UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 27 NOVEMBER 2015
An international film festival which will move to Birmingham next year is holding a week of free movie screenings in the city to celebrate the switch.
The mini-season of cult horror films entitled 'Snapshots of Dissent' will be shown at Birmingham City University's Parkside building next week (December 1 - 4), including exclusive viewings of yet to be released features.
The screenings will showcase how modern cult films play on social fears and traumas such as the found footage horrors on the 'Dark Web', rural communities in revolt and tensions between contemporary European states.
'Playtime', a special short film made by film students at Birmingham City University in a 24-hour challenge set by cult director Brian Yuzna, will also be shown.
The screenings come after it was confirmed the Cine-Excess Festival, which brings together international filmmakers, academics and distributors, will mark its tenth year by relocating to the second city in 2016.
Xavier Mendik, Associate Professor in Film at Birmingham City University and Director of Cine-Excess, said: "We are proud to be bringing Cine-Excess to Birmingham for its tenth year in such a significant period of growth in the region's cultural and corporate economies.
"We are doing this by developing new innovative film courses at Birmingham City University and bringing in high level international talent to mentor the next generation of filmmakers.
"We are also formulating a rolling 12 month programme of film festival activity for the region that will be attractive to film scholars and movie fans alike."
The Snapshots of Dissent season will be showing:
- The Entity, (Tuesday December 1, 6.30pm)
- Face of the Devil, (Wednesday December 2, 7pm) – Exclusive pre-release screening
- Feed the Devil, (Friday December 4, 5pm) - Exclusive pre-release screening
- Shopping Tour, (Friday December 4, 7pm)
- Playtime, (Friday December 4, 7pm)
Friday's screening of 'Feed the Devil' will include a live video-link introduction from LA actor-director Jared Cohn.
Birmingham is becoming a hotbed for horror - earlier this year Hollywood star Gemma Arterton filmed part of zombie thriller 'She Who Brings Gifts' on the city centre's Church Street.
And last month iconic American director and producer Brian Yuzna unveiled plans to open a Horror training academy in the city.
Snapshots of Dissent is open to the public (aged 18 and over only).