Four young Londoners have decided to combine their love for London and film by launching the London On Film Festival. Taking place at The Lexi Cinema from the 16th to the 21st of June, this is a chance to explore London's personality on film, looking deep into its dark underbelly and back into its gritty past, while at the same time celebrating its cultural diversity and unique atmosphere. We want to show that London on screen can be just as romantic as Paris, as beautiful as Rome, and as vibrant as New York.
Each day is centred around a different theme and screenings are served up with a mix of directorial Q&As, informed speakers, food, live music and performance to create truly unique Londoncentric events. Films include the fantastic new release "Telstar" introduced by the film's director, rare unseen gems from the BFI archive and Stephen Frear's challenging "Dirty Pretty Things", as well as the much-loved "Oliver!" (with optional singing along!) London's own reggae scene is documented in the 1980 film "Babylon", and cutting edge documentaries are represented by films such as "What Have You Done Today, Mervyn Day?" and "Finisterre".
Each film screening is supported by a live event, ranging from guest speakers and hosted discussions to live jazz and even a cocktails party burlesque show. The speaker list includes artists and well-known figures such as: actor and director Nick Moran; directors Paul Kelly and Kieran Evans; human rights activist Helen Bamber, O.B.E.; photographer Caroline Irby; architect Alex Lifschutz and urbanist Richard Burdett, who are influencing the future face of London.
The Lexi Cinema itself is a unique social enterprise that opened last year, combining old picture house charm with techno-wizardry to create a truly mesmerising cinematic experience and, best of all, it donates 100% of its profits to The Sustainability Institute charity in South Africa. Check out www.londononfilmfestival.org.uk to find out more about the 2009 festival lineup.
