Flatpack Festival returns to Birmingham
Birmingham’s Flatpack Film Festival is set to return to the city next week for its 11th year.
Taking place from April 4 – 9, the six-day cinematic feast will treat audiences to an inspiring range of new features, shorts, exhibitions, talks, workshops and immersive events. This year’s festival will span 25 venues across the city, with a focus on Birmingham’s Southside.
After starting life as a monthly night in a Birmingham pub ten years ago, Flatpack’s mobile film empire has grown to be recognised as one of the most distinctive in the UK calendar, which has seen admissions grow annually since the festival launched in 2006.
Flatpack Projects recently confirmed charitable status, and embarked on a new strategic partnership with the British Film Institute to develop film audiences in the West Midlands
Ian Francis, Flatpack Director, said: “We thought our tenth birthday jamboree would be a tough act to follow, but we couldn’t be more excited about this year’s line-up.
“What’s been really striking is how keen people have been to get involved, whether it be visiting artists, new partners or local venues. The festival has taken on a real momentum and with such a wide and varied programme we’re sure there’s something for everyone.”
Here is what you can’t miss at this year’s festival…
Flatpack 11 at The Grand Hotel – Tuesday April 4 2017 – 7pm – 10pm
Flatpack 11 will begin with a spectacular opening in Birmingham’s iconic hotel The Grand on Colmore Row. The event will feature mesmerising shorts from Segundo de Chomón and a live score by Stephen Horne. The Grand Hotel has been closed since 2002 and is soon set to become a hotel once again, so this could be your last chance to explore the historic Grosvenor Suite before it is transformed.
Unpacked – BCU Parkside – Thursday April 6 12pm and Friday April 7 7.40pm
Unpacked offers unique insight into the processes of filmmakers and artists. This year the strand will focus on virtual reality and include the UK premiere of The Shared Individual, a unique Danish-Swedish live VR performance piece. Birmingham-based VR production company Holosphere will also open their doors for the first time on Saturday 8 April and showcase their recreation of the Round Room at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Flatpack Hub – Smallbrook Queensway
Birmingham’s Southside district will be home to the Flatpack Hub for the duration of the festival. The pop-up hangout on Smallbrook Queensway will host a wide of range of free talks and screenings throughout the festival.
Gongoozling Day – Various locations
To ‘gongoozle’ is ‘to gaze at canals’ and Gongoozling Day on Saturday 8 April will salute Birmingham’s famous waterways. Activities include underwater cartoons at the Sealife Centre, archive gems at the Roundhouse, an outdoor cinema at Rum Runner Yard and the launch of Alys Fowler’s new book Hidden Nature.
Mulholland Drive
David Lynch Retrospective – Various locations
Flatpack will celebrate the inimitable filmmaker David Lynch with a series of special events including UK premiere of the new digital 4K restoration of Mulholland Drive and a live rescore of Eraserhead by French band Cercueil. There will also be an exclusive preview of new documentary David Lynch: The Art Life and the chance to see Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern in the lurid road-movie Wild At Heart.
Painlevé Live – The Old Rep – Sunday April 9 2017 – 3pm – 5pm
Painlevé Live will celebrate the pioneering filmmaker Jean Painlevé, whose films explore the wonders of the natural world. This special one-off event accompanies the first solo UK exhibition of his work at Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery and will feature live performances by Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and jazz orchestra Sid Peacock & Surge.
Documentaries – Various locations
Flatpack’s documentary selection presents an intriguing range of perspectives and includes Christine Franz’s Bunch Of Kunst which follows Midlands DIY-punk duo Sleaford Mods on their journey from bedroom recording sessions to mainstream success and Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya’s ode to India’s ‘touring talkies’ The Cinema Travellers.
The famous NYC showdown between activist Jane Jacobs and Trumpian urban planner Robert Moses is explored in Matt Tyrnauer’s Citizen Jane: Battle For The City and Uncommon Sense celebrates the life and work of Birmingham-born Indian architect Laurie Baker and is directed by his grandson Vineet Radhakrishnan.
Colour Box – Patrick Centre
The popular family event will be based at Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Centre and feature shorts compilations for kids, a screening of the Disney classic The Jungle Book and a host of free drop-in activities including ‘Make Your Own (Fake) News’ and ‘Filmmaking Without Cameras’.
