The Very Best Of British

From documentary to social commentary and music videos, there’s something for everyone at the British Film Fest ; Cinephiles are in for a rare treat this week, as the British Film Festival gets underway today at SF World Cinema and TK Park in CentralWorld. The screenings, which continue through next Friday, feature a total of seven films from stellar directors like Ken Loach and Richard Curtis, whose last movie “Love Actually” was a major hit with Thai audiences.

Known for his realist directing style and for his socialist beliefs, which are often evident in his treatment of social issues such as homelessness and labour rights, Loach has two films in the festival, both with very different moods.

In “It’s the Free World”, which won the Golden Osella (Best Screenplay) at the 2007 Venice Film Festival, he focuses on Angie, a working class woman who, after being fired by the agency that she works for, decides to set up a recruitment agency of her own, running it from her kitchen with her friend Rose. Taking advantage of the desperation of immigrants, she’s quickly able to build a successful business.

However, Thai filmgoers, and particularly English Premier League fans, will probably be are more attracted to his other film, “Looking For Eric”, which is about the escape from the trials of modern life that football and its heroes can bring for its fans and which stars ex Manchester United player Eric Cantona in the role of the hero.

Romantic comedy fans should book seats for “The Boat That Rocked” from Richard Curtis, who didn’t just direct “Love Actually” but also wrote the scripts for such Thai favourites as “Notting Hill”, the “Bridget Jones” franchise and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.

Set in the 1960s, “The Boat” is a story of a pirate radio station that airs from a boat in the North Sea and stars Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kenneth Branagh. It’s the only movie that will be screened from a digital format.

The festival opens tonight with drama “Is Anybody There? with Sir Michael Caine giving a fine performance as an ageing magician who reluctantly enters a retirement home. There, he develops a friendship with the 10-year-old son of the owners, a youngster obsessed with ghosts and the after life.

Showing on Tuesday is the critically acclaimed “The Age of Stupid”, a hybrid documentary by Franny Armstrong that stars Pete Postlethwaite as an archivist in the devastated world of the future, asking the question: “Why didn’t we stop climate change when we still had the chance?”

The two other films are being screened at TK Park. They are “Airplay UK” and “Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery”, an animation narrated by the former James Bond, Pierce Brosnan.

“Airplay UK” is a film package depicting cutting edge music videos created by the UK’s MV directors. Featuring around 15 new MVs, it also includes interviews with the directors and commentators and is a must-see for music lovers.

Aside from English with Thai subtitles, “Airplay UK” will have a Thai dubbed version for one screening too.

The animation “Thomas & Friends” is about a man who gets lost in the mountains and finds the remains of the town of Great Waterton. The screening runs in parallel with a competition on global warming.

Films show at SF World Cinema nightly at 7pm with matinee screenings at 3pm on the weekend. All films have Thai subtitles.

Tickets cost Bt100. No special packages are available. Admission for the screenings at TK Park is free.

What’s on when

>> At SF World Cinema

Tonight, 7pm

Is Anybody There?

Tomorrow

3pm It’s a Free World

7pm The Boat that Rocked

Sunday

3pm Is Anybody There?

7pm Looking for Eric

December 7

7pm The Boat that Rocked

December 8

7pm The Age of Stupid

December 10

7pm It’s a Free World

December 11

7pm  Looking for Eric

All films have Thai subtitles

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At TK Park

December 5

10.30am and 4.30pm (English version with Thai subtitles)

12, 1 and 3pm (Thai version)

Thomas and Friends “The Great Discovery” with activities

December 8

4pm Airplay UK Volume 1

6pm Airplay UK Volume 2

December 9

4pm Airplay UK Volume 3

6pm Airplay UK Volume 4

with thanks to : NATION