Bluefire 2006: Welcome to BlueFiRE! the leading North West festival for culturally diverse directors, filmmakers, producers, and writers for African, Asian, Caribbean and Chinese shorts & feature films.
BlueFiRE! brings culturally diverse talent to the forefront, delivering key international, national and regional premier screenings from filmmakers worldwide.
In our fourth year of BlueFiRE! we feature a diverse range of urban films made on the latest digital HD to traditional 35mm, all independently produced by culturally diverse filmmakers that include regional and UK premiers.
With 20 countries participating our scope in BlueFiRE! brings forth diverse short films from filmmakers working in Greater Manchester, USA, Scotland, Canada, The Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Iran, Jamaica, England, Korea, Estonia, South Africa, Turkey, Slovenia, France, Croatia, Belgium, Wales, Israel, and Denmark.
This year we also see the launch of ‘KiX’ our professional development and education programme running throughout the festival, specially created with development of local communities and the creative industries in mind, so please check press for local details on what we have in store! |
 EVENTS:
Over the 10 days of the Kinofilm Festival, BlueFiRE! hosts;
6 days of activities, events & screenings
12 specially selected programmes of films from Greater Manchester, UK and the globe
60 short films are being screening from filmmakers worldwide,
2 key feature films including,
1 premier feature film screening for the region in partnership with the regional screen agency North West Vision, and BAFTA!
1. BLUEFIRE! KINOFILM KIX FESTIVAL ROADSHOW
Wednesday 15th February 6.00-12.00pm CONTACT THEATRE
An opportunity to meet the festival team and experience films made and produced by Greater Manchester filmmakers in the 2006 festival. Network later with Talent Circle, the industry network for all producers, directors and filmmakers in the UK.
Talent Circle features a selection of UK short films being screened from 8pm, and a networking in the Contact Theatres new bar, The Lounge from 10.30pm onwards.
2. BLUEFIRE! WORLDWIDE SPECIAL : AFROPUNK & BLOOD AND FIRE!
Saturday 25th February 7.00-12.00pm GREEN ROOM
Two UK premiers, and a first for the region, BlueFiRE! are delighted to have a special launch screenings of AFROPUNK and Blood and Fire’s FISHERMAN STYLE, CONGO & FRIENDS.
Exploring race identity within the punk scene AFROPUNK, the documentary features the lives and stories of Black American Africans involved in the culture of Punk rock and features music of Afro-Punk performances by Bad Brains, Tamar Kali, Cipher, and Ten Grand. It also contains exclusive interviews by members of Fishbone, 247-spyz, Dead Kennedys, Candiria, Orange 9mm and TV on the Radio to name a few.
BLOOD and FIRE are the biggest world reggae music label, providing BlueFiRE! with an exclusive premiere of the film production of the new album release in March 2006 ‘FISHERMAN STYLE THE CONGOS AND FRIENDS’
Shot entirely in Jamaica at the legendary Leggo Studios, the film is a one hour documentary accounting for the live music reggae sessions of the reworking of new vocals on the Lee Perry’s original beat of Fisherman by The Congos.
Artists featured in session on film and the album include Horace Andy, Big Youth, Freddie McGregor, Sugar Minot, U-Roy, Gregory Isaacs, Luciano, Mykal Rose, Dean Fraser, Dillinger, Prince Azzbo and many many more. Remixed by Rhythm and Sound Berlin.
The film screened live through the full house PA at the green room, the night will be Introduced by Dom Sotgiu of Blood and Fire. As host for the night, he will provide an insight into the making and filming of the album. He will also be hosting a Live PA as Blood and Fire Sound System with special guest Country Rankin, and a new screening of the Sound System at Cargo London with Rankin Joe & U-Brown
We will also be screening exclusive footage of the Blood and Fire System Live in Denmark, with Horace Andy and Rankin Joe, themselves in full step, and at the controls!
3. BLUEFIRE! CULT CLASSIC CINEMA: SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAAD ASSSS SONG
Sunday 26th February 8.15pm AMC Cinema
Melvin Van Peebles ‘blaXploitation’ film that set the agenda for Black filmmakers around the world. Featuring a soundtrack from Earth Wind & Fire, we journey with Sweetback on his travels through the dark heart of 1970s urban America, encountering motorcycle gangs, Black Power militants, and a torrent of insatiable women every step of the way. Stars Melvin and son, Mario Van Peebles.
4. BlueFiRE! WORLD SHORTS Part 1 & 2
Part 1: Monday 27th February 5.15pm AMC Cinema
Part 2: Thursday 2nd March 8.00pm green room
A key selection of international shorts being screened exclusively on 35mm. We are taken on a dark journey into exoticism in Nicholas Provost’s powerful tale of alienation and temporary insanity EXOTICORE. In Holger Ernst’s RAIN IS FALLING, a child is trying to save her mother, and perhaps much more, while Bouchareb Rachid’s L’AMI Y’A BON tells the heart breaking story of a sengalese soldier betrayed by the country he fought for in WW2. Also featuring Japanese/Canadian Jeff Chiba Stearn’s autobiographical animation WHAT ARE YOUANYWAYS? In the South African Ricky Gervais style comedy SA/X we examine the impact of Black & White African culture! Also featuring the soul searching SANGAM directed by Prashant Bhargava, based on a recently arrived Indian immigrant who struggles to maintain faith in the reality of the American dream.
5. Special Guests… North West Vision & BAFTA in association with BlueFiRE! present A NEW DAY IN OLD SANA'A by Bader Ben Hirsi
Monday 27th February 6.00pm AMC Cinema
With Special Guest Director, British Yemani Bader Ben Hirsi writer of the first ever feature film made in Yeman, A NEW DAY IN OLD SANA'A has won first prize at the Ciaro Film Festival & throughout the Arab states . The film is set in the ancient magical city of Sana'a The neighbourhood eagerly awaits the wedding of the year, unaware of the inner turmoil of the groom as he realises the woman he fell in love with was not the wealthy bride-to-be, but rather a low class orphan gypsy.
With a Directors Q &A with the audience, and networking launch after the film. Contact BlueFiRE! & Kinofilm for a special invite!
7. BlueFiRe! GREATER MANCHESTER UK
Tuesday 28th February 4.30pm GREEN ROOM
A screening of a quality selection of new emerging short films from the county, accounting for cultural and social issues and differing creative experiences of people living within Greater Manchester. Filmmakers include, animations from Japanese Mancunian based Utako Shibatsuji’s, Kino Wonderworld’s 5 Minute Wonder THE JINN produced with Bangladeshi youths in Oldham and a Viva La Muralist Doodlebug special with DOODLE…COW!
8. ‘NU VISIONS’ BlueFiRE! In Collaboration with BFI Blackworld
Tuesday 28th February 8.00pm green room
A collaborative series of screenings in association with BFI Blackworld that features the latest work from Black filmmakers nationally with work from Laurence Coke’s MORALLY SPEAKING, Rachel Wang’s HEYDAY, Wayne G. Saunders’THE CHIRPING CIRCLE, Kara Miller’s ELEPHANT PALM TREE, Kolton Lee’s BLOOD, Adrian Browne’s STEPS.
9. BlueFiRe! UK SHORTS Part 1 & 2
Part 1 Tuesday 28th February 10.00pm green room
Part 2 Thursday 2nd March 6.00pm green room
A selection of new shorts from the UK that feature Balwant Dass, director of the acclaimed TOURETTES HAIKU, a slow burn film based on the experiences and challenges of a South Asian woman, and HAMOUDI AND EMIL a Welsh/Danish production that features two twelve-year-old buddies hell-bent on a mission to score the girl of their dreams., unfortunately, they haven’t decided who will go first, or what they will do about her husband! Also Dishad Husain’s must see comedy VIVA LIBERTY, the Bollywood inspired LIBRARYMAJNU, directed by Paul Angunawela, and the French based Scottish produced BON VOYAGE directed by Kapwani Kiwanga.
KiX: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Kinofilms education strand Wonderworld in partnership with BlueFiRE! provides an opportunity to broaden understanding of the differing skills, experience and practice are needed to work within the broadcast, digital media and film sector.
KiX events are ideal for people of all ages, the creative industries, trainers, workshop leaders, community workers, artists, students, emerging and practicing writers, producers, directors, film & video makers and web exponents.
BlueFiRE! KiX ‘CUTTIN’ IT!
Tuesday 28th February 12 – 4pm GREEN ROOM
Are culturally diverse filmmakers emerging to be at the forefront of the making and delivery of new films around the UK? What are the issues and opportunities that need to be facilitated towards selection at a film festival? A key national event, Cuttin’ It! highlights the differing aspects development of film production and film exposure at international festival level. Cuttin’ It! is a national event for media students, producers, directors and filmmakers. Speakers include Marc Boothe (producer of Bullet Boy) and Dishad Husain (Director of Viva Liberty)
KIX -‘EMERGENT TECHNOLOGIES’
Fri 3 March 1.00 green room
Unraveling the new opportunities being harnessed and explored in furthered by new and exciting technology platforms with availability to screening films on mobile phones, on the internet, and transmitted via bluetooth technology speakers include;
Andrew Walker of the NESTA funded Blink Media Pocket Shorts films for mobile phones project.
Ana Kronschnabl author of ‘pluginturnon – a guide to filmmaking’ & plugincinema .com. site dedicated to the creation, distribution and exhibition of films on-line
Richard Moore & Asa Callow of Bloom they give a practical guide to the ‘blOOmbOx’ with the future reaching bluetooth transmissions for audio and video MPGs.
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