The Bradford International Film Festival announced its lineup for 2012 last week, with a host of highlights, screenings and guests to rival the best of what UK film festivals have to offer. If you're thinking of going or, if you've already booked your tickets, here are eight of the best screenings to try to force on to your schedule.
Saturday 21st, 16.30
Monday 23rd, 21.00
Somewhat of a festival darling for Horror fans, The Inkeepers had made it onto the bill of twelve different Indie-fests at last count. Director Ti West, who is starting to enjoy something of a cult following, will hope Bradford isn't the film's unlucky thirteenth outing, ahead of its UK release in June. The two screenings currently slated for BIFF look as though they're already sold out but keep your eyes peeled; late tickets or extra screenings could be a real possibility. Side note: The Inkeepers has 2011's best poster.
Monday 23rd, 20.50
Tuesday 24th, 18.20
Showing in the European Film Competition, Avé is another film arriving on the back of festival success; this time with the awards to prove it. Taking gongs at Sarajevo, Warsaw and Hamburg will never hurt a film's reputation and Konstantin Bojanov's is growing, riding on the back of his star's, Angela Nedialkova, who takes the title role. An unknown quantity, but certainly an intriguing one.
Sunday 22nd, 15.00
Tuesday 24th, 20.30
A third festival fixture from the 2011/2012 circuit, Icelandic feature Volcano will go up against Avé in the competition. The evocative title, especially given recent events in the country, bubbles with subtext surrounding retiree Hannes. The largely positive Variety review for Rúnar Rúnarsson's film marks it out as a force to be reckoned with when the awards come around.
Monday 23rd, 12.30
Tuesday 24th, 18.05
Coming along at just the right/wrong time, depending on your point of view, Polish feature Flying Pigs will undoubtedly have the tourist board of Anna Kazejak-Dawid's home country worried, ahead of the European Championships this Summer. Depicting a group of Poland's sadly notorious football fans, the film deals with what happens when a club goes into liquidation - a sadly routine occurrence in recent times. Vital viewing for football fans, particularly those planning on travelling with England in the Summer.
Tuesday 24th, 18.00
Wednesday 25th, 20.15
A film not lacking in big-name European talent, Free Men features performances from both a reliable veteran in Michael Lonsdale and a hot up-and-comer in the form of A Prophet's Tahar Rahim. Throw in the fact that it's set in 1942 occupied Paris and you've got a recipe which should make for a compelling piece of cinema. UK distribution has already been secured for May.
Sunday 22nd, 21.00
Saturday 28th, 20.40
An Indonesian film with a Welsh-born director and backing from The States, The Raid has pulled in some great publicity for itself based on its reception at several US-based festivals, even appearing in a smattering of end-of-year lists at the turn of 2011. Like The Inkeepers, screenings seem to be selling well already, with the Sunday already showing as sold out. Book now or be forced to hedge your bets on late ticket releases.
Saturday 21st, 17.45
Sunday 22nd, 18.20
The Hollywood Reporter and Screencrave have both bestowed praise on David Nordstrom's indie-drama, set amongst the frozen locales of Winter-time Wisconsin over one Thanksgiving evening. American indies set in small towns have a history of impressing at festivals and Nordstrom will be hoping his directorial debut can follow in their footsteps.
Wednesday 25th, 15.00
Friday 27th, 16.15
Another in a seemingly long line of films dealing with isolation and lost lives, Without is said to feature a pre-star making turn from Joslyn Jensen as a young women who takes care of an elderly man in an isolated location. The film marks the debut feature for writer/director Mark Jackson.
Look further...
Big hitters and classics have been purposefully left off this list but those looking to explore these should note that Oscar-nominee Albert Nobbs forms part of the lineup and is arguably Bradford's biggest coup this year. Elsewhere, the new, Golden Lion-winning, version of Faust gets a screening, epic Carlos forms part of an Olivier Assayas retrospective and Ridley Scott's Black Rain is shown on 70mm as part of Widescreen Weekend. Special events include appearances by Barbara Windor and Ray Winstone and a screening of Beggars Of Life with live musical accompaniment by pianist Neil Brand and Mark Kermode's Dodge Brothers.
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