It may not be as huge as Cannes, but the pioneering annual Portobello Film Festival looks set to take London by storm for the next two weeks.
The fifth Portobello Film & Video Festival 2000 kicks off this weekend on a mission to boost London’s best new filmmaking talent.
The festival delivers 12 days of open access screenings and multi-media events including more than 300 shoestring shorts, underground documentaries, music videos, local movies, feature premieres and past favourites. Entries were submitted after an open appeal in Time Out magazine, as well as at colleges, on the internet and by word of mouth. Many of the films are the work of first-time directors.
The main part of the festival takes place between August 4 and 6 in Emslie Hornimans Pleasance Park in Kensal Road, London W10. Films will be shown on an outdoor ‘Megascreen’ and in the Cinema Circus tent, divided into two non-stop viewing cinemas, plus a bar, cafe and funfair.
A video cafe will be set up at the Beat Bar on Portobello Road from 6pm to 11pm on weeknights for the duration of the festival showing even more funky features and shorts with a Bring Your Own Films section for latecomers and deadline-dodgers.
The most promising filmmaker will be awarded a state-of-the-art DV camera at the Golden Boot awards on August 6.
Entry to all screenings is free. See portobellofilmfestival.com for more details.
