information, give tips to aspiring film-makers and reveal their personal experiences of film-making.

There’s nothing like experiencing the films for yourself but here’s a quick preview so you know what to expect:

Arnold Zwanenburg
Dr Knowgood: Lion’s Pride (2010)


Arnold Zwaneburg (b.1972, The Netherlands) started his own design company in 2000 and committed himself fully to animation from 2004. In 2009, he travelled to Indonesia to work on his first stop motion project for cinema, called Dr Knowgood: Lion’s Pride. From the intro animation (different in style than the short itself), to the music, to the character design, this is a fantastic piece of stop motion telling the story of a lion who has lost his voice and a monkey doctor who might help him.

Murat Kebir
My Dad and Spike (2010)


Murat Kebir (b. 1968, Ankara/Turkey) moved to London 20 years ago where he worked as an editor. For the past 12 years he has been working at Sky Television, My Dad & Spike is his second short film and tells the poignant story of how sometimes it’s the unforeseen changes in life that often matter most. In a suburban London street, lives 7 year old Ali, his Mum, Dad and fish Spike. All his life, when darkness comes and everyone is asleep, Ali has been comforted by the sound of his Dad’s loud snoring next door. But one day the snoring stops.

Ray Nomoto Robison
The Bag (2010)


Ray Nomoto Robison has been a professional producer/director for 25 years. For The Bag, Robison has teamed up with actress Maryln Mason, best known as Elvis’ leading lady in The Trouble with Girls. The Bag is a simple yet disturbing story of an elderly woman who has grown tired of living. Based on a true story, The Bag is based on interactions Mason has with her mother and stepfather. It’s a moving and fascinating piece of cinema.

Christopher Blaines
Dusters (2010)

Christopher Baines worked as an actor before becoming a photographer and filmmaker. Dusters is the story of door-to-door salesman Paul, who is having a hard time selling cleaning materials. Everyone is turning him away - until something unexpected happens which completely changes his day. The film was shot on location in London.

The Guerrier Brothers
Cleaning Up (2011)


Cleaning Up is the first film by brothers Simon and Thomas Guerrier – who’ve previously worked together on acclaimed documentaries for BBC Worldwide. Shot over three days in south London, the film is a smart, surprising and stylish thriller. Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen) plays Mr Jackson with deadly relish – and a magnificent handlebar moustache – opposite Louise Jameson (Doctor Who, Bergerac) as Mrs Pellman, the frisky owner of a B&B.

Frederic Casella
Tooty’s Wedding (2010)


Frederic Casella learned his craft helping on prime-time documentaries and factual shows for major TV broadcasters. Tooty’s Wedding is a hilarious comedy starring Mathew Baynton, Daisy Haggard, Ben Willbond and Laura Solon that tells the story of a young couple’s marriage hitting the rocks during a weekend wedding in the country.

Meet the Filmmakers will take place at Merchant Adventurers' Hall on Saturday 5 November from 7pm until 11.30pm. Tickets are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. Please see www.asff.co.uk for ticket information, call the ASFF Team on +44 (0) 1904 629 137 or call in to Visit York, 1 Museum Street, York.

asff.co.uk

Monday 31 October 2011

40 Exhibition, 75 Artists, 200 Works | Hereford Photography Festival | 28 October - 26 November





Hereford Photography Festival is the UK's longest running photography festival featuring over 75 artists and documentary photographers from across the globe in 40 exhibitions. The festival will see over 200 works feature in exhibition halls, churches, museums, art galleries and in public spaces over a one month period.

Now entering its 21st year, this year’s festival highlights include an exhibition at Hereford Museum and Art Gallery, co-curated by Simon Bainbridge, editor of the British Journal of Photography. The exhibition, entitled Time & Motion studies: New documentary photography beyond the decisive moment features work from six leading artists; Donald Weber, George Georgio, Manuel Vasquez, Robbie Cooper, Tim Hetherington and Vanessa Winship who demonstrate the decision process between seeing a potential photo and making the conscious decision to take it.

This year’s festival also sees the return of the highly popular open submission exhibition, Open Here, the launch of Transit, a body of work by 8 Polish artists curated by Krakow Photomonth for HPF which is broken down into a number of segments exploring transit populations within Eastern European communities and a selection of work by parkour photographer, Andy Day, who will show his latest work at the Watershead Gallery.

Hereford Photography Festival runs until Saturday 26 November at venues across Hereford. To find out more details about the festival please visit their website.

photofest.org

Images:
Korina, Tiraspol/Transdniestr/Moldova by Lukasz Trzcinski
Delinquent and Shop Lifter by Donald Weber
Prostitute and Drug Dealer by Donald Weber
Dnipropetrovsk by George Georgiou

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