Cannes of the North: New Chester City Centre arts venues swap yachts for fishing boats
A short interval after Cannes, tickets are now on sale (FROM FRIDAY MAY 23) for Screen Deva, the new international film and digital media festival for Chester organised by Chester Performs.
Chester Performs, the organisation responsible for Screen Deva, has today unveiled full details of the programme including the range of unusual city centre venues being used to show films during the festival, which runs from Monday June 9 to Sunday June 15.
Amongst the other unusual venues being used for the festival, there will be screenings in the atmospheric Norwegian Church of St Olave’s on Lower Bridge Street, including the acclaimed Norwegian documentary ‘Cool and Crazy’ (Heftig og begeistret).
Further venues include Alexander’s in Rufus Court, Telford’s Warehouse in Tower Wharf and Olio & Farina in Bridge Street.
One of the most popular highlights will no doubt be the giant drive in movie screenings of ‘Grease’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ at Chester Zoo.
The full film programme is as follows:
Heftig og begeistret / Cool and Crazy (15) St Olave’s Mon 9th Knut Erik Jensen’s acclaimed cult documentary following the fortunes and lives of a Norwegian fishing village’s male voice choir, a world somewhat different to ‘The Sound of Music’.
Distant Voices Still Lives (15) St Olave’s Tues 10th Liverpool Director, Terence Davies’ (Davies has a new film in contention at Cannes) moving and harrowing masterpiece which draws on his own memories of life in a working-class family in post-war Liverpool.
Viaggio in Italia/ Voyage to Italy Olio & Farina Wed 11th June The Rossellini /Bergman masterpiece about a British couples tempestuous relationship in Naples. With wine and bread /olives courtesy of Olio & Farina.
The Shining Stanley Palace Fri 13th June Kubrick’s most haunting film in Chester’s most haunted venue, and all this on Fri 13th….
Grease (Drive-in) Chester Zoo Fri 13th June The perfect drive-in movie experience, with Travolta, Newton-John, the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies.
Bande à part (PG) St Olave’s Sat 14th June One of the most influential films of the French new-wave, inspiring directors such as Bertolucci, Hartley and most famously, Tarantino who named his production company A Band Apart. It tells the story of two crooks with a fondness for old Hollywood B-movies who convince a languages student to help them rob her aunt.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Drive-In) Chester Zoo Sat 14th June Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly sets alight this timeless and romantic classic to be experienced uniquely under the stars.
Everyone Says I Love You Alexander’s Sun 15th June A Fathers’ Day special – a champagne brunch and Woody Allen’s most light-hearted and musical movie full of songs and stars, including Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn, Alan Alda, Ed Norton, Natalie Portman and Drew Barrymore.
Chester Performs will also be occupying a shop on Watergate Row South during the festival. This ‘festival hub’, which is being called the Screen Deva Studio, will not only provide an information point, but will also be used as an exhibition space for three artists work and also a venue for a special North West Filmmakers night on Wednesday June 11.
Alongside the film and exhibition programme, the festival features short film screenings and video disc jockey nights.
There is an evening of short films showcasing the best young filmmakers in the region, and a family day on Saturday June 14 at the Wesley Methodist Church aimed at 12 year-olds and under.
Amber Jones, Chester Performs Project Co-ordinator, said:
“We are really excited about the diversity of the programme and the venues being used for the festival and would urge people not to miss out on tickets. We want to open up the city as a cultural venue and show that art, film and performance can take place outside of traditional arts venues. Using places like the Zoo and a charming Norwegian church proves that even without a permanent arts venue in the city centre, we can still make things happen in this fantastic and unusual city.”
Full programme information, details of where to pick up a programme and tickets are available at www.chesterperforms.com or by ringing 01244 409113. Tickets go on sale for the films and digital media events from Friday May 23.
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Background
More information on the films: Heftig og begeistret/Cool and Crazy (15) <a href=”http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/01/29/cool_and_crazy_review_2002_review.shtml ”>http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/01/29/cool_and_crazy_review_2002_review.shtml
Distant Voices Still Lives (15) http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/distant_voices_still_lives/
Bande à part (PG) <a href=” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057869/”> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057869/
Chester Performs is overseeing the development of the city’s new performing arts centre, which will open in 2011. Set to challenge audiences with a series of high profile performing arts events and community projects Chester Performs aims are to broaden horizons and raise the level of expectation in the performing arts both in Chester and Cheshire.
Chester Performs is gaining an enviable reputation for staging exciting performances in non-traditional and outdoor spaces across the region. Cutting edge performances will take place on the streets of Chester, by the River Dee and around the Roman walls. These projects will involve street performers and aerial artists, musicians, dancers, actors, visual and sonic artists, installations and performance art. Up the Wall, based on the City Walls, attracted a 3,500 audience in November.
Chester Performs Contact: Amber Jones Tel: 01244 409113
Press Contacts: Jane Harrad-Roberts Mob: 07785 395705 Phil Brotherhood Mob: 07884 493370
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