Festival

Festival presentation: 

The biggest celebration of independent film in Europe Portobello Film Festival : 3-20 September 2009

This september the Portobello Film Festival returns to Notting Hill for its 14th year, and will showcase more than 700 independent films all for FREE.

Started in 1996, by festival director Jonathan Barnett, as a reaction to the declining state of the British film industry, Portobello Film Festival aims to provide a forum for new film-makers and give exposure to movies on different formats.

Taking place over 3 weeks from 3rd to 20th September; Portobello Film Festival 2009 will once again will

Festival Nickname: 

Portobelleo

Festival Logo: 

Theme: 

British Films

Independent

Category/Format: 

Documentaries

Fiction Features

Short films

The Festival will be taking over the streets and venues of Notting Hill showing over 700 short and feature films - mostly by new directors submitted from all over the world. They'll also be talks and screenings brought to audiences from well known film directors including two-time Academy Award-nominated English film director, Stephen Frears (Gumshoe, The Grifters, The Queen, Cheri).

Entry to all events at the Portobello Film Festival is, and has always been, free. The festival exists to showcase this dynamic new digital artform, more accessible in 2009 than ever before thanks to more affordable equipment. According to festival organisers, film making is within everyone's pocket and no longer remains the monopoly of the underachieving mainstream establishment.

The heartbeat of the festival is the screening of over 700 new films from across the world - pulling people in from all over London and Britain plus Europe, America, Japan and even Africa and Australia, while providing a showcase in cutting edge culture for local residents. Guy Ritchie, Shane Meadows, Peter Seraphinovich and Sarah Gavron all got their first exposure to a wider public at the Portobello Film Festival.

Complimentary arts - painting, sculpture, music, comedy and poetry: usually from an urban perspective - are also presented and the brochure has featured covers by Andrew Logan, Jamie Hewlett, Banksy and Ralph Steadman, and in depth articles on local history and urban myths from Tom Vague. This year's cover is by Dotmasters.

Johnathan Barnett, Director of Portobello Film Festival, commented: "Thanks to the democratisation of filmmaking, we're seeing an advent of punk filmmaking in 2009. This is a hugely exciting time and I'm hopeful that this year's Portobello Film Festival will reflect this new creative spirit and energy. Some of the submissions from young people show an incredible verve and imagination. "But it's not just about the new generation coming in; we also want to reflect on London's previous creative spirit. The Beat Goes On section, curated by Michael Horovitz, will chart the history of the hugely influential beat movement. He is undoubtedly one of our greatest living poets, and his curation of this strand of the festival will explore one of the most important and influential artistic movements of the past hundred years."

Highlights of Portobello Film Festival 2009

700 Free Films

At the heart of Portobello Film Festival are shorts and features that embody the state of cinematic art on digital formats, from international upcoming directors. Evenings are programmed into drama, documentary, comedy, animation, music, art, sci-fi & horror and World. They'll be non stop screenings at The Inn On The Green and Westbourne Studios, where there will also be a Video Cafe for films to be brought along on the night.

The Beat Goes On

Portobello Film Festival remembers the Beat Generation and their cultural legacy, featuring rare films of Jack Kerouac (in middle age), Allen Ginsberg (his last show in London), William Burroughs, and the UK Beat poets and musicians. Curated by Michael Horovitz (New Departures magazine and 1966 Albert Hall Poetry Olympics), at The Tabernacle 5 & 6 September.

Saturday & Sunday Afternoons Family Pictures

As part of Portobello Film Festival weekends at The Tabernacle will feature the latest animations including ‘Wall E' and ‘Ice Age'.

London Film Makers Convention

The London Film Makers Convention is a twice yearly opportunity for all London film makers, from the best production houses to DIY street video makers, to show their latest work to the public, meet up, attend workshops, socialise and network in an informal, exciting environment.

European Film Showcases

Portobello Film Festival presents ‘Best Of' selections from partners in St. Petersburg, Munich, Madrid, Amsterdam and Dublin - film festivals & distributors, bringing the best of the latest European cinema to London. Last year the German, Spanish and Russian evenings attracted sell out audiences.

Youth Film Festival Nick Marcq, who starred in ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', will be running the Youth Film Festival as part of Portobello Film Festival. They'll be work by youth projects such as the EU Stranger Festival, First Light, Latimer Films, and YCTV. Save The Planet

This year there will be a selection of environmental movies and strategies with carbon auditors, Julie's Bicycle, focussing on water.

Urban Art Strand

The Urban Art Strand will including US and GB urban art documentaries including; ‘Bomb It', the global graffiti documentary featuring artists and top graffiti writers from 5 continents, from New York artists Graffiti Research Laboratory. The documentary will be complimented by video art and some of the latest paintings from the UK's top urban artists.

Portobello Film Festival takes place 3-20 September at, Westbourne Studios, The Tabernacle and The Inn On The Green.