UNTHINKABLE festival will also feature an exciting line-up of screenings
The upcoming UNTHINKABLE festival, a charity short-film event celebrating grassroots creatives from Hull and its surrounding areas, will feature a Q&A with the director of the cult-hit film Brassed Off. The 1996 release, starring Ewan McGregor, Pete Postlethwaite and Tara Fitzgerald, was directed by Mark Herman, of Bridlington, less than an hour away from Hull.
This iteration marks the festival’s third anniversary, running from October 1 to 12. It will feature an exciting line-up of screenings, film-making and music workshops, industry professional masterclasses and live music and art exhibitions.
The festival has confirmed both the Brassed Off screening and Mark’s Q&A will take place on October 8, with the director admitting that “Bringing Brassed Off to new audiences – particularly new generations– is a real pleasure. He said: “Destruction of a community, hope and injustice are at the heart of the film, which I think are timeless themes and still have resonance today.”
The Bridlington-born director and screenwriter has also produced box-office hits such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Little Voice, often shining a light on injustice in his projects. “My first feature film had been savaged by the critics, and the commercial scripts I was writing weren’t getting any takers,” Mark continued.
“It was a difficult time, and the advice to me at the time, and advice I still try and follow, was ‘forget about bums on seats and trying to write some big hit, just write about something you care about’. Something from the heart, that even if nobody else goes to see it, you’d like to see it yourself.
“We’ve had quite a few screenings recently where young audiences have seen it [Brassed Off] for the first time, and their reaction has been very rewarding. We had a screening at the Albert Hall, with the band playing live to the film, and I think about a third of the 5,000 audience hadn’t seen it before, and they loved it.
“So many teens and twenty-somethings always come up and say they were surprised how such an ‘oldie’ film could move them so much. So many people realise it’s still so pertinent.”
Mark is also a patron of UNTHINKABLE, helping to champion grassroots creatives from Hull and the area he grew up in. He added: “Any short film festival is great, but for it to continue year on year, and indeed grow, as UNTHINKABLE now has, is a significant achievement. I’ve nothing but respect for people who can make that work, because I know how very difficult it is to organise and keep fresh.”
Keaton B McD, Creative Director of the festival, said: “Our films are selected based on their originality, in how far they are able to push the boundaries of the medium. As well as film greats like Mark, we are keen to showcase the work of grassroots, up and coming film-makers. This year, we’ve already had double the amount of submissions from the previous years – and I know this year’s content will be something more UNTHINKABLE than the last.”
To book tickets for Brassed Off and Q&A with Mark Herman visit this link. Tickets are priced at £7, with £4 concession for students, disabled persons, and their support/carer. The screening and Q&A will take place at Middleton Hall at 7.30pm. (The Arts Cafe will be open for refreshments beforehand).
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