Special Events

Opening Reception, Friday, 13 November 1815–1930, Phoenix Cinema Bar

The Festival gets off to a great start in the bar of the Phoenix Cinema where Weekend Pass holders and ticket holders for Marcello, Marcello will be welcomed with light refreshments and a complimentary tasting of Cornish mead.

Live traditional music will be provided by Jim Carey and David Bacon, a.k.a. the Barveks, who have teamed up to share their passion for traditional music with a unique, original sound. A cash bar will be open until midnight.

Supported by UCF, we will open the weekend with a sun-splashed screening of the Italian rom-com Marcello, Marcello, penned by Mark David Hatwood, a resident of Portscatho. To learn how that relationship came about, stay for the Q&A afterwards.

European Regions of Culture (EROC), Private Reception

Friday, 13 November 1715–1815, Phoenix Screen 5

The Cornwall Film Festival is honoured to welcome EROC delegations from regions of Poland and Finland, similar in size and population to Cornwall, who are partnering with Cornish ‘practitioners’ (artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, etc.) to celebrate European rural culture. The ultimate goal of EROC is to improve the profile and investment of the cultural sectors in each region. The Cornish EROC campaign evolved from Cornwall Arts Marketing, an EU Objective One-funded project. Our guests, including officials from the UK Film Council, will enjoy sparkling wine compliments of Polgoon Vineyard in Penzance, while they watch a collection of short films themed around ‘What It Means to Be Cornish.’ Find out more at www.e-r-o-c.com.

The Festival Party, Saturday, 14 November 2200–0000, Phoenix Cinema Bar

Day and Weekend Pass holders, as well as ticket holders to The Men Who Stare at Goats, can enjoy a relaxing chat with fellow filmgoers at the Festival party in the Phoenix Bar. Dalla will offer traditional Cornish music with an irrepressible, infectious approach. The line-up includes clarinet, bouzouki, fiddle and vocals, and the repertoire is a mixture of instrumental pieces and songs in both English and Cornish. Light refreshments and a cash bar open until midnight means there will be plenty of opportunity to talk about films and make new friends. (Rumour has it that a film quiz with prizes may be in the offing!)

Tribute to Laura Hardman and Simon Channing Williams, Sunday, 15 November 1645–1845, Woodlane Lecture Theatre. Net proceeds from this event will be donated to a scholarship fund for Laura’s sons, Max and Jasper. Day and Weekend Passes are not valid for this event.

Tickets may be bought in advance from the Box Office or at the door (subject to space available).

This year the Festival family lost two beloved members, past director Laura Hardman and executive producer Simon Channing Williams. Today we celebrate Laura and Simon’s creative lives – the joy they gave to others through films they made, films made about them, or with films they cherished. A montage about Simon’s work will be followed by a screening of Laura's shorts films, plus the silent film classic The Battleship Potemkin (1925), one of Laura’s favourite films, with live piano accompaniment by 16-year-old pianist Benjamin Comeau, a student at South West Music School.

Laura at the 2008 Festival

Simon Channing Williams

A montage of films produced by Simon will include rare interviews -- he was famously camera-shy.

One of Laura's favourite films

The Big Pitcher, Sunday, 15 November 1915–2030, UCF Woodlane Lecture Theatre

Now in its fourth year, and still not banned, this wild and chaotic festival favourite returns to give desperate filmmakers the opportunity to pitch for £100 awards to make their next great epic. The catch is that they have to do it in a maximum of two minutes in front of a live audience – who are both judge and jury. Hosted once again by trail-blazing production company o-region, the event will also feature the world premieres of last year’s survivors (‘winners,’ we mean ‘winners’).

AWARDS CEREMONY

Sunday, 15 November 2045–2245, UCF Woodlane Lecture Theatre

We are delighted to welcome performance poet and West Cornwall resident Murray Lachlan Young, who will host tonight’s awards ceremony. (Q: How many words rhyme with film? A: Zero.)

Another Country International Short Film Award

Our international short film competition returns for a second year, showcasing outstanding films from around the world. Throughout September and October, Cornish audiences around the county, in some of the most remote areas, watched and voted on this diverse selection of films. The final Another Country screening and vote take place today in Phoenix Screen 4 at 1430. A cash prize of £1,000 will go to the winning filmmaker, courtesy of sponsor University College Falmouth, to be announced during the Sunday night Awards Ceremony in Woodlane Lecture Theatre.

Delabole Slate Audience Award

Your chance to vote on your favourite Cornish short, whether it’s in competition or part of the series of Cornish All Sorts (I, II and III). This includes all student shorts, in competition and the Student All-Sorts. You will be given a voting form at the start of each screening. (Do vote early and often!) The Delabole Slate Audience Award will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday night in the Woodlane Lecture Theatre.

Govyn Kernewek Screening & 2010 Commission

Tonight we present the world premiere of Skath, directed and produced by Paul Farmer, the winner of last year’s £5,000 Govyn Kernewek filmmaking commission, sponsored by MAGA.
Skath (Cornish for 'gig') was written and presented by Pol Hodge. It tells the story of Pol’s attempts to reclaim his Cornish seaside heritage. This documentary explores the world of Cornish pilot gig racing, one of the fastest growing water sports in modern Britain. It follows Pol through six months of his life, as he struggles with his progress from unfit novice to serious competitor in the World Pilot Gig Championships in Scilly. An exhausting, potentially dangerous sport, there are no shortcuts and no special allowances; Pol learns to participate the hard way.
Following the screening, the rules for the 2010 Govyn Kernewek competition will be announced (entry deadline: 31 January 2010).

Juried Awards

We’re proud to announce our first-ever juried competitions, in two categories: Cornish Films in Competition (screening on Saturday, 14 November, 0930-1115 in Phoenix Screen 1), and Student Films in Competition (Sunday, 15 November, 1030-1145 in Phoenix Screen 4). Members of the Cornish Films jury: Rebecca Mark-Lawson of Lifesize Pictures, Jan Faull of the BFI, Tamás Gábeli of the Budapest International Short Films Competition, Sarah-Jane Meredith of South West Screen, and Mary Davies, film industry consultant. The Student Films jury will comprise a combination of students from Truro College, UCF and Cornwall College. Winners in both categories will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday night in the Woodlane Lecture Theatre.