Wednesday, February 4, 2009

David Mackenzie Weighs in on Selections at Glasgow Film Festival


It is hard to be motivated to up and blog when all you want to do is burrow under the covers and die...which is pretty much where my head wants to be at the moment, but like that poor groundhog they haul out for the media hoopla here in the States, I gotta emerge and get the hell on with it. If anyone is still reading this, actually am sorry for the lack of updates of late, had scores of other projects to launch, job, a cold, and joy upon joy, ice came crashing thru the roof of the garage in one of the storms. Yippee for being a homeowner with not enough insurance to cover it...

Anyway, no cares bout that on to more interesting matter: A magazine called the Skinny has a piece online regarding the Glasgow Film Festival where they spoke with several people from the Glasgow film scene, and one of them was none other than Sigma's David Mackenzie. Always so lovely to hear from David, dearly dearly missed at Sundance btw!!! :((((( In this piece, David lists some of the films on his agenda or those that have piqued his interest this festival. Quotage as follows:

“I am very happy that I will be in Glasgow for the GFF this year. And what better time to get lost in cinema than a wet, dark February. Here are a few things that caught my eye from this year’s programme

Good: I saw the play this is based on at Perth Rep when I was about 16 (over 25 years ago!) and I’ve never forgotten it. So I am interested to see how it makes it to the screen.

Bronson: The screenplay was written by a friend - I read it and it’s bound to be extreme. I’ve heard Tom Hardy’s performance is full on.

The Black Audio Film Collective These ‘80s trailblazers gave a lecture at my college. I remember Handsworth Songs being a surprisingly beautiful, poetic and poignant study of racial unrest. I would love to see their stuff again.

True Things: The Short Films of Miranda July (from the Shorts Film Festival) If her feature Me and You and Everyone We Know and her other work in other media are anything to go by, these shorts are going to be interesting.

Robin and Marion (from the Audrey Hepburn retrospective) A lovely post-heroic romance with Sir Sean in one of his best.

Infinite Space – The Architecture of John Lautner I spent most of last year in LA and I left with a significant appreciation of Lautner, so I am looking forward to this film by Scots director Murray Grigor. And anyway, I love just turning up at film festivals and going to the first thing I can get a ticket for. Happy viewing!”

Related: AS a reminder, New Town Killers, starring David's brother (and co-Sigma founder) Alastair Mackenzie is screening at the Film Festival on February 16. Director Richard Jobson is due to make remarks/answer questions. No word if Alastair or any of his co-stars such as Dougray Scott will be in attendence. Tickets remain available via this link.

Also Morag Mckinnon, director of "Rounding up Donkeys" (the 2nd in the Advance Party film trilogy) is speaking on Saturday, February 14 for the "From Shorts to Features" presentation at the festival. No word if she will actually discuss Donkeys, because any info on this film has been (imo quite illogically) locked away in dungeon of darkness and your guess is as good as mine on what is going on with that. Doesnt bode well imo and other film website workers Ive discussed on this tactic, but hope remains eternal really but still.

1 comment:

  1. "GOOD?" The British play by cp taylor? I saw it a few years ago for the first time - I'd never heard of it before. A strange play about the rise of the Nazi's & human nature.

    He's got to be referring to the same play. At least on this side of the Atlantic this is a little known play & a little known playwright. How very curious it's been made into a film after all this time.

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