Oliver Sunley previews the East End Film Festival…
Dotted across some of London’s most atmospheric cinemas, the 2013 edition of The East End Film Festival returns today at the Troxy Theatre and runs until July 10th, showcasing the talents of independent filmmakers from around the world while hosting a series of Q&A’s, talks and exhibitions throughout the east end. Of the diverse pool of films amassed by the festival, Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha and Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England are among some of the better known but the festival’s international line-up dances through a fantastic array of talent from European and World cinema.
Delving into the underbelly of the softcore porn industry in India, Ashim Ahluwalia’s visually striking Miss Lovely translates Bollywood’s lush aesthetic into a toxic milieu of gangsters and fierce ambition in the 1980s Hindi film industry. Also featuring in the festival’s impressive selection of world cinema is Argentinian director Jazmin López’ Leones. Tracking a group of friends’ undirected wanderings of through an immersive and often imposing forest, López’ seductive debut feature toils with social canons and human dynamics like a muggy dream.
Meanwhile at Brick Lane’s Vibe Bar, Grits ‘n’ Gravy (July 7th) celebrates deep south American cinema with a selection of features and shorts that skirt through Louisiana’s dust-bowls, through Texas and into the humid, characterful streets of Georgia.
Featuring the European Premiere of Craig Brewer’s The Poor and Hungry – a moody tale of a Memphis criminal who falls for one of his victims – and Greg Freddy’s Muscle Shoals – starring Mick Jagger and Etta James in the retelling of the creation of Alabama’s FAME studios – the choice of films honour the diverse array of characters, music and cities in America’s deep south. Sadly there won’t be a drop of moonshine in sight but accompanied by live music from Swamp Pop band Dirty Gentlemen and bloody marys, Grits ‘n’ Gravy offers a fantastic day day of cinema akin to experiencing Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison concert.
Of the seventy feature films and dozens of shorts on offer, Polish filmmaker, Kasia Roslaniec’s Baby Blues and Mexican director Sebastian Hoffman’s debut feature Halley stand out in a generous programme from some of cinema’s best emerging talent. Finishing with the UK premiere of Lovelace – Rob Epstein and Jeffery Friedman’s biopic of pornstar Linda Lovelace and her rise to fame in Deep Throat – the East End Film Festival gives a sensational platform to showcase the diverse artistry in contemporary cinema.
Picks of the festival:
The Colour of the Chameleon (Emil Christov – Wednesday 3rd July, Genesis Cinema)
Extraordinary Stories (Mariano Llinás – Saturday 6th July, Rich Mix Cinema)
Penance (Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Sunday 7th July, Barbican Cinema)
Down By Law (Jim Jarmusch – Sunday 7th July, Vibe Bar Cinema)
Babyblues + Q&A (Kasia Roslaniec – Monday 8th July, Rich Mix Cinema)
Halley (Sebastian Hoffman – Tuesday 9th July, Genesis Cinema)
Oliver Sunley
Originally published June 25, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
