CAMBRIDGE Film Festival is now

impressively in its 33rd year and is what

you’d call firmly established as one of the

highlights of the British movie calendar (no,

it’s not competing with Cannes quite yet, but

one day) – and this year it’s going all out.

British and world premieres are set to

rub shoulders with classic revivals, heart-

stopping documentaries, quirkily-themed

strands, children’s films, snappy shorts and a

slew of live events, from director Q&As, panel

discussions and actor appearances.

This special edition of

What’s On is designed to

help you make the most

of the festival, of which

the Cambridge News

is proud to be media

partner.First up, ELLAWALKER tells you

the 10 events not to

miss…

The details� The 33rd Cambridge Film Festival runs

from today until Sunday, September 29

� All events in this guide take place at the

Arts Picturehouse, 38-39 St Andrew’s Street,

Cambridge, CB2 3AR, unless otherwise

stated� There are no adverts or trailers before

Festival screenings, be seated by the

advertised time� Tickets for all venues are available from

the Arts Picturehouse Box Office on 0871

9025720 or at www.cambridgefilmfestival.

org.uk� Keep reading the Cambridge News for

reviews and competitions to win tickets to

festival screenings

20 | September 19, 2013 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

Editor: Paul Kirkley Writer: Ella WalkerEmail: whatson@cambridge-news.co.uk,ella.walker@cambridge-news.co.uk

A scientific lifeTHERE have been documentaries and fictionalised series about the world’sgreatest living scientist before, but this is different: this time it’s ProfessorStephen Hawking in his own words. That’s the power of Hawking, a touching,funny, candid insight into the professor’s life and work. Those lucky enough tohave nabbed tickets will also get to see the cosmologist in person during aQ&A with director Stephen Finnegan after the screening (who we interviewedon page 26).(Today, 7.25pm)

WoodymarvellousTHE Festival has onlygone and nabbed thehonour of hostingthe UK premiere ofBlue Jasmine, WoodyAllen’s latest foray intodysfunctional familydrama. It stars CateBlanchett as Jasmine,a penniless, Xanaxpopping socialitewho’s having to bunkup with her sister(Sally Hawkins) afterbeing ditched by hercheating husband (AlecBaldwin). It’s razorsharp, wittily spitefuland full of endearingneuroses – kind of.

Director chatTHIS year’s closing film is quitea coup. How I Live Now starts outlike a slicker Twilight, ie there’steenage romance betweenbeautiful co-stars Saoirse Ronanand George MacKay, but thenWorld War III hits and everythingfalls apart. Now it really is allabout survival. The award-winningdirector Kevin Macdonald(the man behind The Last KingOf Scotland no less), will beanswering questions after thescreening.(Sunday, September 29, 8.30pm)

1

4

Surprise!EVERY year the Festival is a total tease and screens a surprise film– this year they’re being generous and showing two. There’s onlyway to find out what they are though, and that’s to turn up on the day(even the projectionist doesn’t know what he’s putting on). PreviousSurprise Films have included premieres of Pixar’s UP!, Pirates Of TheCaribbean and Burn After Reading. They always sell out too so you’llwant to book early.(Saturday, September 28, 1.15pm/ Sunday, September 29, 2.45pm)

2

Read our interviewwith the rather

lovely Sally Hawkins

on page 24.(Today, 10.15pm/Cineworld, 7.30pm)

3

WHAT’S ON Cambridge Film Festival

Cambridge News | cambridge-news.co.uk | September 19, 2013 | 21

What’s On has two pairs of film tickets to giveaway every day throughout Cambridge Film Festival, visithttp://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Whats-on-leisure/Cambridge-Film-Festival/ for details

Dream bigOBVIOUSLY, Hawking isn’t the only documentary worthchecking out over the Festival. Learn all about snowboarderKevin Pierce who suffered brain damage before the 2010US Winter Olympics in The Crash Reel (Friday, September20, 8.45pm, above), discover the amazing ambitions of atiny group of budding scientists in Beirut who embarked onbuilding a rocket using budget materials from local shopsin The Lebanese Rocket Society (Saturday, September 21,6.15pm), and see how Drako Zarhazar, who is unable tocreate new memories, lives perpetually in the moment inThe Man Whose Mind Exploded (Friday, September 27,6.45pm).

IF you’re a fan of dark historicaldramas – and couldn’t imagineanything better than Lost’s MatthewFox in uniform – you’re bound toenjoy Emperor. Set in post WWIIJapan, Fox’s character sets out tountangle the Emperor’s involvement

with war crimes, while also trying tofind a long lost love. Director PeterWebber tells us what it was like towork with the rather gruff Tommy LeeJones and why he’s obsessed withJapanese culture on page 27.(Saturday, September 28, 8.30pm)

GoretroALL you 80skids can relivethe films of youryouth – and thepolitical tensionthat went withit – thanks tothe Festival’sThatcher’sBritain strand.See a young,chiselled DavidBowie in AbsoluteBeginners(Wednesday,September 25,3.45pm, bottomright), DanielDay-Lewisscrubbing alongin My BeautifulLaundrette(Tuesday,September 24,6.30pm) andHelena BonhamCarter trussedup in corsets inA Room With AView (Saturday,September 21,1pm, top right).Swoon…

A Song and danceTHE Festival’s 33 1/3 strand delves into thethrumming, eccentric, giddy world of musicdocumentaries – complete with incrediblesoundtracks. Head nod your way through ShaneMeadows’ rock ‘n’ roll Stone Roses tribute, Made OfStone (Saturday, September 28), explore how ficklethe industry is in The Great Hip Hop Hoax (Sunday,September 22), and see Thomas Dolby’s homage toa lighthouse that lit up his childhood in The InvisibleLighthouse (Wednesday, September 29).

Local dimensionTRIDENTFEST is a collectionof super short films made bylocal filmmakers, includingArts Picturehouse favourite,Ryd Cook from Cambridge.Each movie is betweentwo and 10 minutes long,covering everything fromcutlass-wielding buccaneers,a music video made usingseven cameras, and a storyabout a guy trapped in ahouse, facing his own fears.Go be inspired.(Friday, September 27, 11pm)

MY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY(Germany, 2012)Kosovo, 1999. As the civil war between Serbs andAlbanians rages, hatred has replaced tolerance,and towns are brutally divided along ethnic lines.The young Serbian widow Danica lives with hertwo sons Vlado and Danilo in a predominantlySerbian community close to a small town, whichthe River Ibar divides into an Albanian and aSerbian section. The death of Danica’s husbandat the hands of the Albanians has left profoundtraces in the family. Little Danilo has not spoken aword since, and Vlado has become ahooky-playing loner who dreams of owning abright blue bicycle. Despite the war, everyone inthe community strives to lead normal lives. But oneday, Danica returns from town to find a seriouslyinjured KosovoAlbanian soldier, Ramiz, in herhouse. Though aware that he is on the run fromthe Serbian militia, Danica takes Ramiz in andnurses him back to health, thus exposing herselfand the children to danger.UK premiere. Thursday, Sept 19, 5pm, Tuesday,Sept, 24, 1.30pm.

BACK TO THE GARDEN(UK, 2013)It is a year since the death of an inspirationaltheatre director and teacher, and his widow isstruggling to come to terms with her loss. Agroup of close friends, many of whom are or wereactors, come to spend the weekend with her tooffer their support and to celebrate his memory inan entertaining and moving performance beforethey scatter his ashes in the garden. Back To TheGarden is both a meditation on love and lossand an evocation of the joys and sadnesses oflater life, exploring these themes with humour andtenderness by the improvising cast. Jon Sandersand his cast will attend the screening.World premiere. Sunday, Sept 22, 6pm, Monday,Sept 23, 11am.

BLACK AFRICA, WHITE MARBLE(Italy, USA, 2011)The history of European colonialism in Africa islargely an ugly one. But among the stories ofexploitation, slavery and harvesting of naturalresources, is that of Brazzaville in the Republicof Congo – the only African capital city to retaina European name, in honour of Italian explorerPietro Savorgnan di Brazza, whose kindness andfriendship eternally endeared him to its peopleafter he arrived there in 1875. Skip to the present,and plans to move Brazza’s body from Algiers toa new, commemorative mausoleum in Brazzavillepique the interest of the explorer’s descendant,Idanna Pucci. But upon learning that the plansmask a sinister on the part of the corrupt Nguessogovernment, Pucci makes a stand. Shadowpuppetry, animation and archive footage meshtogether in this intriguing documentary. DirectorClemente Bicocchi, Idanna Pucci and producerTerence Ward will attend the screening.UK premiere. Friday, Sept 27, 3.45pm, Saturday,Sept 28, 10.45am.

BLACKBIRD(UK, 2013)The tension between tradition and progress –past and future – is felt nowhere more keenlythan in Scotland, where despite various initiativesaimed at preserving a rich tradition of balladsand storytelling, the prospect of these culturalfoundations being lost to future generations is veryreal. This tension inspired Jamie Chambers tomake Blackbird, a story of fiery young Ruadhan’sbattle to preserve the oral romanticism of hissleepy Scottish hometown in the face of apathy,new developments, and the pull of the city.Starring celebrated Gaelic poet, piper and comicNorman Maclean as an ageing bard whose helpRuadhan enlists in his campaign, the film is aspirited paean to Scottish cultural history. Whilea soundtrack of traditionally sung ballads offerstangible evidence of the tradition at stake, JohnCraine’s sensuous cinematograph y dwells on thenatural beauty of SW Scotland, the Machars ofDumfries and Galloway.Sunday, Sept 22, 6pm, Monday, Sept 23,10.45am.

Festival choice5

8

9

7

6

10

Noir thrills

Family fun

ALTHOUGH there’s no dedicatedfamily film festival this year (boo),there’s still tonnes of stuff for kidsand families to get stuck into (yay).We’re particularly excited about

Turbo (3D) which tells the tale ofa snail who wants to be a racingdriver.

See back page for more details