The 9th Sci-Fi-London Film Festival’s programme has been announced.
This years edition - the festival's ninth - runs from April 28 to May 3 and includes more than 40 features, 25 shorts and a number of events andworkships.
This year's banner for the festival is ‘Life in 2050’, with films screening at Apollo Cinema Piccadilly Circus, plus satellite events taking place at the Curzon Soho, The Royal College of Surgeons, BFI Southbank and Proud Central Gallery.
The festival opens with genetic sci-fi horror Splice written and directed by Cube helmer Vincenzo Natali, which sparked plenty of controversy when it screened at Sundance earlier in the year (read our review here).
Closing the festival is Swiss space thriller Cargo, directedby first timers Ivan Engler and Ralph Etter.
On opening night the festival will play host to the Arthur C Clarke Awards 2010, the annual event that awards a prize to the best science fiction novel of 2009. This year the winner will receive a cheque for £2010. Sci-Fi-London will also announce the winner of their 48 Hour Film Challenge which took place in London earlier in the month and the winning film will be screened at the opening gala.
For the 2010 festival SCI-FI-LONDON boasts a further 12 UK premieres from exciting new Sci-Fi filmmakers across the globe. From the US comes black comedy Drones, indie alien flick Earthling, Sci-Fi Rom-Com TiMER, Vincenzo Natali’s Nothing as well as the debut feature from Sandy Collora Hunter Prey, who made the fan film Batman: Dead End.
There will also be a sneak peek of the Philip K. Dick adaptation Radio Free Albemuth, staring Alanis Morrisette, before its official premiere in the States.
From Mexico there’s clone actioner Depositarios and dystopian drama 2033, and from Hungary the surreal thriller One and Transmission - a meditation on a world where all technology has failed.
Other features playing include Belgium mockumentary Vampires, futuristic visions from Australia in Eraser Children and the concept of a ‘virtual country’ is explored in France’s 8th Wonderland.
The ‘Focus on Poland’ strand, supported by the Polish Cultural Institute, will celebrate classic Polish Sci-Fi. Films include the landmark Test Pilota Pirxa (1978), the Szulkin masterpiece Golem(1980) and a rare opportunity to see the dark sci-fi based on the Stanislaw Lem novel The Hospital Of Transfiguration (1979). The season will be introduced and discussed by novelist and designer Andrzej Klimowski.
On Friday 30th April Curzon Midnight Movies and SCI-FI-LONDON will present Sexed-Up Sci-Fi, a night of themed cocktails, live music and screening of the ultimate cult sci-fi, Barbarellaat the Curzon Soho. The party will continue at the Apollo Cinema Piccadilly Circus on Saturday 1st May when Bollywood does sci-fi in Love Story 2050 - an all-singing, all-dancing sci-fi musical extravaganza featuring special effects from Weta. Free Indian snacks will be provided in the intermission.
SCI-FI-LONDON has a strong tradition of All-Nighter events and will this year host The Starcraft II All-Nighter (Screamers/Independence Day/The Abyss/Starship Troopers) to celebrate the release of Blizzard’s Starcraft II – The Wings of Liberty with movies full of mecha, monsters and macho dialogue. The Comedy All-Nighter will show Salute Of The Jugger, Alien Factor, The Unearthly and First Spaceship On Venus in order to bring together some of the worst films ever made with live comedy and entertainment from the best in London stand-up talent.
The Japan Alive All-Nighter (Tokyo Gore School, Kamui, Tajormui, Chanbara Striptease) puts the emphasis on live action, while the Manga All-Nighter will screen Redline, Bleach II, Fate, Stay Night and Musashi. All events take place on Saturday May 1 and include complimentary refreshments and special giveaways on the night.
There will also be a number of free events, including a screening of Minority Report and a children's screening of Doctor Who classic Daleks Invasion Earth 2150AD.
For the full festival programme visit www.sci-fi-london.com
