Canterbury Film Festival

Hi everyone -

The 2011 programme is officially out, and our season is set to begin just over three weeks from now on Monday the 14th of March. I think it's our strongest programme in some time, with highlights including a season of films starring French artfilm actress Isabelle Huppert; a series of Women's Stories, films by and about women; old French thrillers; Italian neorealist films post-WWII; Hollywood classics; Canadian documentaries; the first-ever Christchurch screening of Portuguese director Pedro Costa; and, in time for the rugby world cup, a screening of Merata Mita's documentary Patu! about the 1981 Springbok tour.

We will also have a big-scale live music screening this year. We have commissioned a new score for the legendary silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928). We will exhibit this astounding film in a dramatic setting, using the main stairwell of the Christchurch Art Gallery, with an original score composed and performed live by Chris Reddington and Silencio Ensemble, featuring soprano Emma Johnston. It's a major follow-on from the Charlie Chaplin live music event of 2009, with the same composer and performers. There will be two performances/screenings, on Tuesday 19 April and Thursday 21 April. Tickets will be $20; $15 for students, seniors and Friends of the Gallery; and $10 for film society Full Members. Tickets can and should be booked in advance via the art gallery's website, as there's no guaranteed seating even for film society members. Links to the ticket-buying page are pasted below. Presented with special thanks to Creative Communities Christchurch, the Christchurch Community Arts Council and Theatre and Film Studies at Canterbury University.

The other big news for 2011 is that we're moving our primary venue to the Regent on Worcester cinema just near Cathedral Square, which is now also the home of the NZ International Film Festival. The staff at the Regent are excited to have us, and have already been helping to promote film society on their website and in the media. We're just looking into getting discounts for film society members at a nearby pub or cafe to encourage regular Monday night yarns after the films.

The price of full membership is the same as last year: $110 for 12 months, or $100 for concessions or returning members. Secondary students can join for just $50. The 3-film sampler cards are $30 this year, and we're introducing a new 3-month membership for $65 that will get you into all of our screenings for three months.

All the details are online at www.canterburyfilmsocietyorg.nz , including information on how to join.

Brochures are being printed as we speak and should be out next week.

See you all soon!

-Ryan

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