The latest promo for the English Riviera Film Festival sees a suave secret agent type (surely modelled on the fest’s head honcho John Tomkins) on a mission to secure six golden tickets from the festival’s six venues.
Fortunately for us non-Maserati driving punters popping along to the festival’s six venues during its seven-day stretch should be pretty easy. And with such a wonderful array of events on offer, there should be excitement and intrigue enough.
The English Riviera Film Festival runs from June 12 to June 18, a venues throughout the Riviera, and the three towns that make up Torbay.
The week kicks off on Monday June 12, with a guided tour around the historic Paignton Picture House, which has been recognised for its historic significance and is undergoing restoration.
The evening sees the premiere screening of the Heritage Lottery Funded film project Brixham Memories, at the Edge, Brixham. Produced with the assistance of south Devon College media students, the film is an oral history created by and for the Brixham community that forms part of the wider Heritage Lottery funded Brixham Heritage Trail project.
On the evening of Tuesday, June 13, the marvellous Elizabeth-Jane Baldry will be talking about her work in film and music at the Artizan Gallery, Torquay. As a noted director and the only silent movie harpist in the world, Elizabeth will be talking about her work in film and music and the passion for storytelling – and in particular folk and fairy tales – that motivates her work combining the two art-forms. Plus there will be a chance to see her film The Laidley Worm of Spindleston Heugh. [Unfortunately, this event has been cancelled.]
Take a break buy us a coffee
The Blue Walnut in Torquay will host a screening of That Summer on Wednesday, June 14. The film is ‘a 1979 British drama film directed by Harley Cokeliss, starring Ray Winstone, Tony London, Emily Moore and Julie Shipley. It marked Ray Winstone’s theatrical film debut, playing the character Steve Brodie, just out of borstal, who decides to head to Torbay to try and win a swimming race. However, things don’t go exactly as planned.’
Get your horror hats on on Thursday, June 15 for Horror at Cockington, where the two-parter sees both creative mother and daughter team, Diana and Lucy Townsend describing their work producing and directing original screenplays, plus director, writer, illustrator and animator Ashley Thorpe of Carrion Films on the British Gothic Horror Revival.
Director, screenwriter and novelist Norman Lee (aka Conrad Maris Sachse) is the focus of a talk by his grandson Kevin Valerian Ryland – chair of the Torbay Film Club at the Blue Walnut on Friday, June 16. Take a look at some of Norman’s films and its sure to peak your interest. And Kevin will try to add light to the mystery that is the director’s life. Plus, there’s a special screening of Bull Drummond at Bay!
On Saturday, June 17, the festival takes over the International Riviera Centre, with a full-programme, and on Sunday, June 18, the South Devon Players are providing acting and producing workshops and an insight into the making of the feature Mordred.
Get the times, venues and prices from the English Riviera Film Festival site, where you can also bag your tickets.
English Riviera Film Festival | Facebook | Twitter: @ERFilmFest
