Bristol Film Festival launches cult Screening Room series

Having bounced back into life after lockdown, Bristol Film Festival has just launched a new strand under the Screening Room banner. Making use of that regular Festival venue Avery’s Wine Cellar, this monthly series aims to focus attention on a diverse selection of cult gems that deserve a wider audience.

Each will be presented with an introduction explaining the reasons for its selection and, as usual with the Festival’s events at Avery’s, there’s an option to enjoy a pre-screening wine tasting and artisan cheeses.

The series launches on May 10 with the 1996 foodie flick classic, Big Night. This is the story of brothers Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (co-director Stanley Tucci) Pilaggi – a pair of Italian immigrants struggling to make a go of their New Jersey restaurant business, who try to drum up some trade with a much-hyped celebrity Big Night. Where this warm-hearted film really scores is in the complex dynamic between the two brothers, superbly played by Tucci and Shalhoub. Primo, the strict traditionalist chef, is virtually dysfunctional beyond the confines of the kitchen, while Secondo is a worldly philanderer who harbours a sneaking regard for the American Dream, but always defers to his brother in matters culinary. The story itself treads a predictable foodie flick path, with plenty of authentic shouting and gesticulation over the steaming repast, though the health-conscious may balk at the sight of this hot-headed duo chain-smoking in the kitchen.

Next up on June 14 is Jean-Jacques Beineix’s stylish arthouse thriller Diva, which was inescapable at Bristol’s arthouse cinemas throughout the 1980s. July 12 brings the dream collaboration between Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage: Bad Lieutenant – Port of Call: New Orleans (pictured above). Reworking the Abel Ferrara original as a typically Herzogian character study, the director eggs on his star to go fully unhinged. This includes memorably abusing a pair of old biddies, turning into a pretty convincing junkie asshole, and succumbing to a variety of hallucinations. Finally in the first run of screenings, there’s a timely outing for A Private War (August 9), with Rosamund Pike as veteran war correspondent Marie Colvin.

The Festival also continues its run of films with more mainstream appeal at Avery’s. Coming up are Much Ado About Nothing (April 29), Little Miss Sunshine (April 30), Passport to Pimlico (May 6), An American in Paris (June 17) and Four Weddings and a Funeral (June 18).

Elsewhere, the covid-thwarted Wes Anderson mini-festival originally planned for the Avon Gorge Hotel has been relocated to Bristol Improv Theatre and now takes place on Sunday 1 May. It’s an opportunity for an epic wallow in The French Dispatch, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom.

Finally, the Festival returns to the Planetarium for two themed blockbuster events. On May 27/28, there’s a Marvel superhero blowout cherry-picking Iron Man, Avengers Assemble, Captain Marvel and Black Panther. A Tom Cruise science fiction day follows on June 11 with Edge of Tomorrow and Minority Report.

For more information, and to book tickets, visit the Bristol Film Festival website.