Scandinavian Drama at Cheltenham International Festival of Film.

By John Morrish Snow and ice. Deep conversations about God and his absence. Blithe sunlit romance and bitter divorce. Disputes about farm animals. The clichés about Scandinavian film come thick and fast, but the region has always had so much more to offer. In over a century of cinema, the Nordic countries – Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland – have produced films in all styles, from action to broad comedy, and…

Women in Film

In the last few years, the role of women in the film industry has become a burning issue. And not before time. The statistics are dismaying. Although women have always been represented on screen, they have often played uninteresting and demeaning roles. When it comes to the crafts of film-making, their representation is vanishingly small. A survey of the highest-grossing 250 films in America in 2018 showed only eight per…

Nicky Price, BBC Radio Gloucestershire Presenter, Talks Film

I had listened to Nicky’s afternoon programme and thought it a good idea to talk to her about film.   In part, because she defines our festival audience; someone who is enthusiastic about film. But, I discovered that this was not always the case – even better. Nicky is a new convert to film.  And, it is people like Nicky, new to the experience and joy of film, that we want to…

It’s Time to Take Period Dramas Seriously

Period dramas are iconic. No other genre quite compares. That moment when Elizabeth Bennett calls out Mr Darcy for being an arrogant bigot. Genius. Yes Lizzy, you go girl. Despite their awesomeness, the genre is often followed by a (frankly bemusing) sexist double standard. After all, it’s just a bunch of girly dribble! Isn’t it…? Period Dramas are often dismissed as ‘irrelevant’ to modern times. I’d argue the opposite. There…

Vue is Kicking up an a-ROMA

Two weeks after Roma’s success at the BAFTAs, winning four huge categories including Best Film, one of the giants of cinema in Europe – Vue International – has spoken out against the Academy’s decision to accept the film for consideration. Tim Richards, the chief executive of Vue, in an open letter to BAFTA, has expressed his “concerns” over the decision to count Roma eligible for the awards. The reason taking precedence with the…

Top Five Perfect Casting Choices

The films that audiences tend to remember all centre around specific moments or characters, proving that the actor who plays them can make or break a film. So for this list, I have chosen my personal top five actors who I think were THE perfect casting choice for their particular role. If you think I’ve missed someone or agree with my choices, leave a comment! To discover my top ten,…

Alfonso Cuaron Clears His Way to the Oscar Stage (again)

If there was any doubt left that Alfonso Cuaron was zeroing in on his second Best Director Academy Award at this month’s Oscars, then perhaps that was extinguished over the weekend. Cuaron beat out Bradley Cooper, Spike Lee, Peter Farrelly and Adam McKay at the Directors Guild Awards (DGA) on Saturday, the latest prize in what’s become a successful awards season for him. Cuaron’s picture, Roma, is already hot favourite…

SAG Awards 2019 – Breakdown

Sunday night, actors from both film and television joined forces and celebrated the wonderful work that has graced our screens – both big and small – as they attended the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. The SAG Awards are one of the most prized honours and the result of this ceremony tends to give an inkling as to who will likely be frontrunners for the Academy Awards, taking place…

An International Film Festival Comes To Cheltenham

THIS SPRING, CHELTENHAM SEES THE LAUNCH OF THE INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. On 27th May, 2019, Cheltenham – home to some of the UK’s most celebrated festivals, including Performing Arts (1926), Music (1945), Literary (1949), Jazz (1996) attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year –  welcomes the launch of the annual Cheltenham International Film Festival.   Over six days, the Cheltenham International Film Festival will screen the work of emerging filmmakers…

©  |  Cheltenham International Film Festival  |  2023