British Urban Film Festival unveils 2016 line-up

The 7-day event features its’ biggest ever line-up of selections with 43 screenings.

BUFF 2016 begins on Wednesday 14 September with the World Premiere of “To Dream” (starring Adam Deacon, Diana Vickers, Ed Hayter & Freddie Thorp) at Odeon Camden Town, directed by newcomer Nicole Albarelli. Other highlights include:

The 2nd annual British Urban Film Festival awards from Hilton London Tower Bridge on Sunday 18 September hosted by Adam Deacon & Femi Oyeniran with live music from Heather Small (Sponsored by BBC Films).

3 Nights of Short Film Screenings on Friday 16 September (Love Shorts at Odeon Camden Town), Saturday 17 September (Saturday Night Shorts at Odeon Camden Town) and Monday 19 September (Monday Night Shorts at Odeon Swiss Cottage).

2 Days of Free events at Channel 4 in Westminster: Live Script Readings on Thursday 15 September & the Actors Bootcamp with Wil Johnson (King Lear) on Friday 16 September.

Another first time director Kenneth ‘Demus’ Pascall makes his official debut in the festival with the closing night film ‘Residential’ (Odeon Swiss Cottage, Tuesday 20 September), a London based drama about Jamaicans and the world of crime and consequences. Former BBC Radio 1 DJ, Chris Goldfinger, is amongst the films’ producers.

BUFF’s stellar line-up of presenters include Larushka Ivan-Zadeh (Metro), Chizzy Akudolu (Holby City), Danny Leigh (Film 2016), Clare Anyiam-Osigwe, Andrew Castle (Broadcaster), Paulette Harris-German, Kingpin, Shay D, Jacqueline Shepherd (Sky), Travis Jay, Akua Gyamfi (The British Blacklist) and Abrantee Boateng (Capital Xtra).

The festival runs from 14-20 September.  Here’s the full schedule:

ALL FILMS ARE RATED 15. ADULT DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER: 

“TO DREAM” (UK & WORLD PREMIERE)

(OPENING NIGHT GALA HOSTED BY LARUSHKA IVAN-ZADEH WITH Q&A)

ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 7.00 – 10.00PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

THURSDAY 15 SEPTEMBER: 

THE BUFF 2016 LIVE SCRIPT READINGS (AT CHANNEL 4)

“IMAGINE THIS” BY SADE ADENIRAN

“LIVERPOOL 81” BY SAM BENJAMIN

“ADAPT OR DIE” BY ADRIEL LEFF

3 X 20 MINUTE PERFORMANCES HOSTED BY JACQUELINE SHEPHERD WITH Q&A

(FREE VIA ONLINE BOOKING)

CHANNEL 4 HEADQUARTERS, 124-126 HORSEFERRY ROAD, SW1P 2TX. 1.00 – 3.00PM

THURSDAY 15 SEPTEMBER:

“QUESTIONABLE PREJUDICE” + “ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS”

(DOUBLE HEADER HOSTED BY ABRANTEE BOATENG WITH Q&A)

ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 5.00 – 7.00PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

THURSDAY 15 SEPTEMBER:

“PANIC” (HOSTED BY ABRANTEE BOATENG WITH Q&A)

ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 8.00 – 10.00PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER: THE BUFF 2016 ACTORS BOOTCAMP (WITH WIL JOHNSON)

TALK + MASTERCLASS HOSTED BY CLARE ANYIAM-OSIGWE WITH Q&A

(FREE VIA ONLINE BOOKING)

CHANNEL 4 HEADQUARTERS, 124-126 HORSEFERRY ROAD, SW1P 2TX. 11.00AM – 2.00PM

FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER: LOVE SHORTS 

(HOSTED BY CLARE & EMMANUEL ANYIAM-OSIGWE WITH Q&A)

1. “ROOM MATES”

2. “THE TINDER PROBLEM”

3. “AND THEN THERE WAS NOTHING”

4. “NEW MESSAGE”

5. “BLIGHTY BFF”

6. “NO GUARANTEE”

7. “SWIPING MR RIGHT”

8. “SIGNS OF SILENCE”

9. “A MANNER OF SPEAKING”

10. “LOVE AND MORE IMPORTANT THINGS”

ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 4.00 – 6.00PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER

“EMOTIONAL BACKGAMMON” + “LOVESWAG”

(DOUBLE HEADER HOSTED BY CHIZZY AKUDOLU WITH Q&A)

ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 6.30 – 11.00PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER

“THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI”

(ENCORE TRIBUTE SCREENING HOSTED BY DANNY LEIGH WITH Q&A)

ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 2.00 – 4.00PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER

“TAKING THE PLUNGE” + “DIVIDED TIME” + “BUT NOT FOR ME”

(TRIPLE HEADER OF AMERICAN FILMS HOSTED BY PAULETTE HARRIS-GERMAN WITH Q&A) ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 4.00 – 7.30PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER: SATURDAY NIGHT SHORTS

(HOSTED BY EMMANUEL ANYIAM-OSIGWE & PAULETTE HARRIS-GERMAN WITH Q&A)

1. SOLDIER

2. TOWN VS GOWN

3. CATFACE

4. DIEMBE

5. LUCID

6. COVER ME

7. AMUKTA

8.THE BACKSEAT

9. THE LIGHTS

10. THE KING

11. AWOL

ODEON CAMDEN TOWN, PARKWAY, NW1. 8.00 – 11.00PM (£15)

ALSO INCLUDES AFTERPARTY AT THE JAZZ CAFE

SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER: THE BUFF AWARDS 2016 (SPONSORED BY BBC FILMS)

HOSTED BY ADAM DEACON & FEMI OYENIRAN

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS HEATHER SMALL & WIL JOHNSON

HILTON HOTEL TOWER BRIDGE, TOOLEY STREET, SE1. 4.00PM – 1.00AM

(£139 PER PERSON)

MONDAY 19 SEPTEMBER:

MONDAY NIGHT SHORTS (HOSTED BY KINGPIN & SHAY D WITH Q&A)

1. “CHILD IN THEIR EYES”
2. “5 MINUTES”
3. “GUN IN A TRAINER BOX”
4. “GHOSTS IN TIME”
5. “HYSTERIA”
6. “HUSH”
7. “LIFELINE”
8. “THE FIGHTING IRISH”
9. “THREE MINUTE WARNING”
10. “LAST LEG”

ODEON SWISS COTTAGE, FINCHLEY ROAD, NW3, 7.00 – 10.00PM (£15)

TUESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER: ALTHEA + RESIDENTIAL (DOUBLE HEADER)

“ALTHEA” – HOSTED BY ANDREW CASTLE

“RESIDENTIAL” (UK & WORLD PREMIERE)

CLOSING NIGHT GALA HOSTED BY AKUA GYAMFI & TRAVIS JAY WITH Q&A

ODEON SWISS COTTAGE, FINCHLEY ROAD, NW3. 7.00 – 11.00PM (£15)

Booking information can be found on the homepage at www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk

BBC Films on board for the BUFF Awards 2016

BBC Films on board for The BUFF Awards 2016 

British Urban Film Festival (BUFF), the leading BAME film festival in the UK, today announce BBC Films is set to sponsor its showpiece film awards in September. 

The deal marks the first time that the two organisations have worked together. Previously, the festival has had on-air partnerships with Channel 4, London Live (ESTV), Community Channel (Media Trust) and Showcase TV on Sky. The second annual British Urban Film Festival awards will take place at Hilton Tower Bridge on 18th September in London.

The ceremony (to be hosted by Adam Deacon and Femi Oyeniran) will award writers, producers and directors whose work has been showcased by BUFF over the past 12 months. 

“We are proud to be part of the British Urban Festival and look forward to celebrating all of the fantastic talent involved." said head of BBC Films Christine Langan.

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, the founder and CEO of BUFF, added "This deal signals the start of an exciting new era. In 2015 we celebrated our 10th anniversary with the first ever BUFF awards. That event plus the long and illustrious history of the festival shows how far we have come in championing diversity. The BBC has an integral role to play in showcasing talent within the diversity spectrum and we are delighted by their passion and their commitment to the British Urban Film Festival."

For more information: 

Jo Clare PR 

07930 897 028

hello@joclarepr.com

About BBC Films

BBC Films is at the forefront of independent filmmaking in the UK, developing and co-producing around twelve films a year. Headed up by Christine Langan, BBC Films was awarded the Michael Balcon BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 2015.

Recent releases include Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, currently in cinemas, Louise Osmond’s documentary Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach, Stephen Frears’ Florence Foster Jenkins, John Crowley’s BAFTA and Academy Award nominated romantic drama Brooklyn and Nicholas Hytner’s BAFTA nominated comedy drama The Lady in the Van.

Upcoming releases include Ricky Gervais' David Brent: Life on the Road (in cinemas on 19^th August), and Philippa Lowthorpe’s Swallows and Amazons (also in cinemas on 19^th August). Films currently in production include Amma Asante’s A United Kingdom, Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake, winner of the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or 2016, Ritesh Batra’s The Sense of an Ending, Gurinder Chadha’s Viceroy’s House, Lone Scherfig's We Happy Few, Mick Jackson's Denial and James Marsh’s The Mercy.

BBC Films’ eclectic back catalogue includes Mr Holmes, Far from the Madding Crowd, Pride, Saving Mr. Banks, Philomena, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, My Week with Marilyn, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Jane Eyre, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Made in Dagenham, An Education, In the Loop, Fish Tank, My Summer of Love, Truly Madly Deeply, and Billy Elliot.

bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms 

Twitter @BBCFilms

'To Dream' to open 2016 British Urban Film Festival

Nicole Albarelli’s debut feature - starring Ed Hayter, Freddie Thorp, Adam Deacon and Diana Vickers will premiere at the British Urban Film Festival in September.

To Dream - the London based drama from Anomaly Cinema is to open this year's British Urban Film Festival (14-20 Sep). 

Ed Hayter and Freddie Thorp star as two self-destructive teenagers who won’t let anything come between their friendship and their ultimate plan, but when dysfunctional family life becomes intolerable, loyalty leads one to make a choice that will change their lives forever.

Adam Deacon (Anuvahood) and previous X-Factor finalist Diana Vickers also star in the Neo-noir drama from first-time director Nicole Albarelli, born in Baltimore but now residing in London. The movie marks the screen debut of Freddie Thorp who has just completed filming for upcoming Hollywood blockbuster Overdrive, starring alongside Sean Eastwood, son of actor Clint Eastwood. To Dream also marks Adam Deacon's return to the big screen after a 2 year hiatus. Deacon won the BAFTA rising star award in 2012. 

The full festival programme for BUFF 2016 (including over 40 selections) will be released on 21 July. To Dream will receive its' UK premiere at Odeon Camden Town on 14 September. 

Festival director, Addie Akinrinade said: "To Dream is one of those urban, English, drugs, sex, rave, drink, gritty films. It's well written, very natural and real. Adam Deacon is brilliant as usual, the two leads are fantastic and Diana Vickers does amazingly".