Watch Africa: interview

Watch Africa is back with a bang after an excellent South Africa programme last autumn. In collaboration with Chapter, the festival is bringing a new series of films exploring the impact of conflict, with a particular focus on the African context of conflict resolution.

Following a successful first screening on 8 February, which premiered Lesotho’s first feature-length film Forgotten Kingdom, we talk to Fadhili Maghiya, founder and organiser of Watch Africa, about the festival programme, film as a medium and learning from cultural differences.

Next up in the programme are One Humanity and Concerning Violence , with screenings 16 February and 28 February at Chapter.

How did you go about choosing the films in the conflict series?

It was about reflecting what is happening at this moment in time. What is relevant at this moment in time? If you look at the film One Humanity, which we are screening on the 16th [Feb], it’s to do with Mandela, it’s to do with South Africa celebrating 20 years of independence, and it marches in with what we did as part of our core festival last year.

We’re also screening a film called Timbuktu, which deals with Islamic extremism in Mali and Senegal. The film is just beautiful, it’s been nominated for an Oscar and obviously the issue is as relevant as anything else at this moment in time, really. [Timbuktu is screening in March, date TBA]

You organise panel discussions and workshops alongside your films. The High Commissioner of Lesotho attended your first screening – what else is in store?

For One Humanity we have the producer coming in, Tony Hollingsworth. Apart from being the producer of this film he also organised, in 1988 and 1990, Mandela’s birthday party, which was in Wembley. It was huge, the main artists of the time were performing, over 100,000 people came.
The film talks about the legacy of Mandela over the past years. It has interviews with a few Welsh people, because there has been a huge Welsh movement to support anti-apartheid movements. They interviewed Neil Kinnock, former first minister for Wales and also Peter Hain, who is a local MP here.

Fadhili Maghiya: “I want to use film as a medium to talk about different issues related to Africa, whether they are positive or negative” ©RobinNierynck

Concerning Violence deals with Frantz Fanon’s theory of conflict, he is a philosopher from Martinique. After the film we are doing an Ubuntu Workshop, which will be led by someone from the Desmond Tutu foundation. Ubuntu is an African concept which is very different from the European idea of retributive justice and settling disputes in court.

A good example is in Rwanda, following the genocide. The United Nations set up a tribunal to deal with the genocide and the perpetrators and so on, but the Rwandan government set up what they call Gacaca courts, which is a more restorative form of justice. Rather than punishing individuals, because the people knew who they were, the whole community would have the perpetrators talk about what they did. It just created an interaction. It’s about forgiveness, a big part of it. Some people might argue it’s not an effective way of dealing with conflict or justice in general, but for some people, letting it out and hearing what happened… it works for them. That’s what the Ubuntu workshop is about.

Why did you decide to address these concepts through film? Is it a particularly powerful medium?

It works. Especially with the subject matter being Africa. We have a certain portrayal of Africa over here, which is mostly negative. To some extent I want to use film as a medium to talk about different issues related to Africa, whether they are positive or negative.

I use film as a medium because people might not know much about Africa, but by watching films they might get a grasp of what the situation is, and what it’s like. And through that and the discussions afterwards they open up to a variety of ideas and thoughts from people who know nothing or know a lot – it’s about combining the two really. I think film is good for people who might not know so much about Africa, it’s more accessible for them to digest and understand the issues.

“people might not know much about Africa but by watching films they might get a grasp of what the situation is and open up to a variety of ideas and thoughts”

What are you hoping to accomplish with the festival?

There are a number of objectives. It’s about education; educating people about Africa, talking about Africa and understanding the issues that are affecting Africa presently but also in the past and future. It’s about sharing artistic knowledge. For example, we are hoping in the future to create a link with filmmakers here and in Africa. We would also like to link schools here with schools in Africa through films.

I think it’s mainly about raising awareness, educating and sharing African culture  and stories told from the African perspective. Not all the films are made by Africans but it’s important that our focus is to showcase films made by Africans so that they can tell the other stories. And it’s about those stories being told and people hearing about them rather than what we see and hear on the news all the time.

People want those different things that aren’t like anything they’ve watched before. It has surprised me how supportive people in Wales have been. People want to be involved. And I thought film would be the best way, not just to see and watch but also to discuss the issues that are coming out from the film.

Visit the site to find out more about Watch Africa and upcoming screenings. 

@Watch_WAFF

Adventure Film Festival

Hello 2015. Now that we’ve somewhat recovered from the Christmas food comas that inevitably come with the holiday season, we can begin to feast on another year of filmic goodness.

And what a year it is promising to be. With the BAFTAs and Oscars around the corner, fans everywhere are speculating about the films of the year 2014. Passionate appeals are made for favourite actors, soundtracks are discussed in intricate detail, disagreements quickly turn violent and chaos takes over… Perhaps not quite, but it is certainly an intense and exciting time for film.

None so intense as the Adventure Film Festival, which will be showing a selection of the most action-packed, extreme sports driven films to make even the most homely toes tingle.

The festival, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, will be taking place at 30 cinemas across the UK, showcasing its selection of the 11 best and most exciting films submitted by adventure filmmakers.

Chapter will be hosting AFF for the fourth year running, with three themed programmes spread over three days. The first event, which takes place on 15 January, comprises a high-energy selection of films ranging from 4 to 40 minutes, covering everything from BASE-jumping to mountain climbing to freeride snowboarding. Get ready for an adrenaline-filled journey through Switzerland, Afghanistan, Iran, California, Alaska and Antarctica.

The second and third installments take place on 22 and 29 January.

Visit the site to book tickets and find out more about to programme.

Film Industry: Have your say

After our recent article on the future of independent film in Cardiff, The Cardiff Reel wants to know what you think. Don’t hesitate to elaborate in the comments, and be sure to mention what part you play in the film industry, be it filmmaker or movie-goer!

Storm+Shelter: film production in Cardiff

“We don’t always play Fifa – we do actually work.”

With these words Josh Bennett, creative director at Storm+Shelter, begins our interview. It’s lunchtime, and people are sprawled around the office; eating sandwiches, engaged in a game on the Xbox, chatting on a giant sofa that takes up half the space.

A Cardiff based media production company with a colourful collection of short films, documentaries and music videos to its name, Storm+Shelter recently celebrated its first year anniversary.

Josh, together with Gruff Vaughan and Nick Patterson, makes up the trio behind the enterprise. Tucked in a red-brick building in the Bay, the Storm+Shelter office shares the property with a number of other companies, and the place is steeped in a contagiously creative atmosphere.

There are a lot of production companies in Cardiff, is it a good environment to work in?

Josh: There are a lot of production companies around, but you kind of find your own niche.
Gruff: I feel there’s enough work to go along, nobody’s stepping on each others’ toes.
Josh: Everyone understands that we’re in the same boat. We help each other out, rent each other equipment, and we’ll help out at shoots… Nobody would ever dream of stealing each others’ clients.
Nick: It’s a good mentality, a good community to be a part of more than anything.

How do you see Storm+Shelter now that you’ve hit the one-year mark?

Nick: I think we’re in a very good place right now. We’re building a reputation for ourselves, and I’m very happy with where we are in terms of the content that we make, the quality that we make.

You’re eight times more likely to watch a video than read text, and companies are getting there at the moment

We made an advert for a furniture company and it looked really cool. I mean, I didn’t think a sofa could look cool, but how we shot it was really interesting. So even taking a new approach to content is quite fun.
There are a lot of people that think corporate has to be boring. And we’re very much of the opinion that we don’t want to do anything that’s boring to us, we want to make cool stuff.

Everyone’s realising how important video content is. Even on Facebook, so many people post videos because that’s just what gets people engaged. You’re eight times more likely to watch a video than read text, and companies are getting there at the moment.

What is it like working together on shoots?  

Gruff: It’s really intense. It can be really relaxed in the office, but then as soon as you’re shooting you’re working from something like ten in the morning to four in the morning.
Josh: It’s very intense because you’ve got to be on it, you’ve got to be safe, otherwise the production falls apart. Everyone’s got to be on their game, fuelled with coffee. [laughs]
Gruff: [To Josh] you need to explain the NUFT scale.

Josh: Ah yes! So how we work – it’s really important to know if people are feeling positive or negative when you’re on a shoot. So we have this scale of um… [laughs] It’s called NUFT and WUFT. NUFT is Not Up For That , and WUFT is Well Up For That.
Out of a percentage you say, “Are you NUFT or WUFT?” and they’ll say, for example “I’m about 80% WUFT.” That would be good, that’s towards the positive side of things. But if someone’s feeling down or just a bit exhausted, it’s up to the other guys to keep everyone positive, to keep it going – give them coffee, some food …
Nick: It is generally coffee that helps [laughs]  Anything lower than 40% is like “GET THAT MAN A COFFEE”

 Does the fact that you are friends make working together easier?

Gruff: It’s important to realise that what makes us work so well is that we have this understanding of each other. It’s not about taking things personally, it’s work, but at the same time you’ve got to understand that if somebody’s feeling down you’ve got to help each other through.
Nick: It’s the combination of being work-mates but also mates-mates. It’s good that there is that friendship element to it so that you can say “You alright?” If it was your boss, you might not want to say, but if it’s your mates you chat about it, get it sorted and get back to work.

 Has anything ever gone horribly wrong on a shoot?

Gruff: It nearly did.
Josh:  What was that?
Gruff: We nearly set an entire park on fire.
Josh: Well, okay, so… [everyone bursts out laughing]

This is where context comes in handy…

Josh: For a music video we shot an actress dancing around in the dark with flares. It’s very pretty, very nice. At the end of the script I’d written in that as she’s walking down this single wooden pathway, a flare goes off, and then another, and it just gets more intense as she walks towards the camera. And [the video] climaxes in the hugeness of that image. It was 2am, so I was like “Let’s do it!”
Gruff: You were stressing about how to get the shot done, and me and Nick were in the back looking at each other like “We can’t let him do this this shot.”
Nick: We only had two flares left, so the idea was to set off both flares and have her walking or running down the pathway. But the thing is… on either side of this pathway were a massive ton of dry reeds. So obviously, if you’re spouting flames on a dry wooden walkway, you know, it usually catches fire and burns up.
Josh: I was being optimistic.
Gruff: You weren’t being optimistic, you weren’t thinking about it, you were thinking about your shot.
Nick: You were really tired and just wanted to get things done. And we were going “Nope.” [laughs] So we had to re-write the end of the video.
Gruff: [to Josh] you got really grumpy.
Josh: Well of course I got grumpy.
Josh: So we were there, 2am, trying to think of a way to end this video. It took us about 45 minutes to come up with a new idea, which worked really well, probably much better than the original idea. But it’s situations like that…it was very sensible of these guys to say “This is a bad idea.”
Gruff: It was the most tense and stressful thing we’ve ever done, I think. 

The video that nearly led to arson and jail time 

 But you pulled it off.

Josh: We did, and from that you learn from that experience, you learn to take a more in-depth assessment of the risks involved. I guess for me I’ve had to adapt my thinking. Before, it was just a case of “Trust me, it’s fine. I’ve got it, let’s do it.” But now I actually pitch my ideas to these guys, and we go through that whole system of storyboarding, risk assessment,… It’s so important to shoots now.
Gruff: That’s also the difference between freelancing and having a company, that you have your company’s reputation to think about. We were like “If this park goes on fire…that’s it, that’s this company done.”

Gruff will be like “We can’t financially or logistically do that.” And I’ll be more like “THAT IS ENTIRELY UNSAFE.”

Nick: It’s not even just “That’s done.” I mean, that’s jail time! [laughs] Luckily the three of us work together well in that respect. Josh is… still that person, really [laughs] He’ll just be like “Let’s do this!” And then its a combination of me and Gruff going “No, we actually can’t.” Actually Gruff will be like “We can’t financially or logistically do that.” And I’ll be more like “THAT IS ENTIRELY UNSAFE.” [All laugh]
Josh: I wanted an animatronic owl in a video recently. And your face [to Gruff] was just…
Nick:  Actually I wanted the owl as well.
Josh:  Yeah, we were sold.

They look over to the idea board where somebody’s written “Man and owl have adventures” with below it “Learn to let go.”

Nick: Thats is still happening. It’s going to be great. I tell you, it’s all in my head.

 Does being based in Cardiff impact the work that you do?

Josh: I’ve had quite a lot of people say that if you have a London postcode for your office then you’re more likely to get a lot more work. I don’t think that’s the case. You get so much going on in Cardiff, I think it’s one of the best places to be in UK right now for being a media company. London is great, but I think you can still get that work in, still meet those people, just by networking and putting your work out there.
Nick:  I think during our infancy it’s helped us a lot being in Cardiff. Mainly because we do a lot of Welsh language stuff. So that helped us get a foothold.
Josh: But from there we’ve had the opportunity to do other things. It’s interesting because we all have different avenues that we’d like to explore… We were actually going to have a talk about this. [laughs] Have you guys had a thought about where you’d like to go?
Nick: Not really man, I’m just riding the waves. [laughs]
Josh: He’s riding the waves to success.
Nick: See where it washes me up, like. Hopefully it won’t wash me up for a fair few years. You know, I’ll be there with Wilson… just chilling out, casting away… [laughs] Have you got that reference? Good job.

So why the name Storm+Shelter?

Nick: Oh my god.

Josh: We’ve been debating this. When we were coming up with it we chucked about a hundred words on the board.
Nick: It was post-it notes! We wrote loads of words on post-it notes and stuck them on the wall. And all we did was pick one and put it together with another. They were all power words [laughs]
Josh: Panther was one…
Nick: Ah, panther, yes! One of them we came up with was “Hyper Black Panther Wang”, but that didn’t make it… I thought that was great.
Josh: Yeah we shot that one down immediately…
Nick: And then we put storm and shelter together. It’s kind of like storm shelter but when you put storm AND shelter it’s like… “Ohh.”
Nick: There are so many things you can manufacture as a meaning, it’s brilliant.
Josh: One of my favourite songs is Bob Dylan’s Shelter From the Storm, I love that.
Gruff: Yeah, that’s what he said last time. Somebody asked the same question and [Josh] gave this Bob Dylan answer and we were like “No… we just put two words together.” [all laugh]

Nick: I like to think of it as “There is a veritable storm of, you know, media… and lots of bad media out there but… we are the shelter that people come under and say “can you provide me with safe, nice, fun media, and we’re like “yeah, come in here, come to us. All that crap that’s raining down, don’t have any of that, come in here, we’ll shelter you from it, and we’ll serve you some cool stuff.”
Josh: Thats a more… um…
Nick: Well if you worded it better, if you got a marketing guy to word that [laughing] that would be absolutely slamming.
Josh: Well either way, we all decided on the name because it just fit, it looked really nice when you put the words together.
Nick: To me it’s still Hyper Black Panther Wang, and it always will be.
Josh: You can keep that in brackets, I’m sticking with Storm+Shelter. [all laugh]

Visit the Storm+Shelter website to find out more about their work, or follow them @strmnshltr 

Interview: Dave Evans

Dave Evans is a film and TV director based in Cardiff. He has worked with the BBC, received a BAFTA award for Best Film, and is currently working on several new productions. His latest documentary, Pretty Village, had its Welsh premiere at Chapter on 12 November.

Pretty Village follows concentration camp survivor Kemal Pervanic as he returns to his village, years after the Bosnian War, to find a community still very much marked by conflict. The film is sober and honest, often relying on fragments of home movies, humble in its reluctance to cast judgements. It creates a space for others to tell their story, sometimes for the first and last time.

It is not a film about war. It’s a film about people. Little is said about the conflict in political terms. Instead, Pretty Village focuses on the psychology of a society that was turned against each other, on questions of identity, and the hurt of wanting back a life that is lost forever.

A long time in the making

Pretty Village happened all but accidentally. Dave travelled to Bosnia to work on a drama project and ran workshops as part of a charity created by Kemal Pervanic. Kemal would eventually be the one to persuade Dave to make the film.

“We had lots of conversations and Kemal kept saying “There’s a film here,” and I couldn’t see what the film was,” Dave says as he sips his espresso. “I was reluctant to make a film about the Bosnian war because I felt that it had all been told.”

it occurred to me that whenever I had seen anything about Bosnia it was always in the context of the war

It wasn’t until Kemal came to Wales that the project took off. “[Kemal] came to visit and he came with a shoebox full of home movies. So we started watching these home movies, and… I was hooked. I was captivated by what was a very busy village, it looked very much like mine… and it occurred to me that whenever I had seen anything about Bosnia it was always in the context of the war, always in terms of the destruction.

“You never see the context, which was this life that was pretty easy-going, it had its tensions but… these films were full of people who looked as though they had hope. And I wanted to do something where their voices were heard… So the key for me was this box of home movies.”

Why this project now?

“When we started three years ago, I had the question myself. I thought, “What’s the point of doing this? Is there any need for this film 20 years after the event?” But now it’s three years on and we’re looking at the Arab Spring and the events in the Middle East creeping into Turkey, and suddenly it becomes much more relevant.

“Because it’s about how civilised societies can very quickly become uncivilised… In the blink of an eye. It’s about the way that we engage with the Islamic world. In Bosnia there was an opportunity to create a bridge with the Islamic world and it kind of got lost, and I don’t think you can understand what’s happening in Syria or other parts of the Middle East without understanding what went on in Bosnia.”

On zooming in on a micro society to understand global issues

“It was the only way for me to understand, because I thought I was quite well-informed in terms of what I knew about the conflict but then when you start to embed yourself within the community, you start to understand it in a different way. For those people it wasn’t about the great powers or the United Nations or the superpowers or the geopolitics of it…you understand it in the sense that one day your life changes forever.

“You feel like it’s almost unimaginable yet for me it’s an area that looks pretty much like where I grew up, in a little mining village, and the kind of disputes that go on in the village and the resentments that are carried… and for me it’s entirely believable that these petty resentments can become murderous in the right circumstances. When people are allowed to kill some people will.

“People were willing to talk about their experiences…because it’s constant. The words that you hear most in the street are “before the war.” It’s an obsessive conversation, because people have this intense nostalgia for their homes, for their land, for their friends, for their family…”

On the film scene in Cardiff

“It’s amazing what’s going on at the moment in lots of creative spheres…If you’re interested in fine art or contemporary art and you’re in Cardiff it feels like the centre of the world. There’s a huge amount of energy here, and I think part of that is to do with the fact that London is becoming so expensive, it’s pushing people out…

“What I would like to see over the next few years is more stories that reflect the experience of living in Wales, as opposed to trying to fit into a slot on the BBC or trying to meet the requirements of a distributor.

“I know lots of people that are doing more abstract things… working with stories in a different way, outside of the traditional drama or documentary format. It feels like it’s a very particular moment in time, and there’s enough talent out there to transform the city. It’s a good time to be here.”

Still from a memorial scene in Pretty Village.

On Welsh identity and the future

People here, their stories are as full of drama and pathos and comedy as anywhere else in the world

“[The sense of difference] makes it easier for me to work in the Balkans, because for me it feels very familiar in terms of culture and community. Maybe part of it is to do with being on the margins of a European project, you know, not feeling part of that UK Franco-German Benelux core. We’re a little bit marginalised. We’ve all got a bit of a chip on our shoulder.

“You have to cut through centuries of inferiority, the idea that anything we do here [in Wales] is somehow second class… There’s this idea that we can’t be too ambitious with our content because somehow our audience isn’t intelligent enough. And I think that’s a mistake, because our audience isn’t more nor less intelligent than anywhere else. People here, their stories are as full of drama and pathos and comedy as anywhere else in the world but it’s kind of difficult to break through that sense of inferiority sometimes. But you’ve got to keep trying.”

To find out more about Pretty Village go to the website, or visit the Twitter page.

Watch the Pretty Village trailer:

Pop-up cinema: castle edition

Two of Wales’ castles are being temporarily transformed into outdoor cinemas this weekend and the next, providing what is possibly the best ever setting for a movie showing.

Castell Coch and Raglan Castle will host a series of suitably nostalgic film screenings on 14, 15 and 22 November. At the Cardiff Reel we appreciate some imagination when it comes to screening locations, but it’s not every day you get to experience films tucked inside the walls of majestic forts, so read on for the details!

Screenings at Castell Coch will be held on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 November. Each day will start with a family friendly film at 5.00pm, followed by another screening at 8.00pm. There will be a pop-up stall with pizza, snacks and hot & cold drinks.

The Raglan Castle will be hosting drive-in screenings on 22 November, so if you’ve always wondered what it’s like to watch a film from your car, this is your chance. A pop-up stall will provide homemade burgers and sausages, and hot & cold drinks. Fun fact: film audio will be transmitted through your FM radio.

PRICES:

Castell Coch: Tickets are £12/£10 for 8pm screenings, £6 for 5pm family friendly screenings

Raglan Castle: Tickets are £15 per car for Time Bandits, £20 per car for Rocky Horror Picture Show, or £30 for both films.

more info and tickets

Castell Coch Programme

 Friday 14 November

• Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
  5pm 
  For many, Roald Dahl’s classic story will undoubtedly bring back some magical, and often terrifying, memories in the strange yet comforting way that only childhood films can do.
  Grab your golden ticket and enjoy 100mins of Oompa Loompas and chocolate bars.

• Frankenstein (1931)
  8pm
  What better place to watch the story of a mad scientist creating a monster from dead people’s body parts than on a big screen in an old castle. Yep, that’s right.

Saturday 15 November

• The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  5pm
  The magic continues with Dorothy and her dog Toto, who set out to meet the Wizard of Oz with the help of the friends she finds along the yellow brick road: Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow.

• Invasion of the Bodysnatchers (1956)
  8pm
  In this sci-fi thriller, emotionless aliens  are using large seed pods to duplicate human bodies and control them. A small-town physician discovers the pods, and soon realises what is going on.

Raglan Castle Programme

 Saturday 22 November

• Time Bandits (1981)
  5pm
  A time-travel fantasy animated by Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam, where a young boy embarks on an unpredictable journey with a group of renegade dwarves who are looting for past riches. As if it could get any better, Time Bandits was filmed in Raglan Castle.

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  8pm
  This wonderfully weird cult-classic is an absolute must see. A freak show of a musical, Rocky Horror indulges in the bizarre with a plethora of extravagant costumes, cheeky witticisms and inversions of genre. As always, audience interaction is encouraged.

This cinema pop-up is a partnership between Cadw, Chapter Arts Centre and the University of South Wales.

Film your way through the weekend

It is a phenomenon known to many a cineast: Friday rolls around and all you want is to couch your way through the weekend with nothing but a steady stream of films to keep you company.

The Cardiff Reel has compiled a schedule that makes it bearable for you to leave the house (i.e. sense of achievement) while still allowing most of your waking hours to be spent slouched in a comfortable chair. To ensure maximum convenience and minimum movement, all screenings are in Chapter Arts Centre.
Ready, set, action!

Saturday

3.00pm: E.T.

This timeless classic will make you long for your youthful days when it was actually acceptable to spend your time watching films on loop. It’s always treat when you get to see old films on the big screen, and E.T. offers some cinematic goodness worth getting out of bed for.

6.00pm: Obvious Child

Nothings says Saturday evening like a wholesome rom-com. Described as a ‘Juno-meets-GIRLS’ and boasting a trail of good reviews, Obvious Child manages not to take itself too seriously while honestly exploring the realities of abortion. (GIRLS fans: Adam’s crazy sister makes an appearance)

8pm: They Live

Catch the final days of Experimentica with this 1988 horror sci-fi. A guaranteed flippant end to your first day of film, this clever satire on capitalism involves aliens plotting to widen the gap between rich and poor.

Sunday

2.30pm: Village of the Damned

A masterpiece of the 1960s. In the village of Midwich every resident suddenly falls asleep, and upon waking every woman finds herself pregnant. The children are all born at the same time and look exactly alike. Years later, a father discovers that the children have powers beyond ordinary mortals and need to be stopped…

5pm: Solaris

Forget about Interstellar for a second. This enigmatic Russian work, set in a space station orbiting the planet Solaris, explores questions of reality and consciousness through the mental problems plaguing the cosmonauts aboard. Afterwards, there will be a discussion with Tinted Lens, a new collaboration between Chapter, Cardiff University and the BFI.

8.15pm: God Help the Girl

Written and Directed by Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian, this whimsical pop musical is as dreamy as it is eccentric. Hannah Murray and Olly Alexander, who starred alongside each other in the last installment of Skins, are joined by Emily Browning to form a floaty trio. Arguably the perfect Sunday film.

And with this we come to the end of a blissful weekend.
What’s your favourite weekend film? Leave a reply in the comments!

Three Halloween screenings you don’t want to miss

It’s been a good month since Poundland started slinging Halloween paraphernalia across the high street, and undoubtedly many have long tired of the concept altogether.

For those who look onto the eve of 31 October with a healthy mix of anxiety and feelings of impending disappointment: there is hope, in the form opportunity. Dear cineasts, bar the hyper-commercialized churning wheel of bad sweets and even worse marketing, and what is left is nothing but the perfect excuse to indulge in some of history’s best horror films.

The Cardiff Reel selected three of the best cinematic Halloween experiences:

ABERTOIR HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

Abertoir is coming down to Chapter for one night only, promising an evening packed with horror-goodness across genres and styles. The festival, which is based in Aberystwyth, will be screening international short films, a Bad Film Club with live commentary, and classic horror films as well as Welsh and big-budget releases.

The event runs from 4pm to 2am
Tickets can be purchased per screening, or £20 for the whole night, at http://www.chapter.org/

MOTLEY MOVIES

Motley Movies is taking things to a whole other level with Fright Night and Haunted Basement. At Portland House, you will first be led into the old bank vaults to find out for yourself what haunted creatures reside there. Afterwards there will be a screening of The Ring at 9pm. Enough to make the bravest spine tingle…

Entry is organised into half-hour slots between 6.00 and 8.00pm
More info and tickets: http://motleymovies.fatsoma.com/
More info and tickets

KERBCRAWLERS

The premiere of Welsh horror film Kerbcrawlers will take place at Porter’s on Sunday 2 November, as a late Halloween party.

Part of Cardiff Independent Film Festival, Kerbcrawlers offers the perfect opportunity to end the weekend on a local note. There will be a Q&A withdirector James Plumb and the cast and crew, and the party will carry on ‘til late for those who still have it in them…

Stay tuned for more film news!

 

Don’t miss out: Wales African Film Festival

Watch-Africa, Cardiff’s own film festival celebrating African cinema, will roll into its last day on Saturday 25 October, with two final screenings at Chapter Arts Centre.

The theme of the festival, which is in its second year running, is South Africa at 20: The Freedom Tour, as part of the celebration for 20 years of South Africa’s independence. The programme covers an eclectic mix  of genres, including animations, documentaries, feature length films and silent films performed with a live score.

Be sure to catch the two South African films showing at Chapter on Saturday.
First up is Felix, the story of a 13 year old boy dreaming to be a Jazz Saxophonist. The closing film is Hear Me Move, a captivating street dance film charting a boy’s journey of self discovery after his father’s death.

Fadhili Maghiys, director and founder of Watch-Africa, says, “the festival aims to bring African festivity to Wales but also provide different images of Africa, not necessarily the one we see everyday; that of a needy continent.”

“Wales has had a long connection with Africa through the Somali seafarers and there is a huge African diaspora community” says Maghiys, “The combination of this and the fact that Wales is currently actively involved in developing issues in Africa, prompted me to start the festival”.

Felix will be showing at 11.00am and 3.00pm

Watch Me Move will be showing at 5.45pm

Tickets: http://www.chapter.org/watch-africa-felix-advpg

http://www.watch-africa.co.uk
@Watch_WAFF

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Welcome to The Cardiff Reel, a place for film-enthusiasts to bathe in the glory of the Cardiff film scene.

Here you will find regular updates on events, screenings and film festivals taking place around town but also more in-depth articles on the people and places driving Cardiff film.

What does Cardiff have that no other city does? What film is showing that is cultured yet enjoyable so that I can discuss it afterwards without feeling hypocrisy creeping up on me? Where can I go see a film outside cinema walls?

These are the kind of questions that The Cardiff Reel will be about.

Stay tuned in for more to come!