British Urban Film Festival launches new viral ad

The British Urban Film Festival has launched a new online advertising campaign with creative that parades the films, filmmakers, personalities and brand ambassadors who played their part in the biggest British Urban Film Festival to date.

Watch the ad by clicking here: http://youtu.be/y2Old18UbDg

The ad, which aired December 25, features a montage of photographs scattered across the screen, each photograph having the hashtag #BUFF2013 to identify that photo’s significance to the festival. During the 150-second ad, the screen displays colour photographs which ‘stand out’ to further illustrate their significance to the festival. The screen then zooms in on the last colour photograph which features the official ident for the 2014 British Urban Film Festival. The ident comprises of the BUFF logo (circa 2010) emblazoned on the union jack flag. The hashtag #BUFF2014 is also displayed in the photo.

The spot carries the strapline “From the home of urban film coverage in the UK” and was created in-house by BUFF.

It has recently been announced that Channel 4 have extended their partnership deal with BUFF meaning that the opening 3 events of BUFF 2014 will once again be hosted at Channel 4 headquarters. The deal also includes an option to screen a selection of films from the festival in the ‘Shooting Gallery’ slot on its main network.  

Channel 4 have said the following in a statement: “Channel 4 has a World-Class reputation for innovation and is ready to invest in the next generation of creative content. Channel 4 are happy to support the opening day of BUFF 2014 because in order to remain relevant in an ever changing world we must ensure that we continue to seek out the very best creative voices. Voices that represent the diversity and cultural richness of contemporary British life”.

See more about submissions at: http://bufffilmfestival.wordpress.com

#BUFFBLOG (December 2013)

BUFF Tidings! And what a great time of the year it is to be at the pictures. Christmas round the corner, Oscar-bait movies ten-a-penny, what’s not to like? Digital distribution perhaps? We’ll save that for next month’s blog. At the time of writing, yours truly will be in attendance at a pre-Christmas preview screening of ’12 Years A Slave’ – it’s one of the perks of running a film festival though one could say the same thing about this month’s guest writer of the BUFF blog. Those of you who follow the festival will either recognise the name Larushka Ivan-Zadeh or indeed her profile picture in the Metro – and that’s because not only is she the film editor for that newspaper, she’s also one of our esteemed board members meaning that she gets to see a vast cornucopia of films – mostly on your behalf. So why should she have this privilege you may ask? Why should you care what she thinks about a big-budget movie or otherwise? Well there’s only one way to find out? Read her BUFF blog right here…

Why does anyone care what film critics think? The answer increasingly seems to be: they don’t. For 2013 marks the year the professional (i.e. paid) critic became an endangered species. The cull that started in the US finally arrived in the UK. Increasing numbers of my colleagues in the mainstream press have been axed, retired or told they can only continue if they take massive pay-cuts. Obviously I think this is a bad thing. But is it? What are we losing here? And what is the role of a film critic anyway?

In the old, pre-Internet days seeing the point of a film critic was simpler. We were news-bringers and gate-keepers. A hatchet job critique can be an entertaining read, but, as a force for good, we helped – and still do help – to introduce audiences to new, often challenging work. But then, so do film festivals. BUFF is a shining example. It provides a valued platform to filmmakers whose work can struggle to be heard in the mainstream media. Festivals are a chance for audiences to see films unprejudiced by reviews, marketing slants or hype. BUFF-goers don’t use reviews to choose what to see – indeed they can’t, as some of the films in the programme have never been screened anywhere before. So what’s the role of a critic at festivals? To acquaint themselves on the cutting edge of film making, to spread the word of what they’ve seen outwards and to take the critical temperature of how the film is likely to be received outside the supportive and nurturing festival nest.

 

It is at festivals we see that critics, industry and audiences share a level playing field. Often a festival will have an ‘Audience’ award as well as an award voted for by a jury. Filmmakers will value both, but also the praise or constructive criticism of the professional reviewer. Why? Because what differentiates the professional reviewer, as well as, hopefully, a skill for insightful analysis, is that they give an informed context for their opinion. One based in an extensive knowledge of cinema and wider film history. Added to that is the fact we see a heck of a lot more movies than you do. I see about 6 new films a week, for example.

That said, criticism is subjective. And no critic is an ultimate authority. Film festivals, more than anywhere, are where critical objectivity can fly out the window. At Cannes, for example, passions run particularly high: films are routinely booed or given standing ovations and this is reflected in the reviews. Here, even broadsheet critics can over-excitedly shower films with stars that, if viewed outside the festival hothouse, they might have appraised more coolly.

So, why should you trust a critic to tell you if a film is any good, or not? Studios are starting not to. Posters may still have critics’ star ratings on them as a badge of pride – but tweets from ‘normal’ punters have begun to be used on publicity, even for ‘serious’ dramas like the Oscar-nominated ‘The Impossible’ which opened earlier this year. You can see why marketing companies would use quotes from the public when advertising big, so-called ‘critic-proof’ multiplex crowd-pleasers – the films that we critics insist are rubbish and give no stars to, but audiences still flock to in their millions. But, even so, who are these random Tweeters on the posters? What weight does their opinion hold? You could probably find a Twitter-user who loved the Diana movie if you looked hard enough.

Thanks to social media the phrase ‘everyone’s a critic’ has never been truer. Anyone can set up a reviews site online and shout their opinions – as long as they don’t expect to be paid for it. Which is great for non-elitism. And, on the upside, social media has proved a revolutionary facilitator in allowing independent filmmakers to create a word-of-mouth buzz for their films without the need for a prohibitively expensive marketing campaign. But, to me, the professional critic still has a role. To me, a critic is a guide. A guide you may not always agree with, but who entertains you, occasionally enlightens you and one whose opinion you respect. A guide who is comprehensive, who has the time to see everything from tiny festival movie to massive blockbuster and, ideally, give them equal consideration. To do that properly is a full time job – and should be valued with a living wage. And in our non-stop, ever-expanding media Babel, a guide is more essential than ever. But then I would say that, wouldn’t I?

© Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Follow @Larushka_iz on Twitter.

For all the latest BUFF breaking news follow @buffenterprises on Twitter.

Click here to watch and share BUFF’s 1^st ever Christmas promo http://youtu.be/pkVaLbVkHX0

The BUFF Blog (November 2013) in association with Jilali Argan Oil UK #JILALITIME

 Image courtesy of Jonny Guardiani

And so it all begins again. We welcome you to the home of urban film coverage in the UK and another 12 months of insight from those in the know – telling it how it really is. So in time-honoured BUFF tradition, we introduce this month’s guest blogger and whilst he’s not yet a familiar face in the grand scheme of things, he will have been a familiar face to the 1400-odd people who came through the doors over the 4 festival days. Not many people can say that they attended every event and saw every film which was screened at this year’s British Urban Film Festival – but this man did (and why not?) So here to give his considered take on the festival that was #BUFF2013 is the writer and director of the award-winning boxumentary @BloodyLip and honorary member of the famed BUFF alumni, it’s Mr Adriel Leff… 

I first met BUFF founder Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe in November of 2012 when he attended an industry screening of my debut film.  I’m ashamed to admit that at that time I had precisely zero experience of attending (let alone participating in) film festivals – which sadly is the case with a large proportion of the British public.

To my delight, Emmanuel asked to include my film in the 2013 British Urban Film Festival.  After talking at length with him I found the concept, and the man behind it, to be both fascinating and seemingly a perfect fit for my film, so naturally I enthusiastically agreed to be a part of the festival – and what a festival it turned out to be…

Before the film screenings began there was a day of free events at the Channel 4 building.  This included well-received live readings of the winners of BUFF’s inaugural scriptwriting competition (of which I was fortunate enough to be on the judging panel), an informative discussion on film distribution in today’s ever-changing digital world, and most notably an extremely lively and relevant debate about the portrayal of the black community in film and television.  

This was a topic that clearly the majority of those present cared very deeply about and the palpable energy in the room as the subject was explored in an open, eloquent and intelligent manner was testament to the fact that this was an extremely necessary and worthy debate and one that felt like it very much needed to happen.  Needless to say I’m sure all the participants are very thankful to BUFF that it did, because I can’t think of another arena where such an event would have been possible.  When time ran out and the debate came to an end there was an audible groan of disappointment from the attendees who I’m sure could have quite willingly carried on with the fascinating discussion all day.

The screenings themselves couldn’t have kicked off in better style than with “Calloused Hands”, which turned out to be my own personal favourite film of the festival.  Screened in the plush surrounds of the Odeon Leicester Square, I found it to be the most enjoyable cinematic experience I can remember having in a long while.  The film itself was funny, exciting, and moving – but most importantly the audience was clearly engaged and responsive.  

Usually someone sitting in a neighbouring seat talking throughout a film is a real annoyance, but when it’s an audience member struggling not to vocalise their response to the emotional journey they’re being taken on it is hard not to view it as anything other than a compliment to the film and the environment in which it is being shown – and when you’re aware that your own work will soon be included in the very same festival this has to be taken as an extremely encouraging sign.

The Q&A session following “Calloused Hands” was equally entertaining, with the director and stars all proving very generous with their time and anecdotes, and an afterparty at a nearby club proved to be a fitting end to a very successful and promising opening night.

The highlight for me of the following day’s screenings was “Latvia”, a cautionary tale about the British criminal underworld – a theme that of course we’ve all seen time and again, but the wholly original twist here was that, instead of the usual high-octane, glamorising approach to the genre, the film highlighted the mundaneness and zero-purpose of living a life comprising of nothing more than ending other people’s existences while waiting for someone to end your own.  I found it very refreshing to see the restrained performances and obvious moral standpoint that we are simply not used to witnessing in the majority of our homegrown films.

Next up was the shorts block.  My expectations were high as I was fortunate enough to have had my film featured in festivals in New York and LA this year and I’d seen some very impressive short films at both, but one characteristic I couldn’t fail to notice at the American festivals was a lack of consistency – there was a feeling of “if you don’t like this short film don’t worry, there’ll be another one along in a few minutes”.

However I can honestly say that out of nearly a dozen shorts featured at BUFF, there wasn’t one that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy, which I see as a huge endorsement of not only the talented filmmakers who submitted their outstanding entries but also of the board’s insightful judgement when it comes to film selection.

Of course I had my favourites, but it was the overall quality on show that really surprised and delighted me.  It is also worth noting that, whereas the American shorts blocks had featured films from all over the world, each of the BUFF shorts was British-made – testament to the often maligned fact that we really do have a huge amount of domestic talent in our country that desperately needs to be nurtured.

Again, I have to mention the audience who were without doubt the best crowd I have ever seen at any cinematic event – laughing so loud at the comedic moments that at times I’m sure secondary jokes were missed, while maintaining an attentive silence when a dramatic piece required it, and of course freely showing their appreciation with generous applause after every gratifying short.

I could single out several shorts for special praise (as Emmanuel insisted I did on the night!) but to do so would be a disservice to each I neglected to mention, as I would recommend any and all of them to everyone.  I understand that a small sample will be broadcast by Channel 4 at some point, but I sincerely hope that those not lucky enough to be selected will be available for public viewing in some other manner.

As Day Four of the festival arrived I had a bittersweet mix of excitement (as my film was due to close the festival) but also a touch of sadness that the event was coming to an end.  It really had been a memorable and enjoyable experience and I had met so many lovely and interesting new people – both participants and attendees, within the industry and beyond.

 

The final day began with “The Fade”, an informative and fun documentary focusing on four hairdressers – from Britain, America, Ghana, and Jamaica.  It was a simple concept executed perfectly, highlighting the differences and similarities of both the men’s work and their fascinating personal lives. 

The Q&A with the film’s director and cinematographer that followed featured an unusually large amount of audience interaction, reflecting the degree to which that the film had both gripped and intrigued its viewers who clamoured to find out more about the subjects and their documenters.

The film also looked fantastic and, after the screening, I felt the need to ask the cinematographer a question myself – whether he had done much work in post-production to bring out the vivid colours, especially evident in the film’s African and Caribbean locations.  In fact, he told me, if anything he’d had to tone the colours down, such was the natural vibrancy of the florid environment.

Following “The Fade” was “Traveller”, a world premiere featuring both David Essex and his son, drawing a very large audience comprised in the main of an unusual mix of Essex fans and members of the traveller community, with both disparate factions receiving the film very well.

Finally it was time for the UK premiere of my own film, “Bloody Lip”, a comedy mockumentary revolving around a struggling boxer in the build-up to the biggest fight of his life.  It was a fantastic experience to see my work presented in such a professional and yet inclusive environment, with the relaxed audience being so receptive and responsive, laughing heartily throughout and reacting with genuine warmth to the film’s unexpectedly uplifting conclusion.

 

Ending the proceedings was a Q&A session with myself and some of the actors which proved to be a great opportunity to give a few insights into the production and creative process behind the film, as well as to hear feedback from the audience who were very quick to put forward their universally positive comments and insightful questions.

Such was the feeling of good humour and playfulness in the room that the Q&A even featured an impromptu boxing lesson from one of the stars of the film (a real-life boxing trainer), much to everyone’s enjoyment.  Without wishing to sound like a gushing voiceover on a TV advert for Disneyland, it truly was a magical evening.

One serious point that I felt obliged to make during the Q&A was that without BUFF none of the audience would have been able to sit there and enjoy my film, just as I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of being able to show it in such fantastic surroundings.  The festival is all about celebrating films and filmmakers and it is only natural for an audience to focus on what they are seeing on screen – but it is equally, if not more important to remember that none of us would be experiencing these wonderful films if it wasn’t for the festival and its generous organisers’ hard work behind the scenes.

To me, this is an equally poignant thought not only due to how much we owe to people such as Emmanuel and those behind BUFF for selflessly dedicating so much time and effort to such a worthy endeavour, but also because of the sad fact that if they didn’t do what they do, nobody else would.  Outside of festivals like BUFF there simply isn’t a platform or arena supporting public screenings of the sort of films that really should be available to everyone but simply are not – and that’s a fairly sobering thought.

The latest Hollywood blockbuster plays in every cinema, on every internet streaming site, you can buy it at your supermarket and, soon enough, watch it on broadcast television.  But most of the films that BUFF shows – well, miss them and you may never get another chance to catch them again.  And if perhaps you are indeed lucky enough to, it certainly won’t be in as friendly and stimulating company, or such exceptional and historic circumstances; by definition, a premiere can of course only occur just one time.

I began this blog by saying that before I made a film myself I had no experience of film festivals.  If I had only known what I was missing then I would’ve done something about that poor state of affairs – so I now feel that it is my duty to let other people know what they are missing, and I hope you will do the same. 

A huge section of the public, and especially young people, who could be getting a great amount of enjoyment and inspiration from seeing these personal stories, these pieces of art, these exciting adventures, are not doing so, simply because they aren’t aware that film festivals exist, or have a sadly misconstrued opinion of what they involve.  And no one is going to make an effort to inform them otherwise, besides film festival organisers and those, such as yourselves, who have already discovered this unfortunately often neglected world.

 

So if you attended BUFF this year then tell someone about it - not just on Facebook or Twitter, but face to face.  Tell them how much you enjoyed it.  Tell as many people as you can.  And tell them they should come along themselves next year, because if they don’t they'll be missing out on being included in something unique and momentous and very special.  We, the audience, should be the ones promoting these festivals and their films – not the festival organisers or filmmakers. 

And if you saw one film this year then next year go see two.  Or three.  Or do what I did and just watch them all – after all, you never know when you might have another opportunity to see them again in the future.  Chances are, quite possibly never.

(c) Adriel Leff

Images courtesy of David Bevan Photography, Yvonne Philip (@Impact10TV), Way Out Films, BUFF Enterprises.  

Follow the conversation online via @buffenterprises #buffblog #jilalitime

24 hours to go and counting... #BUFF2013 (sponsored by Jilali Argan Oil UK)

 

 

WATCH COUNTDOWN TO BUFF 2013 (sponsored by Jilali Argan Oil UK) TONIGHT AT 9PM, SKY CHANNEL 539 / VIRGIN CHANNEL 233

 

 

 

The British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) is back for 2013! From the opening event at Channel 4's London headquarters (tomorrow) through to its fourth day on Sunday at Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel, BUFF will be bringing you the very best in urban filmmaking from across the UK. A distinguished collection of names from the worlds of independent film, television and theatre will feature as part of what is shaping up to be an electric four-day line up!

Once again, Community Channel is proud to be a partner of the British Urban Film Festival and will bring you a superb night previewing the start of BUFF 2013. It will be packed full of films and features to get you in the mood, kicking off with a Preview Show that takes you behind the scenes and hears from the talent involved.

For more information, festival schedule and exclusive content, visit: www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk

Find BUFF on Facebook and Twitter

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BUFF 2013 Night - Wednesday 4 September

COUNTDOWN TO BUFF 2013
21:00
A special preview show counting down to the start of BUFF 2013 on Thursday 5 September. Join Kyla Frye, Lyrical Healer and Shereen Miranda as we feature a range of fantastic interviews with some of this year's British Urban Film Festival headline makers. We'll also bring you some special features as part of this one-hour programme, including a guest appearance from actor Riz Ahmed!
More Details: britishurbanfilmfestival.blogspot.co.uk

ONE MILE AWAY Dir: Penny Woolcock
22:00
In this award-winning documentary from filmmaker Penny Woolcock, we follow the attempts of two warring gangs - the Burger Bar Boys (B21) and the Johnson Crew (B6) - to bring peace to their neighbourhoods in inner city Birmingham. This film will demonstrate how film and the determination of ordinary people can help to transform even the most entrenched of social problems in modern Britain.
More Details: www.channel4.com

DRINK, DRUGS AND KFC Dir: Aml Ameen
23:50 - Watch On Demand
Drink, Drugs and KFC is the directorial debut of The Bill and Harry's Law star Aml Ameen, exploring the dynamics of the friendships between a group of young boys growing up in London. Comical, yet heart-warming at the same time, we see Nathan and friends Max, Derek and Skipper head to an under-18 rave - the cue for drama, jokes and fights all in the name of teenage bravado and hopes.
More Details: www.imdb.com

THE HEALER IN ME Dir: Winsome Duncan
00:30 - Watch On Demand
Lyrical Healer explores the vast underground music and poetry scene, tapping into a world of entertainment where new artists remain hungry as talent continues to go unrecognised. The Healer in Me follows Lyrical’s musical journey that has led to collaborations with composer Andrew Campling and Chicago jazz singer Natalie Oliveri and shares Lyrical's thoughts on what it takes to be in the music industry.
More Details: www.lyricalhealer.co.uk

Follow the conversation online with @JArganOilUK @buffenterprises #BUFF2013 #JILALITIME

2013 British Urban Film Festival programme is released (05/08/13)

Today #BUFF2013 can officially reveal the line-up of films, presenters and fixtures confirmed for the 2013 British Urban Film Festival. Among the line-up are distinguished names from the worlds of independent film, television and theatre.

#BUFF2013 will have a panel of experts offering opinion and debate as part of ‘Distribution D-Day’ - the opening event of the festival - from Channel 4 headquarters in Westminster on Thursday 5 September. Enrico Tessarin (co-producer of ‘The Knot’) will be joined by fellow movie producers Alan Mcqueen & Dean Fisher, film festival agent Rebekah Louisa Smith, sales agents David Cornwall & Sarah Chammartin, entertainment lawyer Tobi Olujunmi, Nadia Denton from BUFF, and Sarah Chorley from Shooting People – all qualified to give the best insight to delegates on the subject of distribution. Joining the panel as guest filmmakers will be the brothers Naeem and Ash Mahmood who will be introducing a presentation on their forthcoming UK movie ‘Brash Young Turks’.

The 2nd event on day 1 is an encore screening of ‘The Key’ presented by actress Kyla Frye who will be joined by a panel of guests including Jimmy Akingbola from BBC’s ‘Holby City’ as they discuss what the key is to succeed in business and entertainment.

The actress Shereen Miranda will introduce the final event on day 1 at Channel 4 headquarters featuring the live performances of 3 scripts selected by BUFF as part of this year’s inaugural scriptwriting competition.  The scripts to be performed will be ‘Face Up’ written by Yvonne Ossei, ‘Lost in Mozart’ by Jeff Nottingham and ‘The Office’ by Donna Marie Dowe. 

All events being held at Channel 4 are free to attend and can be booked here:

http://buff2013.eventbrite.co.uk/      

On Friday 6 September, Metro film editor Larushka Ivan-Zadeh will host the live Q&A for the opening night gala movie from Odeon West End in Leicester Square – the International premiere of ‘Calloused Hands’ starring Andre Royo from HBO’s ‘The Wire’. Based on the true story of its writer/director Jesse Quinones, Calloused Hands is about a 12-year-old mixed race boy from Miami (Luca Oriel) with aspirations to be a baseball player. He is abused by his mother's boyfriend Byrd (played by Royo), and neglected by his mother Debbie (Daisy Haggard). He manages to forge his own path in life when his long-lost grandfather Solomon (Hans Howes) insists he study for his Bar Mitzvah.  

Actor and filmmaker Aml Ameen will also play a part in the opening night coverage with the UK premiere of his latest short film ‘Hoorah’ in which he stars and directs.

You can watch both films on Friday 6 September for £11.95 (+ booking fee) available from Odeon West End box office 

http://www.odeon.co.uk/films/british_urban_film_festival_2013_opening_gala/14732/  
 

  

Other BUFF 2013 screenings (to be shown on Saturday 7 September at Oxford House in Bethnal Green) include UK gangster movie ‘Latvia' 

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/236308 

plus the prestigious BUFF shorts UK showcase and the preview screening of ‘Quality Control’ (an interactive music television showcase). Join entertainment journalist Akosua Annobil, the ‘Quality’ man and live performances from some of the featured artists.  

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/234950

The BUFF shorts to be shown will be Driftwood, Pretty Bitch, Don’t let the door hit you on your way out, Cha Cha Cha, Love Prevails, The other side of the wall, 2008, Notes, Been a riot, Glimpse & Ambition to live. 

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/234951

Film journalist Jessica Mellor will host the live Q&A for ‘The Man Inside’ – directed by Dan Turner (also on Saturday 7 September) starring Ashley ‘Bashy’ Thomas, David Harewood, Ray Panthaki, Michelle Ryan and Peter Mullan.

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/234944

Day 4 of the festival (to be shown on Sunday 8 September at Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel) starts with ‘The Fade’ – a feature length documentary from the producer of award-winning film ‘David is Dying’ (Andy Mundy-Castle). 

The penultimate screening on Day 4 is BUFF’s 1^st world premiere – the screening of ‘Traveller’ starring musician and actor David Essex OBE, Billy Cook (son of David Essex) and Jason Maza (‘Victim’/‘The Knot’). Join Film journalist Jessica Mellor for full coverage including the live Q&A.  

#BUFF2013 closes at the same venue with the UK premiere of the award-winning mockumentary ‘Bloody Lip’ directed by Adriel Leff and starring Patrick Koupland. Join writer and actress Anjela Lauren Smith for the final live Q&A of the festival. 

You can watch any film on Saturday 7 September and Sunday 8 September for £10 (+ booking fee) available from Oxford House box office and Genesis box office respectively.

 http://www.genesiscinema.co.uk/comingsoon.php 

Alongside the festival (sponsored by Jilali Argan Oil), BUFF will screen a special preview show on Community Channel presented by Kyla Frye, Winsome Duncan & Shereen Miranda. Broadcast on the eve of the festival, the programme will have key interviews with some of the headline makers + special features including a guest appearance from actor Riz Ahmed. Also showing as part BUFF’s on-air coverage will be the documentary ‘One Mile Away’ (directed by Penny Woolcock).

www.communitychannel.org  

 

The BUFF shorts to be shown online on Monday 9 September will be Love Nest, Reckless, The Ting & Sea Change. Also to be shown online (free for a day) is the movie Woolwich Boys.

www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk   

#FF @buffenterprises & @JArganOilUK on Twitter for daily updates on the festival coverage

The schedule (sponsored by Jilali Argan Oil):

#BUFF2013 presents… “Countdown to BUFF 2013”

Presented by Kyla Frye, Winsome Duncan & Shereen Miranda

4 Sept/9.00pm/Community Channel (Sky 539/Virgin 233) Also available on BBC i-player, Youview & BT Vision.

Dir: Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe/Dayo Balogun (60mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “One Mile Away”

4 Sept/10.00pm/Community Channel (Sky 539/Virgin 233)

Penny Woolcock's award-winning documentary charts the attempts by two warring gangs, the Burger Bar Boys (B21) and the Johnson Crew (B6), to bring peace to their neighbourhoods in inner city Birmingham. It follows Penny Woolcock's hip hop musical 1 Day, which was partly informed by these postcode wars.

Dir: Penny Woolcock (91 mins)

4 Sept/11:50pm/Community Channel (Sky 539/Virgin 233)       

#BUFF2013 presents… “Drink, Drugs & KFC” (REPEAT)

Dir: Aml Ameen (27 mins)

5 Sept/00:30am/Community Channel (Sky 539/Virgin 233)

#BUFF2013 presents… “The Healer in Me” (REPEAT)

Dir: Winsome Duncan/Josh Horwood (20 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Distribution D-Day”

Tickets: FREE (chaired by Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe & guests)

5 Sept/2.00pm/Channel 4 HQ/90 mins

#BUFF2013 presents… “The Key”

Tickets: FREE (including live Q&A with Kyla Frye & guests)

5 Sept/4.00pm/Channel 4 HQ/90 mins

#BUFF2013 presents… “The BUFF Live Script Readings”

Tickets: FREE (including live Q&A with Shereen Miranda & guests)

5 Sept/7.00pm/Channel 4 HQ/2 hours

#BUFF2013 presents… “Hoorah” (UK PREMIERE)

Tickets: £11.95

(including ‘Calloused Hands’/INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE + live Q&A with Larushka Ivan-Zadeh and special guests)

6 Sept/7.30pm/Odeon West End

The opening night gala for BUFF 2013 kicks off with the UK premiere of short film ‘Hoorah’ directed by and starring Aml Ameen (featuring soon in ‘The Butler’). Hoorah is about a discharged military veteran who discovers his wife and best friend murdered when he arrives home. Panicked and surprised, he calls the police, then begins to investigate the scene for clues.  As he scans the scene he notices certain objects that look all too familiar. He then discovers a semi-automatic handgun sitting directly across from the lifeless bodies.  The horrific events that took place begin to unfold.

Dir: Aml Ameen (USA/15 mins)

followed by “Calloused Hands” - Dir: Jesse Quinones (USA/100 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “The Man Inside”

Tickets: £10 (including live Q&A with Jessica Mellor, Dan Turner & guests)

7 Sept/1.30pm/Oxford House

Clayton Murdoch (played by Ashley ‘Bashy’ Thomas) carries a terrible darkness inside him. As a boy he was exposed, by his father (played by David Harewood), to murder and gang culture, With his father now in prison, Clayton struggles to overcome what he was groomed to become, in a city where every day there is a constant threat of violence and death. Clayton channels his aggression into boxing. Controlled, powerful, contained. However, when the violence starts to destroy his own family, Clayton loses control, and the darkness within him is unleashed. And now, to get the revenge against those who have taken his loved ones, he must ask the one man he fears the most for help, his father. With everything around him falling apart and the full shocking fury in him let loose, Clayton must look death in the face and find out who is the man inside. Also starring Peter Mullan, Ray Panthaki, Michelle Ryan, and Jason Maza.

Dir: Dan Turner (UK/99 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Latvia”

Tickets: £10 (including live Q&A with Shereen Miranda & guests)

7 Sept/4.15pm/Oxford House

If you're looking for a British urban film in its purest form, look no further than Latvia, a film which pulls no punches and is set against the backdrop of love and guns. Set in London, it's the story of two young men and the greed and violence that corrupts their childhood friendship. Starring Jack Miguel, Stephen Joseph, Daniel Fleurie, Martha Mackintosh and Tony Resta.

Dir: Barry Derbyshire (UK/84mins)

 

#BUFF2013 presents… “Quality Control” (UK PREMIERE)*

Tickets: £10 (including live Q&A with Akosua Annobil, & guests)

7 Sept/6.15pm/Oxford House

Quality Control is the fresh, innovative and daring music concept that is re-defining the parameters for music programming and allowing audiences to dictate who they want to see in this quality laden show. The culmination of nearly two years dogged determination, now sees the brand and movement that is Quality Control (now supported by The Arts Council) gain intense momentum within the industry and of course the public through their use of the exclusively designed mobile app that allows critical social interaction and creates a unique and alternative QC Music Chart. Produced by 4Front Media, Quality Control is set to be the next big thing in music entertainment programming whilst taking the Twittersphere and application world by storm!

Total running time: 90 mins

*Quality Control will also be shown at Channel 4 HQ on Thursday 5 September at 5.45pm. The Channel 4 screening is an invite-only event and is not available to the public.

#BUFF2013 presents… “BUFF Shorts UK”

Tickets: £10 (including live Q&A with Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe & guests)

7 Sept/8.15pm/Oxford House

Traditionally, one of the highlights in the British Urban Film Festival schedule, the UK’s most talented directors in short film come together to celebrate the pick of this year’s BUFF selections. Join festival director, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe for an evening of diversity in action.

The line-up:

Ambition To Live – Dir: Fraser Ayres

Cha Cha Cha – Dir: Ciara Ledward

Driftwood – Dir: James Webber

Pretty Bitch – Dir: Rebecca Coley

Don’t Let The Door Hit You On Your Way Out – Dir: Yannis Tsakiridis

Notes – Dir: Adam Linzey

The Other Side Of The Wall – Dir: Ryan Thompson

Love Prevails – Dir: Segilola Scott & Edith Nwekenta

Glimpse – Dir: Fraser Ayres

Been a Riot – Dir: Alfie Barker

2008 – Dir: Alfred Mante

Total Running Time: 2 hrs 45 mins

#BUFF2013 presents… “The Fade”

Tickets: £10 (including live Q&A with Akosua Annobil, Andy Mundy-Castle & guests)

7 Sept/3.00pm/Genesis

From the producer of award-winning ‘David is Dying’ comes ‘The Fade’: 4 barbers, 4 lives, 1 story... The Fade is an intimate portrait of four Afro barbers across the world over seven days. Set in Ghana, Jamaica, USA and the UK the observational documentary interweaves the stories of the barbers and examines the polarized opposites of the locations. The result is an international dialogue chronicling the colourful lives of four men who do the same thing in different time zones, with very different realities.

Dir: Andy Mundy-Castle (UK/76 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Traveller” (WORLD PREMIERE)

Tickets: £10 (including live Q&A with Jessica Mellor, David Essex OBE, Billy Cook and guests)

8 Sept/6.00pm/Genesis

With a cast list featuring Jason Maza, David Essex OBE and introducing Billy Cook (son of David Essex), the world premiere of ‘Traveller’ is a film from the heart which chronicles a year in the life of a half-breed Gypsy as he tries, against the odds, to adjust to the 21st century and leave his roots behind.

Dir: Benjamin Johns (UK/101 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Bloody Lip” (UK PREMIERE)

Tickets: £10 (including live Q&A with Anjela Lauren Smith, Adriel Leff & guests)

8 Sept/9.00pm/Genesis

‘Bloody Lip’ is the closing night film for BUFF 2013 - an award-winning comedy mockumentary from writer Adriel Leff making his directorial debut and tells the story of working class inner-city middling professional heavyweight boxer Patrick St George Junior (played by Patrick Koupland) who has just seven days to prepare for the fight of his life against childhood rival Liam O'Saink (played by Dominic Koupland) - a bout which, if triumphant, will result in Junior achieving his life's goal; bettering the win/loss record laid down by his domineering father Patrick St George Senior (played by Jon Mckenna) during his own short-lived boxing career. But with a fractious on-again-off-again relationship with his middle class girlfriend Bekka Green (played by Bekka Bowling) and a whole heap of pressure from Liam's menacing promoter Teddy Toddsworth (played by Dominic Mchale) thrown into the mix, what kind of a mental and physical state will Patrick Junior be in come fight night? Win or lose, one thing's for sure; by the end of the week, Patrick St George's life will never be the same again...

Dir: Adriel Leff (UK/52 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Love Nest” (ONLINE EXCLUSIVE)

9 Sept/8.00pm/britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk 

Dir: Mustafa Boga (UK/13 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Sea Change” (ONLINE EXCLUSIVE)

9 Sept/8.00pm/britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk

Dir: Marinella Setti (UK/24 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Reckless” (SEASON 2 – EPISODE 3)

9 Sept/8.00pm/britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk/ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Dir: Yvonne Phillip/Beau Baptist (UK/12 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents... "The Ting"
9 Sept/8.00pm/britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk
Dir: Jeremy Cole (UK/4 mins)

#BUFF2013 presents… “Woolwich Boys” (ONLINE EXCLUSIVE)

9 Sept/8.00pm/britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk  

Dir: Anthony Abuah (UK/88 mins)

All listings are correct at time of going to press (14/08/2013) and subject to change. 
All films carry a 12A certificate. 

Press contacts: pressoffice@buffenterprises.co.uk  / info@buffenterprises.co.uk