British films cross Channel

by Fabien Lemercier

04/10/2007 - The 18th British Film Festival unspools this evening in Dinard, Brittany. Opening the event is Ken Loach’s It’s a Free World… [trailer] (Best Screenplay Award at Venice, see news and interview), which is getting a preview screening ahead of its French release in January.

This year, the competition section – whose previous winners include Paul Greengrass, Danny Boyle, Michael Winterbottom and Peter Webber – is hosting six titles that will vie for the Golden Hitchcock: Sarah Gavron’s Brick Lane [trailer] (French distributor: Diaphana), Asif Kapadia’s Far North (Midnight Screening at Venice 2007, see article), Julian Jarrold’s Becoming Jane [trailer] (distribution La Fabrique de Films), David Mackenzie’s Hallam Foe [trailer] (a 2007 Berlinale competition entry, see article), John Carney’s Once (SND) and Mark Jenkin’s The Midnight Drives.

Running until October 7, the festival held in the Breton seaside resort also features preview screenings of 17 films, such as Joe Wright’s Atonement [trailer] (well-received as opening film at Venice, see news, distribution: Studio Canal), Lenny Abrahamson’s Garage [trailer, film focus] (surprise hit at 2007 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, see news, MK2) and Shane Meadows’ award-winning This is England [trailer] (to be released by Ad Vitam in France next week).

Festival audiences will also be treated to Kings by Tom Collins (Ireland’s entry for the 2008 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar shortlist, see news), Kevin Macdonald’s documentary My Enemy’s Enemy (Wild Bunch), Billie Eltringham’s Mrs Ratcliffe’s Revolution and Anthony Byrne’s How About You.

L’Heure zéro [trailer], an Agatha Christie adaptation directed by French helmer Pascal Thomas and starring Laura Smet, Chiara Mastroianni and Melvil Poupaud, will also screen.

(Translated from French)