Aldeburgh Cinema

CATERING UPDATE

Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, transmitted live from Milan’s La Scala

Thursday 24th May at 7pm

We are delighted to let you know we will be offering a light and healthy meal on the evening. Inspired by Aldeburgh and Suffolk as the opera itself the menu is:

Aldeburgh crab and Thorpeness asparagus quiche
Suffolk Pesto marinated Chargrilled Veg skewer
Chocolate and fresh cream choux pastry Éclair

The meal comes at the price of £7.50, please pay on the night by cash or cheque.
Please make sure to contact us by Tuesday 22 May 11am to pre-book: tel 01728 454884
or e-mail info@aldeburghcinema.co.uk

and Introducing…

We open this programme with what can only be described as a masterpiece, ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA by Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2011, and garnered with numerous 5 star reviews, it’s a film in which seemingly nothing, yet everything, happens. Fans of Scandinavian crime thrillers should put HEADHUNTERS in their diary, Norway’s edge of the seat, darkly comic contribution to the genre, based on a book by bestselling author Jo Nesbo. From one bestseller to another, we also bring you the adaptation of Paul Torday’s political send-up SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and 10,000 North Atlantic Salmon. Fans of documentary film will already be familiar with Kevin Macdonald’s pedigree (TOUCHING THE VOID and SENNA). In this programme we bring you his latest MARLEY, a fascinatingly detailed biopic covering everything from life in post-colonial Jamaica, Zimbabwean independence and his love of football, to the searingly emotional personal tragedy that befell music legend Bob Marley just as he seemed destined to reach the height of his creative powers. Not to be missed.

This programme also marks the start of Thomas Gerstenmeyer’s tenure as the cinema’s General Manager. It is a great pleasure to join a community venue with a rich and proud history in all things art and silver screen.

SPRING IS HERE!

2nd March, 2012

…well not quite, but almost, along with our screening of LATE SPRING.

Showing Fri 9th March at 8.10.

Many Western film goers hesitate to see Japanese films, but with Adam Mars-Jones, acclaimed novelist and critic, ushering you into the world of Ozu, the transition should be an interesting and enlightening event. Mars-Jones recently wrote an essay, Noriko Smiling, published by Notting Hill Editions, championing the film and filmmaker. Made in 1949, this black and white film, described as anti-Hollywood, should be a welcome antidote to the current film fads of constantly moving camera shots, violence and expository dialogue explaining every plot twist and thought, leaving no room for the actors to simply be watched. The plot for ‘Late Spring’ is simple; a widower, on his sister’s advice, decides that it’s time for his beloved daughter to get married. But the poignant, subtle examination of their feelings as they go forward with the plan, is something present day Hollywood doesn’t provide.

Tickets £11.00 each available from The Aldeburgh Literary Festival at

42 High Street, Aldeburgh, IP15 5AB.

Telephone orders: 01728 452587.

Email orders:
johnandmary@aldeburghbookshop.co.uk

Film, Opera, Theatre, and now… Ballet!

2nd March, 2012

Many of you will already be familiar with our live screenings of opera and theatre, and now we’re adding ballet to the mix with a screening of LE CORSAIRE on Sunday 11th March, live from the Bolshoi in Moscow. Another new addition is our ‘Aldeburgh Doc/Fest presents’ slot, screening the best documentary films throughout the year. Our first title is THE ISLAND PRESIDENT in which President Nasheed of the Maldives pleads for the survival of his country at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009, a film made all the more intriguing by Nasheed’s ousting in an apparent coup in February of this year. Our main film programme brings you repeat screenings of BAFTA winners THE ARTIST and IRON LADY, both hot favourites for Oscars, as well as George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS. We also have the cream of British acting talent in BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD, featuring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Maggie Smith, and then for Easter THE MUPPETS take over. It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights.

Aldeburgh Cinema in the New Year

The beginning of the year always heralds an embarrassment of riches for cinemas, with BAFTA and Oscar hopefuls all vying for the spotlight, and 2012 is no exception. Our programme begins with extra screenings of THE IRON LADY in which Meryl Streep steals the show in her twinset and pearls. Next up in an early bid for feel-good film of the year is THE ARTIST, a mesmerizing black and white silent film that leaves you grinning from ear to ear, and could become the first silent film nominated for Oscar glory since Ernst Lubitsch’s THE PATRIOT in 1928! Hollywood heavyweight Stephen Spielberg throws his hat into the ring with his adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel and the celebrated National Theatre production WAR HORSE, and Roman Polanski is back with the brilliantly tense and acerbic CARNAGE starring Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster. We also have strong representation for British independent filmmaking with heart wrenching documentary DREAMS OF A LIFE by Carol Morley, and the second outing for Turner Prize winning artist Steve McQueen with SHAME. Finally, fans of classic cinema can revel in the delights of Jean Vigo’s only feature film L’ATALANTE from 1934, fresh from a digital restoration by the BFI.

Chris Harris – Film Programmer

Christmas at Aldeburgh Cinema

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Jimmy Stewart in Frank Capra’s IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, which opens our final programme of 2011. There’s also festive cheer for younger audiences (big kids are allowed too!) with the latest from Aardman Animations (creators of Wallace & Gromit) ARTHUR CHRISTMAS. Taking us into the New Year we have a couple of star turns, with Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, and Meryl Streep hotly Oscar tipped for her role as Margaret Thatcher in THE IRON LADY. For fans of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, we have David Fincher’s re-make of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO starring Daniel Craig, which promises to be better than the Swedish original, and there’s sleuthing fun in SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. At the opposite end of the spectrum we have the beautifully considered LAS ACACIAS, winner of the Camera d’Or prize for best first film at Cannes this year, and a Vatican volleyball tournament in Nanni Moretti’s lighthearted WE HAVE A POPE.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Chris Harris – Film Programmer

Coming Soon to Aldeburgh: My Week with Marilyn (15)

Sat 17, Mon 19, Tue 20 & Thu 22 Dec at 7.30

Director: Simon Curtis. Starring: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Emma Watson, Dominic Cooper, Judi Dench. UK 2011. 99 mins.

Based on two of Colin Clark’s biographical books detailing the making of the 1957 film THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL, which starred Marilyn Monroe alongside Laurence Olivier, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is the true story of one man’s week-long encounter with the biggest movie star on the planet. In the summer of 1956, set assistant Clark (Redmayne, GLORIOUS 39) is given the honour of escorting Monroe (Williams, BLUE VALENTINE) during her stay in London. As it turns out, chaperoning the world’s most famous woman isn’t exactly plain sailing. Director Simon Curtis makes his feature debut with this bubbly British comedy that also stars Judi Dench, Toby Jones (TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY) and Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier.

Authorship & Ambition Saturday 9.00am – 6.00pm

Hosting our fringe events - The Anchor Barn, Walberswick

Held at The Anchor Barn in Walberswick as part of our new fringe event activities the master class proved to be very popular. The Masterclass in Documentary Production was led by Dick Fontaine NFTS with Dr Brett Mills and Dr Sarah Godfrey – Film Dept UEA plus some distinguished guest film makers made an appearance too.

Since 1995 Dick Fontaine has run the prestigious Documentary Department at the National Film and Television School. He has made over forty films in four decades, introducing new techniques and styles to the film industry and shaping television’s investigative journalism. He likes to push the boundaries of documentary form, with below-the-radar stories about the American civil rights movement, key jazz artists and the evolution of African American popular music.

Dr Sarah Godfrey is a lecturer in film theory and practice in the School of Film and Television studies at UEA. Her primary research interests are around gender and sexuality in British and American film and television.

The fringe events held for the first time this year have proved there is a real passion in this area for knowledge and quality films and we are most grateful to the Anchor at Walberswick for allowing us to use their facilities and we look forward to developing this further with them for DocFest 2012.

MARK KIDEL IN CONVERSATION 12/11/11 11am

Mark Kidel who delighted his audience at the Aldeburgh DocFest 2011

This session delivered a revealing discussion about the subtle interrelationships between music and image. Mark explained how he started filmmaking in 1971, and most of his work has been driven by the Arts and Music.

Mark believes that Film as a musical language is often neglected. The usual language is commentary, or a presenter in front of the camera – often formulaic. Not the language of imagery. And the music when included is often wall to wall. Now there is also great pressure on documentarists to tell viewers what the film is about in the first two minutes. Mark always fights this. Just as in fiction you do not give away the story in the first two minutes. His inspiration was always in fiction – especially the fiction films of the 1960s.

Diana then introduced the screening of his film – asking Marc: what is the title?

Mark told us to wait and see!!

A full screening of LEON FLEISHER; LESSONS OF A MASTER was a captivating and moving event for the Aldeburgh cinema audience, many of whom included professional musicians or keen lovers of music. The documentary portrays the extraordinary life of Artur Schnabel’s star piano pupil, and how he overcame the paralysis of his right hand. The film won the top classical music award in France. It was shot in just over a week, and Mark was given a free rein by Leon Fleisher, who was the first US pianist to win an international competition.

During a moving and inspirational film, Daniel Barenboim tellingly explains how there is a line between making the piano sound good and getting the music right…and understanding the tone of a note…when you depress the piano keys you get many different sounds. There was a burst of laughter at the moment when Leon Fleisher explains that we used to wear plain white shirts which were then replaced with pattern shirts with surface interest which as a musician you do not need.

Following the screening, Mark told an attentive audience that the BBC had never shown his film, so he was pleased to be able to show it in Aldeburgh – much applause!!!

Mark spoke at length about his work with music – Classical Music, Rock & Roll, World Music. His career was badly managed – if he had stuck to just classical he would have got a reputation for himself. Mark could not tell Fleisher about the Bristol rapper Tricky he filmed; he could not tell Tricky about Fleisher he filmed…

Mark was asked to make a film about Blackpool which he did not want to do. He was the wrong person, knew nothing about the place and felt seriously ill throughout. However, on reflection he felt that sometimes people make good films when they are rubbed up against something they do not like. Mark effectively took us on a guided tour of how he weaves his craft. He showed a clip which reveals how changing the music changes our perception – going from a pub scene with pub music to a dreamy aquarium sequence with Wurlitzer music laid early over it before taking us to the dance floor. Blackpool has a culture of heavy drinking - Mark shot people in the pubs in an almost animal behavioural way. And most of Mark’s films are edited in a Bristol sound production house, where there is a long tradition of editing natural history films. Almost all natural history filming is recorded mute. The sound is post-synced, often with unusual sounds used, eg for seals mating etc. The editors have great skill in editing silent imagery – Mark regards this as real editing – if you get the rhythm of the images right, then the music can work.

Mark is the videographer on much of his work – initially not by choice, because he regards himself as bad at camera exposure and lighting. But it was often essential - not only for financial reasons – because that was the only way to get the access with his subjects. Frequently crews can get in the way – either physically, or by seeking unsuccessfully to ingratiate themselves with the people in Mark’s films and alienating them.

Mark’s films play well in France and German – Mark grew up in France and there is a different culture and sensibilty there – with quite an appetite for his work. But there is not really an appetite here any more on Channel Four, where in the past under Jeremy Isaacs one of Mark’s commissions was for his film MELANCOLIA, which won an RTS award.This was about a 17th century hospital in Paris on the point of closure which treated Aids victims, and was brought to Mark’s attention by an anthropologist friend. Mark spent two days in the oncology department, and like Blackpool Mark was attracted to the things that are the most difficult. To make SET THE PIANO STOOL ON FIRE ( 2010 ), screened earlier in the week in the Aldeburgh cinema, it took Mark ten years to get Alfred Brendel. Surely, the line of most resistance…the famous words of Fleisher’s teacher Artur Schnabel And MELANCOLIA would never be commissioned today we were told. Mark is largely ignored by the BBC channels where he is generally regarded as passe. The British way now is to make TV programmes for TV, not documentary films for TV. Although Mark has in fact been successful with a BBC4 commissiion about Brian Clarke, an artist working with stained glass. However, the money provided is only £30k, way below what is needed – the rest has to come from elsewhere.

Mark’s many documentary portraits include well known people such as Ravi Shankar, Derek Jarman, Bill Viola and Boy George. In showing clips from his OMNIBUS portrait of Boy George, we saw how often people do things so extraordinary, you could never make it up. To prove the point we saw a scene in the offices of EMI Group involving one of the executives, Daniel Glass, eating his lunch with his colleagues and listening to some of Boy George’s music in the company of several colleagues. He assumes a Roy Scheider/Bob Fosse persona as he grooves and gesticulates to the music with his meal on his desk – and all his acolytes also groove to the music like a syncopated line of penguins. This drew a very large laugh indeed from the amused Aldeburgh audience – a highly enthusiastic and appreciative crowd for a Saturday morning. And clearly Mark was equally delighted to be with them.

Reviewed by Michael Toppin

MRS CAREY’S CONCERT SATURDAY 12/11/11 6pm

Sophie Raymond flew in to Aldeburgh at the weekend to talk about her documentary Mrs Carey's Concert which has taken Australian box offices by storm

Another vibrant, hot ticket session featuring the newly released Australian documentary MRS CAREY’S CONCERT, followed by a Q & A with the co-director of the film Sophie Raymond flown in specially from Australia. The Aldeburgh audience were also treated to a stunning live solo performance by the film’s young star Emily Sun - playing the violin she had won twice in competitions; and this was followed by a remarkable interpretation of a classic song from Sophie. The documentary was rapturously received by a big audience, who were gripped by this beautifully made and inspiring film. It took Australia by storm and deserves an equally big audience in Britain. Are you listening BBC ?

The theme of the session was about Coming of Age for young people. And it was also a coming of age for the Co-Director Sophie Raymond, who never thought in the beginning that an observational documentary about a school could end up as the second highest grossing documentary in Australian cinema history, grossing 1.12 million dollars and shown in 70 cinemas. Because of the deal with the broadcasters, after 17 weeks it had to be pulled from the cinemas. In a fascinating Q & A session we learnt about the sheer scale of the project - how the film took 18 months to shoot and a year to edit, with 263 hours of footage recorded – 200 hours of this being linear coverage. Remarkably all of the location sound was recorded live, mostly by Sophie. And apart from the opening lines from Mrs Carey – noone was asked to do anything for the camera or redo something. In fact, the participants at the school were much more sefl-conscious amongst themselves than of the presence of a film unit as the story unfolded in fron of the camera and the microphone.

As a child growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution - Emily saw her father as an inspiration to her. He was a respected musician, violinist and self-taught composer. We learnt how Emily had come to terms with the tragic loss of her father in a roadside accident. And we also learnt how for Sophie’s Co-Director Bob Connolly there was also a tragic loss in the family in his own past - his partner died of cancer and he had not made a film for ten years. It was largely due to Bob’s experience and contacts that the film got made. He had two children at the school, and with his legendary reputation gained working in documentaries for more than thirty years - six of them feature length - he and Sophie were given a free hand by the commissioners. With Bob’s background, and Sophie’s skillset – animator, musician, sound recordist, editor and director - Mrs Carey’s mission to get her girls to give a top-flight concert at the Sydney Opera House was captured by a truly winning documentary team.

Reviewed by Michael Toppin