The Festival of
Fantastic Films 2003 The UK's Celebration
of a Century of Amazing Cinema at the Renaissance Hotel, Deansgate, Manchester, England
Sneak
Preview - Film Competition -
Letters from 2002 Members & Guests
Click here for Membership Information for 2003 Comments or suggestions? Add comment to the Festival Guestbook
Introduction to the Festival If you are a new visitor to The Festival of Fantastic Films web pages we invite you to climb aboard the greatest weekend a science fiction, fantasy or horror movie fan could ever find on the planet. Based in MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (just two-and-a-half hours from LONDON by rail-link) we have THREE programme streams containing a terrific range of movie-related events that include Guest Interviews, Discussions, Panels, Special Events, Presentations, Auctions, Artshow and Poster Exhibition, Dealer Room, Themed Dinner, Parties and of course an AMAZING number of movies..... the old and the new run alongside each other throughout the festival. Please scroll down our pages to get a taste of this 3-Day UK Movie Convention (now in its fourteenth year) - and hop off on the various links should you want even more in-depth info! But DO COME BACK... we'll be updating frequently throughout the upcoming year!
Guests of Honour Michael Armstrong Alex Cox Christopher Eccleston Harry
Greene David
Hess Marjie
Lawrence Valerie Leon
Independent Films In addition to the retrospective film programme that is the backbone of the event, the Festival of Fantastic Films has, within the past few years, become the premiere UK venue for new genre movies. We are pleased to showcase an amazing selection of Independently produced feature length and short films from all over the world. Films that you are unlikely to see anywhere else are screened alongside the new movies from major studios right through the weekend. Each year sees an increase in the number of young and highly creative film-makers, submitting their work into our International Competition and giving members of the Festival a unique opportunity to see a great range of movies. The Festival programme also screens new films outside the competition itself and although it is difficult to announce specific titles in advance, we expect to surprise members of the event with major premieres! The Festival is also the place to meet with many of the creative people from behind and in front of the cameras. In 1998 we had director Jake West and actress Eileen Daly along with their new film RAZORBLADE SMILE. American director Tyler Tharpe came over from the USA to screen and discuss his horror film THE LAST ROADSTOP and from the UK, Jon Sorensen premiered his science fiction feature ALIEN BLOOD. In 1999 delightful American director Joei Gharrity came from Los Angeles to screen her short film THE GRAIL and was sucked into the fannish activities and friendliness of the event Most of the Independent movies screened at the Festival have a substantial budget behind them, whereas other equally creative genre movies are made each year by talented amateurs working on a shoestring. These films are enormously entertaining and often just as thought provoking as their Indie relatives. The Amateur Contest entries are pre-judged by The Festival Committee with the top rated films going forward to the Festival for the final round. 1998 saw the Award going out of the UK for the first time ever, being won by Florida USA film-maker Shane Hannafey with his science fiction story THE GIFT. The International Movie Competitions have become a very important section of the Festival of Fantastic Films. Movie Competition Winners for 2002 Click
here for the Independent Film Competition Click here for the Amateur Film Competition entry form
Featured Events Big retrospective Science Fiction and
Fantasy 3-D! Discussions, Panels Film Fair, Auctions Low-price Convention Bar! Guest of Honour Signing Sessions Amateur and Independent Short Film Contests
Film Programme To be announced Special Events FESTIVAL OPENING CEREMONY
The Auction
Full Attending Membership is £70 (UK pounds), or $110 (US dollars) which entitles you to Progress Reports, Programme Booklet, Badge, and Attendance to all of the events over the three days of the convention. A single day membership is available for £30 (UK pounds). Children: Attending Membership £20 up to 12 years of age and £30 up to 16 years of age. Supporting Membership £30, entitles you to three Progress Reports, Programme Booklet, Badge, and Attendance to any of the events on any SINGLE day of the convention. (Supporting membership can be upgraded to FULL by paying the balance at any time up to the week before the Festival). Register now by printing the form (click below) and mailing to the Festival address! Click here for a membership form you can print and mail. Festival e-mail may be sent to Gil Lane-Young: [email protected] or to Tony Edwards The Society of Fantastic Films is a member of the British Federation of Film Societies
Archives and Reviews Festival of Fantastic Films 2002 Archive Website Festival of Fantastic Films 2001 Archive Website Festival of Fantastic Films 2000 Archive Website Festival of Fantastic Films 1999 Archive Website Jonathan Cowie's 2000 Festival Report Adele Hartley's 2000 Festival Report Darrell Buxton's 1999 Festival Report Festival Guest and Contributor Websites Widescreen Movies Magazine Janina Faye - The Official Website Ramsey Campbell - The Official Website Stephen Laws - The Midnight Man John Harden Festival Artist Harry Hamill's Another World
Productions Site Gil Lane-Young's Festival Page Other Sites of Interest Matinee Today - Lots of 3D Posters! "The Tingler" - the Horror Films of William Castle 3DTV - LCD Glasses, 3D Movies, & More! Concatenation Convention Reviews Stuart Mitchell's Ghoul Britannia Site HammerWeb - Hammer Films Official Site Film & TV Connection:
Virtual Manchester
Site created 4 June
1997 by Bill Burns [FTL
Design : Long Island : NY : USA].
Last updated 26 August 2003 |