‘Tired of the same old thing?’ asks the programme for the 16th Raindance Film Festival. And this annual celebration of independent home grown and international cinema really is a breath of fresh air. Bringing together the cutting edge, the avant-garde and the truly unique, Raindance can always guarantee a hectic, perplexing and pulse-racing fortnight of film watching.
Head to www.raindance.co.uk for information on venues, ticket prices and the full programme run down, but keep on reading for some of our top festival picks.
1. Art and Apathy
dir. Jessica Habie
This potentially fascinating documentary is a study of the relationship between conflict and creativity in Israel and Palestine. It’s a synthesis of four poetic pieces following Israeli artists from both the mainstream and the underground. It should whet the appetite nicely for the November release of Waltz With Bashir (which is amazing).
2. Choke
dir. Clark Gregg
An adaptation of a subversive Chuck Palahniuk novel starring Sam Rockwell sounds like a winner, although perhaps not a definite slam dunk given Rockwell’s surprisingly, well, rocky career so far. Check out the next issue of the mag for a big Chuck P interview.
3. Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot
dir. Adam Yauch
We gave this a bit of a drubbing in the latest issue, but there’s an alternative current of opinion here in the office that says Beastie Boy Yauch’s doc is an interesting insight into the America psyche, their unquestioning acceptance of elitism, and the fast-fading notion of ‘authenticity’ in the sporting arena. There’s also some sweet b-ball being played at New York’s legendary Rucker Park.
4. Hush
dir. Mark Tonderai
This one’s been a while in the making – it was over a year ago that we visited the set in an abandoned quarry to have a poke around. It’s the story of a lonely road, a psycho and a couple in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we’re keen to see how it turned out.
5. Midnight Madness
dir. Charles-Henri Belleville
Midnight Madness sounds like a thought-provoking Brit counter-point to Gunnin’. It follows an extreme basketball tournament across 12 British cities that gives the winners the chance to compete against America’s top amateur side. This could be a new perspective on inner-city life.
6. Nightwatching
dir. Peter Greenaway
You just can’t have an indie film festival without Peter Greenaway. Them’s the rules. Nightwatching is a Rembrandt biopic that’s sure to be both stimulating and provocative.
7. Tender Throbbing Twilight
dir. Shinji Imaoka
That title! What’s not to love? This quirky Japanese effort is a loving portrait of a dirty old man, but frankly, it could be two hours of watching paint dry and we’d still love it for the name alone.
8. Wild Blue Yonder
dir. Celia Maysles
Following somewhat in the footsteps of My Architect, in which filmmaker Nathaniel Khan set out to tell the story of, and try to get to grips with the identity of his father, architect Louis Khan, here Celia Maysles embarks on a quest to get to know her father, documentary giant David Maysles. Expect personal discovery and archive insight.
