LOW-DEF DELIGHTS IN EDINBURGH

We've been a wee bit quiet of late, but it's great to (belatedly) report that last week two Roundeye films - Initial Prospect and Scott's Garden - were screened at the Low Def Film Night, held at Edinburgh's Word of Mouth Cafe.

TIME FOR THE BIG BANG!

Pssssssst. Some Roundeye films will be screening at the next Bang! Short Film Festival. It's the extra-special 10th edition actually - this Saturday 28th November.

Bang! is the East Midland's premier short film event, and you can watch our films as part of the HEdge artists' cinema screening at the Broadway Cinema in Nottingham. Kick off is 7:30pm.

MADRID CALLING... INCINERACION 2009

We'd just returned from some tapas, funnily enough, so it was with belly's full of Spanish Shiraz when we found out that España loves us back! Why? because two of Ben Barton's finest cuts: The Return of Ellen Love and Uphill for Jesus have been selected for InCINEracion, Spain's long-running cult art film festival. [Myspace is HERE]

With a renowned penchant for super 8 film, this year's is the 14th edition of the festival, featuring the work of 21 artists from Spain, Argentina, Canada and the UK... and in our humble opinion the line-up is looking champion.

Our two flicks will be screened at the Elipa Cultural Centre, Madrid, on Tuesday 17th November (earlier than originally advertised). Projections start at 7.30pm and entry is 100% gratis!

A big muchas gracias to Julio Juste for this one.

EUROSHORTS HERE WE COME!

The Ellen Love juggernaut just keeps chugging on... and we are very excited to reveal that our Gothic underground pièce de résistance is part of the official selection for Euroshorts, Poland's best short film festival.

Courtesy of the Kino Lab, the film is part of the 'experimental' competition selection being screened at Wasaw's Centre for Contemporary Art, Ujazdowski Castle, on November 15th @ 8pm.

BACK AT THE LAB

The Halloween magick is rolling on, and The Return of Ellen Love, our moody Gothic super 8 film, is going to be screened at the Picturedrome in Northampton for The Film Lab.

[Facebook] [myspace]

It's our sophomore screening at the lab - this coming Thursday, November 5th. 9pm. Entrance is free.

TRICK OR TREAT - HALLOWEEN SCREAMINGS!

Well it's that time of year again, and for her first ever All Hallow’s Eve our undead heroine, Ellen Love, has been selected for a trio of great Halloween screamings, I mean screenings.

First up is the Halloween Happening at the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield. On Halloween night, Saturday 31st October, the whole theatre will be opened-up for a night of partying, entertainment and live performance across the building, including spooky films on the big screen and a nightclub in the ‘crypt’. Fancy dress is required to get in – and it’s 7pm-2am folks. Tickets £15.

Second is Caligari's Movie Extravaganza, where, of course, October’s event is a horror night, combining short films with music and live Vjing. This one’s at the Green Dragon, Croydon on Friday 30th – so that’s All Hallow’s Eve Eve, I guess? Either way, kick off is at 8pm. Tickets £4.

And last but most definitely not least is the Son of Movie Bar, Brighton's sequel night to the cult Movie Bar. Actually a little late for Halloween - it's on 3rd November – but the whole night will be horror themed and sounds like it’ll be a ripper. It's all happening at the usual place – The Cornerstone on Elm Grove. 8pm. Entry is free.

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A little addendum here - we've just been told that Ellen Love will also be part of the line-up for the Destructors' Manifesto night, being held over the water at Dublin's Tivoli Theatre this Friday 30th October. This promises to be "a one-night festival of music, theatre, short films and live graffiti, celebrating the dark, the weird and the wonderful". 7pm. Tickets 10 euro.

So that turns our Halloween trio into a foursome... oo-er!

IT'S TAKING AGES TO 'GET READY'

Boy do some people take ages to get ready! Films are a bit like that too, as we've discovered working on the latest super 8 project!

So until Getting Ready is, ahem, ready - here's some screenshots from the rough cut. Enjoy.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MY T.V.

We’ve been in contact with a few television stations over the past two years, though until now nothing has come to fruition.

But we’ve just heard that some Roundeye film is going to be beamed into people’s homes via ‘Transfera’ - Spain’s only videoart show, which broadcasts from Madrid every Wednesday and Friday on the station Canal Autor (Orange TV channel 34 & Euskaltel).

Details are a wee bit sketchy right now, but it’s looking good and we’ll spill soon…

Hopefully it won’t be long before we can announce a broadcast from these green and pleasant lands (hint hint Propeller TV, who have yet to take up our submissions...)

WE ARE THE NEW GAIL PORTERS... LIGHTING-UP LEEDS

The filmic world of Ben Barton - crawling insects, ghost brides and the ever-present crucifix imagery - will be lighting-up the nocturnal cityscape of Leeds this Friday 9th October.

It's all part of the annual Light Night festival, in which 60 venues will throw open their doors from dusk until dawn for free arts performances, exhibitions, installations and activities.

Using high-end projection, the moving images of Roundeye will be projected onto the entire frontage of the Civic Hall building in Millennium Square throughout the night, beginning at 6pm. Curated by media arts organisation LUMEN, it has been planned as one of the central attractions of the festival.

This illuminating spectacular has been listed among the top 10 public art events in the world by the Telegraph Review. The festival is based on events such as the 'Nuit Blanche' in both Paris and Toronto, and 'Notte Bianca' in Como, Italy. And rumour has it that London may be following suit in 2010.

Around 500 artists and organisations are involved in this year's event, giving audiences the chance to see an exciting array of experimental contemporary media, animation and film from emerging artists across the UK and beyond.

The Civic Hall projection project is supported by Leeds Metropolitan University.

INAUGURATION AT THE PICTUREDROME

Just a quickie - our film 'Insects' (which is going through a rather popular phase right now) - is going to be screened tonight at The Film Lab in Northampton.

The Film Lab promises great art films, photography and some of the best local music. The event is held on the first Thursday of every month at the legendary Picturedrome.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL... THE WINDSOR FESTIVAL

"Windsor" - It makes me think of two things... But this post has nothing to do with Babs losing her bra (cue Carry On-whistle noise), or dear old Liz on a throne covered in Corgi hair, but rather Arvo Pärt. Yes - that Arvo Pärt, the Estonian who's achieved a pinnacle of success that most composers have to die before they achieve.

'Pärt Visual' is an extra special event. Really. And probably one of the most exciting projects that Ben Barton's Roundeye films have been involved with. A brand new cut of Uphill for Jesus has been shortlisted for this film competition, part of this year's Windsor Festival.

As the films are projected in the cinema, they will be accompanied by live choral music from the Windsor Festival Singers.

Now in it's 40th year - the Windsor Festival brings together music, literature, film, walks and tours around the Queen's favourite castle and its environs.

The Pärt Visual event is being held at The Firestation, Windsor's newest arts space, offering an exciting line-up of events including cinema, live music, theatre, comedy, workshops, dance and exhibitions.

Here's the official blurb:

Pärt Visual is a very special performance and screening. We asked independent filmmakers to submit films to accompany choral works by celebrated Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, and these are the beautiful and breathtaking results. The evening’s films are accompanied by live performances by The Windsor Festival Singers and followed by the announcement of Critics Choice and Audience Award.

BUG-A-BOO - WE'RE BACK AT THE QUICKFLICK FILM FESTIVAL

Connecting artists, sharing creativity, blending cultures... Quickflick is a monthly film festival which occurs simultaneously in some of the world’s creative capitals, including London, New York, Berlin, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Mumbai, Tokyo, Tel Aviv and Amsterdam. In a party atmosphere, directors screen and share their latest creations relating to a global theme that has been collectively chosen.

It's been a year, but we're bucked-up to be appearing at the festival once more, as Ben Barton's film 'Insects' - with a super-duper soundtrack provided by Robert Harris - will be exhibited this Wednesday 23rd September in London's Roxy Bar and Screen. Quite fitting for festival's theme of 'bugs' with the technical requirement of 'macro' methinks.

We're abuzz with excitement. Honest. No - we really are.

GETTING READY FOR GETTING READY

At long last, we've just finished shooting the latest Roundeye film, called 'Getting Ready'.

It's all the same team - Benny Barton directing, Jennifer Harris as the model, Scott Gibson as production designer, and Mark Vanstone on title and artwork design.

This super 8 opus harks back to the days of old Hollywood, and is our most elaborate production yet, filmed in the vintage dressing rooms of Chatham's Brook Theatre.

Here's a sneaky peek, just for you...

SZEGED 2009 - HUNGARY LOVES ELLEN

We're no stranger to the Szeged Super 8 Festival, which definitely sits in the Top Five Super 8 fests in the world (last year our film-poem Uphill for Jesus was premiered there). And while we're on it, Ellen Love is no stranger to the beautiful baroque country of Hungary either - as Ben Barton's Roundeye film The Return of Ellen Love was premiered in Budapest this May...

Now in it's eighth year, the Szeged Festival keeps getting bigger and better - rumour has it that several hunded films (from no less than five continents) were submitted this time around... So when the Competition programme was announced earlier today, it was a great surprise to see that Ellen Love is included!

Our film will be screened exactly one year to the day as last year's festival - 11th September. And quite fitting for our spooky lass, Ellen will be part of the late evening showing, beginning at 9pm. For the low-down with the hoedown and all the nitty-gritties, see the festival website.

SOUP AND CINEMA IN LEEDS

We're happy to report that Ben Barton's little-seen Roundeye gem Scott's Garden will be screening at the Project Space Leeds on Wednesday 16th September.

It's part of the unique Soup & Cinema night - one of the Town and Country events, a series of collaborations between Project Space Leeds and the Harewood House Trust, exploring issues surrounding the urban and the rural.

PSL [Project Space Leeds] is an independent contemporary art space, staging exhibitions across all art forms by artists from the UK and abroad. PSL occupies 500 square metres of ground floor exhibition space at Whitehall Waterfront in the new West End of Leeds, just five minutes' walk from the train station.

SOUP & CINEMA

Wednesday 16th September, 6pm-9pm

Tickets £4, places are limited so please book in advance

Making a meal out of the fresh produce from Hortuseum, our in-house greenhouse, PSL invites you to share a soup supper before sitting down to an evening of artists' films.

BYOB (bring you own bowl, and spoon) - first come first served!

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TURNING THE TABLES AT BIRMINGHAM'S ARTSFEST

We are pleased as punch to be part of the line-up for this year's ArtsFest - Birmingham's free art spectacular. From 11th-13th September, the city will come alive with music, film, comedy and theatre.

The Roundeye found-film poem Dance of the Coward is part of the Turntable event, next Sunday 13th September at 1:20pm in the city's Crescent Theatre.

It's a rare chance to see our little film - which has only screened once before, in London. It captures the famous matador El Cordobes doing his dirty deed in Ibiza. It's a shocking one folks...

The best part is, every event at the ArtsFest is free! For the programme click here.

KINO SHORTS 5 – WE’RE IN!

KINO SHORTS 5 presents
THE BEST OF CINEMATOPIA
Wednesday 9th September 2009 at 8pm
Green Room, 54-56 Whitworth Street West, Manchester
Tickets £4

Our irrepressible Stag Movie is now making her way to Manchester, boobies and all…

Kinofilm will play host to The Best of Cinematopia 2009, an awesome line-up of the grooviest short film, music video, animation and digital media, selected from this year’s past events at Preston’s Mad Ferrett. If you haven’t been to one of their events yet in Preston, now’s the chance to see what they’ve been up in darkest Lancashire – where some say there’s there’s even an Independent film scene there… so come find out what all the fuss is about.

If you missed it at the Glastonferret Festival, now's your chance to see it on the big screen!

GOOD REVIEW ALERT!

Following a screening of Ellen Love last Wednesday at Manchester's 24:7 Theatre Festival, we've stumbled across a rather splendid review, so felt compelled to share...

"Forming part of the Manchester 24:7 Theatre Festival, 'Visual Pleasures' provided an evening of clips from both Mancunian and national contributors and turned-up more than a few lovely surprises...

It was back to art school as Ben Barton’s ethereal Gothic sonnet The Return of Ellen Love hit the screen. Filmed on super 8, the film served as a great video to the accompanying score of Jennifer Harris’s 'Black Eyes', and was a welcome respite from the drama that had gone before. Described by its creators as a 'dark and romantic visual poem', this was five minutes of alternative fun that served the crowd well."

Excerpted from The Rattle

IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE...

Next Friday July 31st you can watch a hand-picked compendium of the Roundeye films as part of the Imagination Collaborations event, being held at The Loggerheads in Nottingham.  

To quote the organisers: "A new phenomenon is here - a night that will blur the edges and remove the borders to bring together everyone for the sake of creativity. From live performance and artwork to films and visualisations."  

Be there or be square from 8pm my friends - entry is 100% gratis!

LETS DISCUSS FILM...

Pinch punch, first day of the month...

On August 1st you can see a brand-new cut of the Roundeye film Uphill for Jesus at the Discussions On Film premiere event, held at The Corridor, Hackney Road, London. They've called it "visually exquisite" and of course, we agree.

The night is going to be screenings from filmmakers, video artists and film architects, followed by conversation - beginning at 8:30pm.

This is from the gallery website:

Against the backdrop of our seemingly ever more secularised lives, evangelism is enjoying a resurgence; partly imported with arriving immigrant communities, it is now familiar a part of the texture of cities such as London, with religious buildings and representations springing up around the city... does this growth also reveal something about where modern man finds himself?

PREPARE TO LAUNCH - THE 24:7 THEATRE FEST

Ellen Love returns to Manchester next week, this time for the city's 24:7 Theatre Festival. It's part of The Hub After Hours line-up - a kind of fringe event to the main festival, with music performances, films, lectures and more...

The Return of Ellen Love is one of eight films selected for 'Visual Pleasure: An Evening of Short Films' held at New Century House next Wednesday 22nd July 2009. It's a late one folks - doors at 9pm - but admission is free!

"Accompanying the unveiling of Heartless, a new short film by Pylon Pictures, will be other delicacies from the world of filmmaking and art. So, grab your beverage of choice, sit back and let your senses be tingled…"

For more info visit the 24:7 Theatre festival website, then click on The Hub.

WORKING IT IN WALES, OUR LATEST FESTIVAL...

The Roundeye films have found their natural home - screenings at music festivals!

Yes 'The Cinema of Small Gestures' - the swooping title for all the films directed by Ben Barton - have been very popular of late in the cinema tents of various fests from Athens to Cambridge.

The latest is the Workhouse Festival - a three-day event which runs from 10th to 12th July in Powys, Wales. They will be screening a hand-picked selection of the films, including The Return of Ellen Love, Uphill for Jesus and Insects.

This year the cinema tent promises "a variety of shorts, feature and documentary films from around the globe, offering a portal into new worlds from some of the best young, up-and-coming and radical film making talent."

For all the details, visit the Workhouse Festival website [HERE]

or read the BBC profile [HERE]

WHISPERS...

There are lots more film screenings in the pipeline: at the Workhouse Festival in Wales, Tangerine in Australia, Discussions on Film at The Corridor in London, and at the Pink Festival in Cambridge. We’re also working on Getting Ready, the latest from the cinema of small gestures.
We can’t give any proper details just yet, but watch this space…

THE VERY BEST OF CINEMATOPIA 2009

Our cheeky Stag Movie has been chosen for a special event this Friday 26th June at the Mad Ferret, Fylde Road, Preston. Doors 7pm. £3 entry. It's part of the indoor Glastonferret Mini-Festival... Here’s the official blurb:

The Very Best of Cinematopia 2009 will showcase an awesome line-up of the grooviest short film, music video, animation and digital media from our past events. The outdoor screenings will be on the Orange Peel stage. And all this with a turfed pub, live bands, barbeque and real scrumpy (and the outdoor area’s roofed so you don’t need to worry about the British weather!)

Hosted by Kitsch Monkey Productions and the Mad Ferret, Cinematopia is Preston’s only regular movie night, screening a themed programme of weird and wonderful films.

THE HARRISES LIVE IN CONCERT!

Robert and Jennifer Harris, the copiously talented brother-sister combo who have provided the music for many Roundeye films, will be performing live at this year’s Concert in the Park, in Goodnestone Park, Canterbury, Kent.

Our talented duo are the opening act for the event, which is this Saturday 20th June. Gates open at 3pm, and tickets can be purchased here.

BEN BARTON & KENNETH ANGER - AT THE PICTURES!

Just a few days to go until Roundeye's latest appearance at The Pictures, without doubt London's coolest film night, who have supported us from the beginning.

This Wednesday June 17th two of our films will be sharing the programme with the legendary Kenneth Anger - Benny B's true hero. Both Insects and Stag Movie will be up there, followed by Anger classics Rabbit's Moon, Invocation, the Scorpio & Lucifer Risings and even Puce Moment - the inspiration for our new film (still very much in progress) called Getting Ready.

Get there for 8pm and expect to stay late!

STRAWBERRY SEASON

This Friday is the first night of the Strawberry Fair Film Festival in Cambridge, where Ellen Love will screened in the Big Top Tent. Our section starts at 9:45pm and is being sold as the "best new short films from around the world". That's what I call hype!
And yes I know I've said it before, but admission is free!

JESUS AT THE SYNCH FESTIVAL, ATHENS

A few months ago Ben created a special edit of Uphill for Jesus for the brilliant Synch Festival, held in Athens Friday June 12th to Sunday 14th.

The film will be projected onto large screens outside the Technopolis building, a historic old factory in the city centre.

It's part of Synch's moving image programme, a non-competitive show that promotes work from international audio-visual artists. Now in its sixth year, I'm assured this fest is one of the bestest in Europe!

Florence and the Machine, a personal favourite of Roundeye star Benny Harris, are part of the incredibe line-up for this event, as are Benny B's fave, the New Young Pony Club.

Here's a wee trailer to whet your appetities:

B:FEST THIS SATURDAY

B Involved, B There, B Inspired, B Fest!

Starting at 4pm this Saturday 6th June, our dark and moody little cine flick The Return of Ellen Love will be part of the B:Fest film screenings, which are described thus:

“More innovative and experimental work - a perfect alternative for those fed up with formulaic Hollywood blockbusters! An opportunity to see short films submitted by filmmakers from all over Europe”

See the Luton Arts Festival website for all the info.
Screening held at Manhattans, Cumberland Street, Luton. Admission: £5.

WORD! THE BENNIES AT THE LONDON WORD FESTIVAL

What is that I see before me, poor Yorick? Why it looks like the two Bennies being projected onto Daz-white laundry that is hanging in some art gallery. What could it be?

Well… as a bit of a sideline Roundeye project, an image of the two Bennies (Ben Barton & Jennifer Harris) was used as part of ‘My T-Shirt Says’, an art installation at the London Word Festival.

Held on Mother’s Day last March, the event “snatched text from people’s T-shirts and used it to create found poems for an image-sound-word installation and performance”. Phew!

Big thanks to Karen McCarthy, the artist behind this project. Her published poem was based on Benny B’s ‘XYZ Generation’ t-shirt, which surely has a few moth bites by now…

FRISCO FEVER!

We’ve just had late notice of two screenings over the pond in San Francisco, for the Cinematheque Avec night, a new event held at the Hotel Utah, 400 Bryant Street.

Both Uphill for Jesus and The Return of Ellen Love will be shown later today, Thursday May 28th at 8.30pm.

It’s described as “a mingling of indie films with original music from SF-based songstress, Brittany Shane” whose new album Have Heart Live Young comes highly recommended!
Ms Shane will introduce each film as well as providing the musical entertainment with her band.

Plus, continuing the (accidental) trend for the Roundeye film screenings – they’ll be free popcorn too!

ELLEN LOVE IN EDINBURGH!

Yep, Ellen Love is the girl that just keeps on giving! The undead star of our underground offering The Return of Ellen Love, captured on super grainy super 8, is fast becoming our most popular personage to date!

The flick has been chosen as one of “the best films shown over the past six months” by The Pictures, London’s best subversive film night, and so is heading north for an offshoot event at The Bowery in Edinburgh.

This free night out is bolstered with free popcorn – so bring a date this Sunday May 31st at 5pm to The Bowery at the city's Roxy Art House.

P.S. We can’t even see the word ‘Bowery’ without thinking of the devilled demi-god of everything bad taste, Leigh Bowery, our idol, hero and favourite former resident of Sunshine. RIP Leigh x

ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR!

Roundeye’s nearly-cult classic The Return of Ellen Love has been selected for the delectable Strawberry Fair Film Festival 2009 - Cambridge's finest festival held every year on the Midsummer Common.

Late at night under the Big Top Tent on Friday 5th June, Ellen will be the penultimate film of the evening.

This year's Strawberry Fair will include ten fantastic short film programmes over two days – and is just part of Cambridge’s best free festival – and yes I said FREE!

Read the film programme here: [1] or peruse what the BBC has to say about the whole event here: [2]

SPEND ANOTHER NIGHT AT THE PICTURES

Last year we were delighted to be part of the line-up for the first ever Pictures Underground Film Night - and we're happy to be returning with The Return of Ellen Love and Dance of the Coward - this Wednesday 20th May at Bardens Boudoir, Stoke Newington High Street, London N16*

Please come and support this crowd of moviemakers, dreamers, cinephiles and budding underground stars, s'il vous plait!

Showtime is 7pm and not only is it free entry - but it's happy hour all night long too - so get happy you wannabe Candy Darlings!


*Sadly we can't make this one because we're otherwise engaged at the Kent University student film night - but we hope to make it to the next one where there's been a whisper that we may be screening some other films...