10/05/2010

The British film industry is all set for an event-packed Cannes (May 12-23), with 15 films with UK involvement screening at the festival and over 190 films being sold in the Market.

As usual, the UK Film Council’s UK Film Centre in the International Village will be the nerve centre of all British activities on the Croisette. This year’s highlights include:

Lawrence Bender (Inglourious Basterds [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) in conversation with UK producer Laura Hastings-Smith (Chatroom [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Un Certain Regard);
Andy Serkis discusses acting in the digital age;
Russian director and Special Grand Prix winner Andrei Konchalovsky (Siberiade) talks about the transition into 3D filmmaking and his latest project, The Nutcracker in 3D;
Director Stephen Kijak and producers John Battsek and Victoria Pearman discuss their documentary, Stones in Exile (Directors' Fortnight);
Women in Film and Television’s Kate Kinninmont in conversation with UK producer Alison Owen, who has two films in the official selection, Chatroom and Tamara Drewe [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stephen Frears
film profile] (Out of Competition);
British director Sophie Fiennes talks about the making of Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Special Screenings);
Screenwriter Moira Buffini talks about working with Stephen Frears and her first feature script, Tamara Drewe;
Filmmaker Craig McCall speaks about making Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (Cannes Classics);
UK director Alicia Duffy (All Good Children [+see also:
film review
film profile], Directors’ Fortnight), talks to Kate Kinninmont about moving from shorts to features and the merits of mentoring.

There will also be an opportunity to hear about the UKFC’s new Film Fund with Head of the Film Fund Tanya Seghatchian and executives Chris Collins, Lizzie Francke and Natascha Wharton, besides a host of other events.