The thrill of eating our second (obligatory, naturally) bacon sandwich of the weekend spurs us to The Electric, the UK’s oldest working cinema to see a Moomins film. We’re early so we nip into the screening of the Alpha Film Group’s 60-year-old footage of the local area, filmed on a 9.5mm cine camera by 15-year-old John Andrews. Despite being about an area I know little about – Northfield and the Lickey Hills – the young lad’s take on his town is charming.
Moomin and Midsummer Madness is less soothing on a peaceful Sunday afternoon. Made in 2008, this film is supposed to be more faithful to Tove Jansson’s illustrations than other recent interpretations have been. Apart from the irritating American voiceover it’s pleasant, if surreal, and the huge number of children here certainly seem to be enjoying it.
And it’s quite right that they’re paying attention when there are important lessons to be learned. When Moonmintroll and Snork Maiden are arrested for ‘vandalism and pyromania’, there’s a clear civil liberties message. ‘If you’ve never been behind bars you’ll never understand what’s it’s like to be free!’
Touki Bouki, the seminal Senegalese avant-garde film, is my final screening of the weekend and proof that a film festvial can be diverse and still form a cohesive event. The opening scenes of cattle slaughter are horrific, but the story of Mory and his girlfriend Anta desperately trying to escape to France captures the colour and sound of Senegal beautifully.
It’s the St Patrick’s Day parade today and crowds of staggering, drunken teenagers have built up while I’ve been inside. There’s a police barrier blocking the route back to Floodgate Kino due to a ‘violent incident’.
When I finally get inside, the organisers and ushers have gathered to enjoy their closing party. On my way back to the hotel I get asked three times if I have any weed to sell and have to sidestep piles of vomit, wishing I were back among the Flatpack crowd enjoying Kate Bush and the velvet chaise longues.
Thanks to everybody at Flatpack for putting on a great festival and inviting us up there for the weekend. See you again next year.
