Award-Winning Movie ‘Hunger’ to Premiere at London Festival
By SIMON CREER
An award-winning controversial film about the last days of republican hunger striker Bobby Sands is to be shown at this year’s London Film Festival this October.
Hunger, directed by Steve McQueen, will premiere in Belfast on October 16 before going to the festival and on general release at the end of October.
The movie has already earned McQueen the prestigious Camera d’or at Cannes and the Gucci Group Award at the Venice Film Festival.
Despite its controversial subject, cinema insiders believe that the film’s art house style may prevent it becoming a target for protest.
Michael McAdam, managing director of Moviehouse Cinemas said: “I don’t know how it will be received. The film is verging on art house and it is interesting.
“I had some concerns about it, more so than any other film, because we are stable with the peace process and I was worried that someone would try to hi-jack this film to make a point.”
Mr McAdam said he was aware that a section of the community might not be happy to see Hunger in cinemas here.
He said: “There are some people who think that things should be left alone but as a man who shows films for a living you have to take a stand. I am not here to be a censor.”
He is confident, however, that it will be well attended. He said: “The thing is, it is outlining a part of Northern Irish history and my experience has been that any movies about Northern Ireland are very well attended.
“Like Some Mother’s Son, and In The Name of The Father, the initial few days are when people of that political persuasion will go and then people who are just interested start going.”
The London Film Festival starts on October 15 and this year has a political and historic focus. Alongside Hunger there will be two films about American presidents; Frost/Nixon, about the famous David Frost interviews with Richard Nixon from Ron Howard and Oliver Stone’s W about the current White House incumbent.
A host of blockbusters are to be shown at the festival. Most notable, the latest in the 007 franchise, will have its first public screening on October 29.
The Quantum of Solace will go on general release on October 31. And according to Mr McAdam, this is set to be one of the biggest draws of the autumn, particularly following the success of Casino Royale.
He said: “The phones are ringing for this one already. I haven’t heard much about it because nobody has seen it yet but I would be surprised if it wasn’t as good as the last one. They make very good films.”
Mr McAdam also offered a few tips this autumn to Northern Irish audiences. He said: “If you like being terrified then you will like Mirrors with Kiefer Sutherland and the Changeling, directed by Clint Eastwood should be very very good.”
He is less excited by some of the other big releases this autumn, including Kidman’s epic, Australia, which he predicted would not perform well.
“Some times a film looks great in planning but then when it comes out you think differently. It could be a case we know it’s there but do we want to go.”
Another film with roots in Northern Ireland is not likely to make waves this autumn. City of Ember, filmed at various locations across Belfast and starring Bill Murray and Tim Robbins will be released on October 10 in America but as yet has no UK release date.
(c) 2008 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.