Forest Row Film Society

The bank balance of Forest Row Film Society is looking healthy. After all the changes in the last few years it is gratifying to see that we aren’t losing money any more. We’ve just added the 2008-9 accounts to the website, so we can see how things look after the bulk of the expenditure on the new equipment. These accounts go up to the end of May 2009, so don’t include this season, which has been even more successful. We’ve had a few extra items of expenditure for the new equipment, but they are relatively small. We may well end this season with over £5000 in the bank, which sets us up well for going forward.

There is other equipment that we could usefully buy, including a short throw lens, but this now gives us a solid foundation for planning the next few years.

How do you think we should be best utilising our funds? Are you able to help us extend our activities over the coming years? Please do get in touch or add some comments below.

When we bought our digital equipment 18 months ago it was important that we acquired a portable screen, some lightweight speakers and a little amp so that we would have the option of doing screenings in other locations. This afternoon we had a great time screening Son of Man, the marvellous South African film that we put on last season. It was a charity screening at West Hoathly church, to raise money for the South African charity Uthando.

It was very exciting to be able to screen such a fantastic and powerful film in such a beautiful old building. The screen was right in front of the altar, and it sounded great too.

We had a reasonable crowd turn out, and afterwards everyone I spoke with was very positive about the film. Thanks to everyone at West Hoathly for organising it, and for asking us along.

Despite the weather, the film tonight will go ahead at 8pm as advertised. If you’re tired of being stuck indoors, head along to the village hall and catch this rather excellent German film released last year.

Telling the story of an elderly couple facing their mortality, their relationship with their children and of unrealised ambition, it is a beautiful and moving film which I’d thoroughly recommend. If you’ve ever seen Tokyo Story by the great Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu, you may also find some strong parallels, and indeed, it was partly filmed in Japan.

“Exquisitely made, this gentle, intelligent film is full of warm humour. … Cherry Blossoms invites us to slow down and discover the hidden layers of meaning in our own lives. It requires and solicits a certain generosity of spirit and an openness to experience, but what it offers in return is something remarkable.” (Eye for Film)

There has been a six-fold increase in the usage of Forest Row Film Society’s website over the past two years. Though we’re not talking about high traffic, it’s great to see that people are coming here, staying, and contributing, more and more. At the end of 2007 there were about 1000 page requests a month, yet in the last quarter of 2009 it was over 6500. Looking at what has been getting lots of attention made me think that it is worth highlighting some of those pages, in case you aren’t aware of them:

1. Film reminders direct to your mobile: This is an experimental service, and not as many people have signed up as for the email reminders, but I’m sure it could be very useful if you live your life on your mobile.
2. Film in Sussex: Listings of screenings at community cinemas, film societies and independent venues in Sussex, south Surrey, and west Kent. Covers much of the entire season to the end of May.
3. In Mainstream Cinema This Week: Listings of everything on at all other film venues, organised by distance from Forest Row.
4. Our favourite films: Even if you’ve only been to one of our screenings, send us your list of favourite films; it’s always interesting to see what everyone likes.
5. Films available: Lots of people ask “can you show X”? Well, this is a good place to start to see what we can most easily get hold of. If you want to suggest a film, trying picking something from one of these sources first.

Do you think we should show any of these films? The list below is the latest available from the British Federation of Film Societies (BFFS), from whom we regularly hire films; it includes old and new films, features and documentaries. Each title links to the corresponding entry in the Movie Review Query Engine (if one exists, otherwise it links to another source), so you can read more about any that look interesting. Let us know if there are any here that you think we should show next season, and don’t forget to check out the lists of films that are available from other distributors.

• A Generation (Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1955)
• A Griot’s Story (Adam Rozanski, Nigeria, 2008, doc)
• Ahlaam (Mohamed Al-Daradji, UK/Iraq/Netherlands, 2006)
• The American Friend (Wim Wenders, Germany/France, 1977)
• The American Soldier (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1970)
• Beware of the Holy Whore (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1971)
• Bitter Moon (Roman Polanski, France/UK/US, 1992)
• The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1972)
• La Boheme (Robert Dornhelm, Austria/Germany, 2008)
• Boogie (Radu Muntean, Romania, 2007)
• Blue Eyelids (Ernesto Contreras, Mexico, 2007)
• Buena Vista Social Club (Wim Wenders, Ger/USA/UK/France/Cuba, 1999)
• Burma VJ (Anders Østergaard, Denmark, 2008, Doc)
• Canal (Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1957)
• Carambola (Kurt Hollander, Mexico, 2004)
• The Cement Garden (Andrew Birkin, Fra/Ger/UK, 1993)
• Chinese Roulette (R. W Fassbinder, Germany/France, 1976)
• Compassionate Sex (Laura Mañá, Spain, 2000)
• Conversations with my Gardener (Jean Becker, France, 2007)
• Dawn of the Dead (George. A. Romero, Italy/US, 1978)
• Dear Diary (Nanni Moretti, Italy/France, 1993)
• Les Diaboliques (Henri-George Clouzot, France, 1955)
• Disarm (Brian Liu, Mary Wareham, US, 2006, Doc)
• Effi Briest (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1974)
• The End of America (Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern, US, 2008, Doc)
• Europa, Europa (Agnieszka Holland, Ger/Fra/Pol, 1990)
• Fear of Fear (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1975)
• Flower Drum Song (Henry Koster, US, 1961)
• Football Days (David Serrano, Spain, 2003)
• Four Eyed Monsters (Susan Buice, Arin Crumley, US, 2005)
• Fox and his Friends (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1975)
• Gods of the Plague (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1970)
• The Hide (Marek Losey, UK, 2008)
• The House of the Spirits (Bille August, Port/Ger/Den/UK, 1993)
• How to Cook Your Life (Doris Dörrie, Germany, 2007, Doc)
• I Served the King of England (Jiri Menzel, Czech Rep/Slovakia, 2006)
• Iceman (Fred Schepisi, US, 1984)
• In the City of Sylvia (José Luis Guerín, Spain, 2007)
• Katzelmacher (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1969)
• King of New York (Abel Ferrara, Ita/US/UK, 1990)
• Kings of the Road (Wim Wenders, Germany, 1976)
• The Lost World of Mr. Hardy (Andy Heathcote, UK, 2008, Doc)
• Love is Colder than Death (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1969)
• The Merchant of Four Seasons (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1970)
• Molly’s Way (Emily Atef, Germany, 2005)
• Mother Kuster’s Trip to Heaven (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1975)
• Niklashauser Journey (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1970)
• Of Mice and Men (Lewis Milestone, US, 1939)
• Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa (Randy and Jeremy Stulberg, US, 2007, Doc)
• On the Edge of the Forest (E F Schumacher, Australia, 1977, Doc)
• Pig Business (Tracy Worcester, UK, 2009, Doc)
• Preparez vos Mouchoirs (Betrand Blier, France/Belgium, 1978)
• Return to Goree (Pierre-Yves Borgeaud, Swiss/Luxembourg, 2007)
• Rio das Mortes (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1971)
• Salaam Bombay! (Mira Nair, UK/India/France, 1988)
• Satan’s Brew (R. W Fassbinder, Germany, 1976)
• A Secret (Claude Miller, France, 2007)
• Sugar (Anna Boden/ Ryan Fleck, USA, 2008)
• A Touch of Class (Melvin Frank, UK, 1973)
• Under the Mud (Solon Papadopoulos, UK, 2007)
• Welcome (Philippe Lioret, France, 2009)
• When Trumpets Fade (John Irvin, US, 1998)
• Wings of Desire (Wim Wenders, Germany/France, 1987)
• Wrong Move (Wim Wenders, Germany, 1975)
• Zero Degrees (Akram Khan/ Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, UK, 2005)