Film producer Damian Jones joins board of British Urban Film Festival

With preparations for this year’s 10th anniversary already in full swing, organisers of the British Urban Film Festival have today announced the star signing of film producer Damian Jones to the board.

Jones is a BAFTA-winning producer and has produced over twenty feature films including Adulthood, The History Boys, Welcome to Sarajevo, Gridlock'd, Millions, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, The Iron Lady, Fast Girls, Powder Room and Belle. Jones is currently producing Dad's Army and The Lady In The Van, based on the play by Alan Bennett. He is the founder of DJ Films and was co-founder of Dragon Pictures and Mission Pictures.

Also joining the board with immediate effect is self-made entrepreneur Dr Clare Eluka, the award-winning founder of Premae Skincare. Premae houses the world's first 100% Allergen-free beauty brand and sponsored the 2014 British Urban Film Festival.

Damian and Clare will have a say on film and script selection in the lead up to the 2015 British Urban Film Festival in October and are the latest additions to a board which also includes film festival consultant Rebekah Louisa Smith (The Film Festival Doctor) and film marketing consultant Ross Bispham (Ignite Film Fans) who both joined in November 2014.
 

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, director of the British Urban Film Festival, said: “We’re both delighted and honoured to welcome Damian and Clare to our BUFF board. Over the years, the festival has worked with talent at the top of their game and with the unveiling of our new board members, they bring with them a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and energy. The festival was founded on the principle that the filmmaker’s interests lie at the heart of everything that we do. Our board will continue to ensure that this remains the case as we move into the next decade of urban film coverage”.

For more information about the BUFF board members – visit http://www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk/

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SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR BUFF 2015

Submissions are now open for BUFF 2015.

The 10th British Urban Film Festival has started it's search for films and scripts in earnest with the countdown to the 2015 British Urban Film Festival already in full swing.

Submission Guidelines:

Scripts:  must be no less than 20 pages and no more than 60.

Films must be no less than 3 minutes and no more than 120.

The early bird deadline for 2 submissions is 11.59pm, Friday 29th May 2015 (Fees are non-refundable at £59). Single submissions are also non-refundable at £59.

The final deadline for submissions is 5.00pm, Monday 29th June 2015

Submission fees for scripts and films will rise to £75 from Saturday 30 May 2015 onwards.

All forms of narrative style and all genres are accepted – the definition of an urban film… is down to you!

Payments can only be accepted via http://www.paypal.com using the email address: screeniq@yahoo.com

Films & trailers can only be submitted via private digital links to info@buffenterprises.co.uk

*DVD masters will be requested if submissions make the shortlist.

EPK’s must include 5 publicity stills (film submissions only), a synopsis and a cover letter with at least 1 social network point of contact

Scripts must be submitted via PDF to pressoffice@buffenterprises.co.uk

The BUFF mailbag awaits!


Watch the promo by clicking HERE

Landmark Mandela Documentary to Headline BUFF Africa Season Coverage in December

(from left to right: Leigh Odimah - The Africa Channel; Jason Bourque - Director, Music for Mandela;

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe - Director, BUFF Africa Season 2014; Ayshia Armani - The Africa Channel).

Akua Gyamfi, editor of The British Blacklist has been announced as the host of this year’s inaugural BUFF Africa Season – sponsored by The Africa Channel.

The season launches on The Africa Channel (Sky channel 209 and Virgin channel 289) on Friday 5 December with the UK television premiere of ‘Music for Mandela’ – a documentary which  highlights the influential role music played in the battle against apartheid in South Africa. Interviewees include BB King, Sean Paul, Estelle, classical singer Katherine Jenkins and Mandela’s  grandson, hip hop artist Bambatha Mandela with musical performances featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Soweto Gospel Choir.

BUFF Africa Season continues into Saturday 6 December with a weekend of film premieres, hosted by Ms Gyamfi. Screenings to be shown include ‘Maasai: 10th lost tribe of Israel’, ‘Africa Masters: Tanzania’ and top of the bill, the world premiere of ‘Mum Dad meet Sam’ starring Nollywood actor Joseph Benjamin and comedian Afolabi Dasaolu (a.k.a. “A-dot”).

Speaking ahead of the December launch, Miss Gyamfi said: "It's an absolute honour to be asked to host the first ever BUFF Africa Season. The British Blacklist is all about shining a spotlight on the overlooked talents within our community. It makes sense to support the celebration of talent coming out of the wider diaspora."

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, Director of The British Urban Film Festival said: "BUFF Africa Season is a great way to bring to a close our unrivalled coverage of film programming in 2014. Once again, we have something for everyone as we'll be bringing the best of African independent film to audiences online, on-air and in person".


*About BUFF Africa Season:*

Akua is the editor-in-chief of The British Blacklist – the UK’s first online directory of black/Africa-Caribbean film and broadcast media professionals. The website publishes breaking industry news online and has partnered coverage of BUFF’s events since March 2013.

BUFF Africa Season is the newest addition to BUFF’s annual portfolio of events headlined by the British Urban Film Festival which was launched in 2005 by founder Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe.

BUFF is the home of urban film coverage in the UK, using the mediums of cinema, television and the internet to reflect the changing cultural mass of the UK population.
Previous BUFF presenters include Wil Johnson, Zawe Ashton, Henry Bonsu, Jacqueline Shepherd, Lateef Lovejoy & Akosua Annobil.

Tickets for the world festival premiere of 'Mum, Dad, meet Sam' (Genesis Cinema) on Saturday 6 December are available via Eventbrite (only) by visiting: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mum-dad-meet-sam-world-premiere-tickets-14229377451

Tickets for the world festival premiere of 'Maasai: 10th Lost Tribe of Israel' (Oxford House, Bethnal Green) on Sunday 7 December are available via Eventbrite (only) by visiting: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/buff-africa-season-2014-maasai-10th-lost-tribe-of-israel-world-festival-premiere-tickets-12849590471

Tickets for the free screening of 'African Masters: Tanzania' (Oxford House, Bethnal Green) on Sunday 7 December are available via Eventbrite (only) by visiting:
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/buff-africa-season-2014-african-masters-tanzania-in-association-with-the-africa-channel-free-tickets-12849748945 

The Africa Channel is available to viewers across the UK and Ireland on Sky channel 209, and Virgin Media channel 289, 24 hours a day. The network is inspired by Africa and dedicated to providing bold, high-quality programming including news, current affairs, documentaries (e.g. Africa Business Weekly, Sisters in Law, It’s Africa’s Time, Mandela, Ghana Black Gold), entertainment (e.g. Mary Mary, Cooking with Siba, Nigerian Idol), music (e.g. Soundcheck at Momo’s), drama (e.g. Jacob’s Cross, Scandal, Tinsel), comedy (e.g. Desmond’s) and films (e.g. The Athlete, Sinking
Sands, Heart of Fire). This is both acquired programming and wholly owned productions, from or about Africa. For more, please visit:
www.theafricachannel.co.uk.


Ends

2014 British Urban Film Festival: Extra tickets released

Organisers at the British Urban Film Festival (supported by Channel 4) have announced a roster of 25 non-competitive films of which 5 feature-length titles will have their first UK screening during the festival, set to run from September 4-8.

The selections include Bill Siegel’s ‘The Trials of Muhammad Ali’ (Opening night gala), the World festival premiere of ‘Montana’ (Closing night gala) by Mo Ali, ‘Perceptions’ by Samuell Benta (6 September), David P. Campion’s ‘Woodfalls’ (5 September) and Adriel Leff’s ‘The Ballad of Johnny Windows’ (5 September).

Short film selections include ‘His New Hands’ (starring Andre Royo), 'Echo Road' (starring Jay Brown), 'Bucky' (directed by Danny John-Jules), 'The Initiative' (starring Gary Beadle) & ‘Valediction’ (starring the late James Avery).

Channel 4 will host a double header of events to open BUFF 2014 on 4 September with a day of free panel discussions and live script readings (supported by Film4).



BUFF BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

To buy tickets for The UK Gala Premiere of 'The Trials of Muhammad Ali' in London's Leicester Square on Thursday 4 September (£20 including afterparty) book here: http://www.princecharlescinema.com/indexreview.php?display=2791&date=2014:9:4&year=2014&month=9&day=4

To buy tickets for The UK Premiere of 'The Ballad of Johnny Windows' in London's Mile End Road on Friday 5 September (£12 including afterparty) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4465&vn=63&list=1

To buy tickets for The UK Premiere of 'Woodfalls' in London's Mile End Road on Friday 5 September (£12 including afterparty) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4466&vn=63&list=1

To buy tickets for 'City of God - 10 Years Later' in London's Mile End Road on Saturday 6 September (£12) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4467&vn=63&list=1

To buy tickets for The UK Premiere of 'Perceptions' in London's Mile End Road on Saturday 6 September (£12) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4468&vn=63&list=1

To buy tickets for The BUFF Shorts Showcase (supported by Channel 4) in London's Mile End Road on Saturday 6 September (£12 for 11 short films) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4469&vn=63&list=1

To buy tickets for 'Eva's Diamond' in London's Mile End Road on Sunday 7 September (£12) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4481&vn=63&list=1

To buy tickets for The East End Premiere of 'The Trials of Muhammad Ali' in London's Mile End Road on Sunday 7 September (£12) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4482&vn=63&list=1

To buy tickets for The World Festival Premiere of 'Montana' in London's Mile End Road on Sunday 7 September (£12 including afterpaarty) book here: http://boapp.ibooking.com/times.asp?pf=4470&vn=63&list=1


For more information on special guests, trailers and bonus films online online go to www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk

Channel 4 pick 'Driftwood' and 'Sunny Boy' to receive network TV premieres

The British Urban Film Festival can announce today that ‘Driftwood’ & ‘Sunny Boy’ have become the first festival selections to broadcast on network television as part of Channel 4’s short film strand The Shooting Gallery - showcasing brand new films from some of the UK’s best new film-making talent.

‘Driftwood’ (directed by James Webber) was shown as part of last year’s BUFF shorts UK showcase at Oxford House in London’s Bethnal Green. It also went onto make the BAFTA longlist. The film will be broadcast tonight (Monday 25 August) at 11.55pm.

‘Sunny Boy’ (directed by Jane Sanchez-Gull) was also shown at Oxford House as part of the 2012 British Urban Film Festival. It also picked up a special jury award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film will be broadcast tonight as part of a double-header also on Monday 25 August at 11.55pm.

The Shooting Gallery provides the hottest new talent with a mainstream TV platform known for creative risk-taking. 2013 saw Channel 4 broadcast more short films across its schedule than ever before, with over 300 films featured through the Random Acts strand alone.

The Shooting Gallery was commissioned by Susie Wright, Media Project Manager, Channel 4.
Susie said: “The Shooting Gallery epitomises Channel 4’s passion for supporting and nurturing new talent. It’s a unique opportunity in broadcast for film-makers at the beginning of their career to have their work shown to a wide audience. It’s also an opportunity for the audience to have a first glimpse at the work of some of the UK’s most promising film-making talent, across the genres. The hope is that these names will become more and more recognisable in the future.”

Commenting on the announcement, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, director of the British Urban Film Festival, said: “I am thrilled that BUFF continues to put independent filmmakers first as a result of our content offering. For audiences who haven’t previously sampled our films at the festival, our arrangement with Channel 4 is the next best thing. We’re delighted for James & Jane who both join a select list of filmmakers who first made their mark on Shooting Gallery including Shane Meadows and Andrea Arnold. I have every confidence that they won’t be the last.”

Future episodes are set to include films curated by partnership organisations of which the British Urban Film Festival is one of several.

Notes to editors:
For all press queries please contact the British Urban Film Festival team at teambuff@outlook.com
Follow the festival on Twitter via the handle @buffenterprises or you can follow @C4ShootingGall @GullJane @FingercuffJIM for further updates

Seconds Out for the British Urban Film festival Premiere of 'The Trials of Muhammad Ali'

The British Urban Film Festival has scored a major coup in its coverage of the event after securing the UK festival rights to screen the premiere of critically-acclaimed documentary 'The Trials of Muhammad Ali' in the opening weekend of September.


Outspoken and passionate in his beliefs, #TrialsOfAli examines how one of the most celebrated sports champions of the 20th century risked his fame and fortune to follow his faith and conscience as he found himself at the centre of America's controversies over race, religion, and war.

#BUFF2014, supported by Channel 4, will premiere "The Trials of Muhammad Ali" in London's Leicester Square on Thursday 4 September (hosted by Sky Sports boxing pundit & promoter Spencer Fearon). The film will also be screened in London's East End on Sunday 7 September - the first film to screen twice at the event since the UK premiere of the award-winning 'David is Dying' in 2011. 

#TrialsOfAli is one of several showpiece premieres which will be screened in Central London from the 4th to the 7th of September, with the full line-up to be announced at a press conference at Channel 4 Headquarters at the end of July.

The 2013 festival (hosted last year by actress Zawe Ashton) showcased 27 features and shorts in both fiction and documentary with more than 40 filmmakers and scriptwriters in attendance including David Essex and Andre Royo.

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, director of the British Urban Film Festival, said he was thrilled to be promoting one of the biggest film events in the UK this year. "Today's announcement is a big boost to all fans of cinema in the UK and will give people a reason to come to our festival. We will attract thousands of film fans to BUFF over the coming months - assuring those who want to catch all the action that the British Urban Film Festival will be far more accessible and affordable compared to other film festivals."

Tickets go on sale from Saturday 26 July.


Watch the BUFF promo here:  

2014 British Urban Film Festival (The Trials of Muhammad Ali) UK Gala Premiere - Promo

For all press queries please contact the British Urban Film Festival team at teambuff@outlook.com  

Follow the festival on Twitter via the handle @buffenterprises or visit the official website: http://www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk

British Urban Film Festival signs new rights deals through to 2017

The home of urban film coverage in the UK will continue to host its flagship event under a new rights deal which takes effect from July 2014 with the UK premiere of 'Music for Mandela' – marking the festival's return to free screenings for at least one day per year. BUFF will also screen 1 film season per year online, on-air and in cinemas having successfully launched the Spring Season in April 2013. The next season is scheduled for December 2014 with the launch of BUFF Africa Season in association with The Africa Channel UK.

Today's announcement comes after months of negotiations with Channel 4 who have agreed to host free festival events for the second year running with an option also to screen festival content on its main network. 'Music for Mandela' explores the role music played in the remarkable life of one of the greatest icons of all time. The effects of this relationship continue to ripple through the poorest South African townships as well as the world stage. From Nelson Mandela singing at his own prison concert to the present day celebrations of his legacy, the music born out of his inspirational journey is commented on by his closest friends and family, former exiled musicians, current international artists (including BB King, Sean Paul, Estelle, and Welsh opera star Katherine Jenkins) and community volunteers who use music today to motivate and educate. The documentary also explores what music means to all South Africans and how it became both a unifying force and weapon against apartheid.

The broadcaster Jacqueline Shepherd will present coverage of the summer screening with director Jason Bourque in attendance. Tickets will only be available from the British Urban Film Festival website.

"No other festival delivers films the way we do," said founder and director of the British Urban Film Festival, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe.

"Today's agreement underscores BUFF's unique commitment to urban independent cinema that no other festival has."

Although this year's line-up has yet to be announced, the festival was eager to lock in a new long-term rights deal as it gears up to mark its 10th anniversary of urban film coverage in 2015. Increasing the number of screening events and keeping some of them free will also buy the festival some goodwill with audiences and sponsors who organisers hope will continue to take up BUFF's content offering.

The 2013 festival generated audiences of 1400 across 4 venues, showing 27 features and shorts in both fiction and documentary with more than 40 filmmakers and scriptwriters attending to showcase their work.


Watch the trailer for 'Music for Mandela' here: http://youtu.be/oWjhMiuD3iA