Peckham & Nunhead Free Film Festival is back for a 12th year [09 to 19 SEP 2021]
Peckham & Nunhead Free Film Festival is back for a 12th year with a range of live events across a variety of local venues.
By RADIANT CIRCUS // Twitter @radiantcircus | Instagram @radiantcircus
Peckham & Nunhead Free Film Festival returns for another year with live events across Peckham and Nunhead in venues locals know and love, including Peckhamplex, Nunhead Cemetery, Copleston Centre, the Ivy House, The Green Community Centre, the Old Nun’s Head and the Waste Recycling Centre, Old Kent Road.
Opening night is on 9th September at community pub the Ivy House with a showcase of short films curated by Deptford Cinema who, like the Free Film Festival team, are all volunteers. The programme includes 19 short films of various genres from new and upcoming UK filmmakers and were selected as part of the Deptford Cinema Film Festival.
If you love DIY screen culture as much as we do, then your chest will be bursting with anticipation for the closing night screening of ALIEN ON STAGE, the documentary about “a unique crew of Dorset Bus Drivers whose amateur dramatics group decide to ditch doing another pantomime and try something different”. Their production might have flopped in their hometown, but that didn’t stop them becoming an internet sensation and gaining a once in a lifetime transfer to the West End… the film closes the festival with a special Q&A with directors Danielle Kummer and Lucy Harvey and the Bus Drivers themselves facilitated by comedian Tom Bell at Peckhamplex.
One Bum Cinema (“probably the world’s smallest cinema”…) has teamed up with The Animation Guys to present a selection of original three-minute-long characterful animations. The little cinema will be taking residency at Market, 133a Rye Lane, SE15 4BQ, from 10th September to 19th September.
The other BIG event is an outdoor screening of a version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST you probably won’t have seen. From Juraj Herz, director of THE CREMATOR and MORGIANA, this singular adaption of the classic tale is “an altogether darker interpretation than we’re used to”. Light years from Disney, Herz’s film (also known more provocatively as The Virgin and the Monster) follows the familiar story but is “transformed into something entirely more twisted and terrifying in Herz’s macabre re-imagining”. The film screens at Nunhead Cemetery on 11 September at 20:30 (doors open 19:30) and organisers encourage you to “bring something to sit on and whatever you need to stay warm and dry”.
The majority of events at the festival don’t need you to book a ticket, just turn up and join the queue. They operate on a ‘first come first served’ basis, so prepare to be flexible and follow their guidance for each event about opening times, seating and such. You will need to book a ticket for ALIEN ON STAGE from the wonderful folk at Peckhamplex (it’s currently looking SOLD OUT but tickets might be available on the day/on the door).
PROGRAMME
Environmental questions are explored in 2040, screening at the Veolia Waste Management Centre, and LIFE’S A BEACH at Peckham Riviera. There’s the London premiere of musician Art Terry’s SELF ISOLATION SONGBOOK at the Old Nun’s Head, the award-winning RAY at the Copleston Centre and a rare screening of THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON at the Ivy House (featuring a Q&A with music journalist and writer Everett True and owner of Pickled Egg Records Nigel Turner). Determined young women are at the centre of double bill RIDING A DREAM and WADJDA showing at The Green. For all ages there’s SONG OF THE SEA at Rye Hill TRA Hall.
Peckham & Nunhead Free Film Festival screens at local venues from 09 to 19 SEP 2021 – & it’s all FREE!
ALSO BOOKING NOW…
Sine Screen presents Vulnerable Histories at Close-Up & The Garden Cinema (19 to 26 AUG 2023)
Lost Reels presents 16mm & 35mm screenings at The Cinema Museum & ICA (19 & 31 AUG 2023)
The Duke Mitchell Film Club presents DukeFest 2023: A Brave New World (13 to 16 AUG 2023)
Cinema Mentiré launches with OLHAR PERIFERICO season (AUG 2023)
Token Homo’s BAR TRASH presents MONSTER MAYHEM! at Genesis Cinema & Rule Zero (31 MAY to 13 SEP 2023).
South Asian Heritage Month – ‘Stories To Tell’ at The Garden Cinema (18 JUL to 17 AUG 2023)
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*THE SMALL PRINT: Opinions author’s own. // As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any errors. Updates & corrections will be made to the online version only. // Event dates/times/formats are subject to change by the venue/organiser. Events may already be sold out at the time of posting, so please click quickly. // We try to list as many original format screenings as we can (8 to 70MM), but sometimes formats change due to age of the print, availability, logistics etc, so please check ahead with your venue if the format is your thing. // All images are used in the spirit of fair use for reporting & review – no ownership is implied or intended / unless otherwise credited to RADIANT CIRCUS as the original rights holder. We will remove any images immediately upon request – just get in touch. // We don’t filter our listings by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should therefore be 18+. // Finally, we always try to follow The Carny Code by “not screwing up anyone else’s game”, but everyone can make mistakes… If something does go wrong, we will always do our best to put it right. //.