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FAR FROMTHE MADDING CROWD
BAFTA North has been extremely busy the past few months hosting presti- gious premieres and screening some of the most exciting films of 2001. A large num- ber of members attended the latest exclusive screenings of the Oscar nominated feature, The Contender, Men Of Honor and Ken Loach’s new film, Bread And Roses held at the Odeon Cinema Manchester and Liverpool, respectively.
Members flooded the Liverpool Odeon, including local actor David Morrissey’s family, who were truly delighted with his per- formance in the critically acclaimed film of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. A sponsored reception followed at the Pacific Bar & Grill with compli- mentary Absolut cocktails.
In April, celebrities came out in force to celebrate one of the most memorable films of all time, A Hard Day’s Night! In association with Buena Vista International UK, BAFTA North held a UK Charity Premiere of the new digitally remastered print of the Beatles film at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, which was followed by a reception at the Pacific Bar & Grill kindly sponsored by Buena Vista.
The evening was a huge suc- cess, attended by industry profes- sionals and casts from the Soaps: Hollyoaks, Brookside and Coronation Street and from the new television series Phoenix Nights and BBC’s The Cops. More than £5,000 was raised with all pro- ceeds going to the Linda
McCartney Centre Charity Liverpool’s Royal Hospital.
BAFTA North in association with MIDA have organised a series of industry related events begin- ning with a screening of the BFI/Film 4 New Directors Shorts at the printworks, Manchester. A Q&A discussion took place with panel members including Alex Usborne, regional executive, New
Cinema Fund, Film Council; Laurel Warbrick-Keay from the BFI; Darren Schlesinger, producer of To Have And To Hold, and Lyn Papadopolous of MIDA. Guests included a host of industry profes- sionals, some cast from Coronation Street and actress Shobna Gulati of the BAFTA award winning short Shadowscan.
The second BAFTA North/MIDA joint collaboration took place with Red Productions exhibiting the first episode of the second series of the award winning television drama Clocking Off 2. Executive producer Nicola Shindler; acclaimed writer Paul Abbott and
producer Juliet Charlesworth par- ticipated in a discussion with the audience after the screening. The evening was sponsored by The Fat Cat Cafe and Absolut.
The latest script-to-screen event in association with MIDA was the award winning television series The Cops, held at the BBC Manchester. In attendance were the creative people involved, pro- ducer Annie Harrison Baxter; cre- ators Robert Jones and Anita Pandolfo; actors Jack Marsden and John Henshaw who all participated in a lively discussion on how the whole concept to creation process works. The evening was very well attended and proved to be an invaluable networking opportunity for members.
BAFTA North and Yorkshire Media Production Agency, in asso- ciation with the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, hosted in a unique event for film-makers to participate in an informative discussion on the Film Council’s strategy for support- ing and developing the region’s film-making talent through the exciting and innovative New Cinema Fund.
Alex Usborne, from the New Cinema Fund, responded to some very difficult key questions raised by a very enthusiastic audience all eager for his advice on funding. ■ Maureen Sinclair
maureen.baftanorth@virgin.net
BAFTA Scotland recently hosted a first ever joint event with the Irish Film & Television Academy. The organisation, IFTA , has only been in existence for just over two years and already has proved itself with two brilliantly successful televised events and a growing screen industry membership.
Representing all of Ireland’s film and television, IFTA’S first Awards ceremony, held in November 1999, was broadcast from the studios of RTE in Dublin. The magnificent Waterfront Hall in Belfast was the setting for the year 2000 event, broadcast by BBC Northern Ireland and once again a sparkling array of Irish and interna- tional stars turned out to present the awards.
Over the past three years BAFTA Scotland has forged a strong and mutually supportive relation- ship with IFTA because of the many similarities between our two organi- sations. In April we hosted our first joint event, a BAFTA Scotland spe- cial preview screening of the Irish comedy, When Brendan Met Trudy.
With support from Aer Lingus, we were able to invite the Director of IFTA, Fionnuala Sweeney and the director of the film, Kieron Walsh to introduce and discuss the film with the 123 strong audience. Once again the excellent city centre Odeon hosted our screening which was followed by a delightful recep- tion in Glasgow’s superb Corinthian Private Members Bar.
It is Kieron’s first fea- ture film and we hope to arrange a similar exchange for the director of a new Scottish film later this year, Watch this space!
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was also given a preview screening in April
and we were very pleased that distributors Buena Visa International were able to offer us two options for our membership. By clever timing our members in Edinburgh and in Glasgow were able to see this long awaited film on the same night.
We were particularly pleased that the director of the film, John Madden, was able to attend ques- tion and answer sessions after each screening. BAFTA Scotland members were given a unique opportunity to meet and talk with an excellent and successful direc- tor - and a thoroughly nice person.
The well known Scottish actor and director, David Hayman was for- tunately free to come along and introduce The Tailor Of Panama recently to Scottish members. He plays the role of “a geek” as he describes his stiff upper lipped MI5 character and he hugely amused the audience with some very funny and slightly risque tale of stars Pierce Brosnan and Jamie Lee Curtis on the rehearsal set of the film.
David had nothing but good words to say about his fellow stars and particularly mentioned the bril- liant director John Boorman, with whom he had previously worked on the Oscar nominated wartime childhood memoir Hope And Glor y.
BAFTA Scotland’s special events and screenings are set to continue until the summer holiday break. Membership renewal time is the month of July. ■
Alison Forsythe
For further information on becoming a screen industry BAFTA member in Scotland, contact Tamara Van Strijthem, Assistant Administrator. Tel. 0141 302 1770 Fax. 0141 302 1771.
info@baftascotland.co.uk
BAFTA NORTH
BAFTA SCOTLAND
Photos opposite page from top left (l-r): Gary Dartnall (Chair BAFTA LA), Don Haber (CEO BAFTA LA), Jill James (Chair BAFTA Events) Ewart Needham (BAFTA Events Committee) and writer Sam Snape; Lola Boorman and Daniel Radcliffe in The Tailor Of Panama; Hollyoaks star Terri Dwyer; inset left: Stifyn Parri with BAFTA Cymru Award*; This page from left (l-r): Joanna Taylor, Terri Dwyer, Maureen Sinclair (Director BAFTA North), Julie Bond, Neil Fitzmaurice, Mark Herbert, Tony Fitzmaurice and Johnny Rushton at the Premiere of A Hard Day’s Night; the stars of Hollyoaks Terri Dwyer and friend, Darren Jefferies, Lisa Kay, Martino Lazzeri and Joanna Taylor at the Premiere; the Irish comedy When Brendan Met Trudy; inset above: Maureen Sinclair, Terri Dwyer, Lisa McGorrin (BAFTA North) and Carmel Drumgoole (BAFTA North) *The Award is based on a design by Mitzi Cunliffe, Sculptor-Toby Peterson, Photo by How John
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