borderlinesfilmfestival.org #borderlines2021 2 PROGRAMMERS’ PICKS www.borderlinesfilmfestival.org 3 A film festival is something to experience together, HOW TO NAVIGATE THE ONLINE FESTIVAL even when apart. Explore, enjoy and share. Read up about the films here or via Strange times. The first Covid- We continue to bring the festival borderlinesfilmfestival.org 19 lockdown coincided almost programme to you, not just in the Buy Virtual Admissions or Passes (save money) exactly with the close of our 2020 rural Marches but anywhere in the Study the Schedule and plan your viewing festival. Borderlines has always UK, to stream in the comfort of home Test your viewing set-up – check the FAQs via our website committed to making the best through our new screening platform. Watch the film and rate it – for Audience Awards films accessible to people in places Send us your images of how you view at home that are hard to reach. 2021 is [email protected] different, but not that different. Tell us what you think #borderlines2021 PROGRAMMERS JONNY COURTNEY AND ISABEL MOIR REVEAL THEIR FESTIVAL PICKS FIRST COW p12 MINARI p20 MOVING ON p22 SURGE p28 Celebrated director Kelly Reichardt continues to It’s easy to see why this story of a Korean family An intimate portrait of three generations living Ben Whishaw gives an emotional and at times reinvent the western genre with a tender tale who set up a farm in rural Arkansas has won under one roof offers a gentle observation of terrifying performance in acclaimed director of human connection and friendship that pays festival prizes. Tender and joyous with superb a modern-day family threatened by everyday Aneil Karia’s feature debut. A stripped back tribute to those living on the margins of society. performances, it is sure to break your hearts. hardship and daunting uncertainty. and extremely tense thriller set over 24 hours. THE FATHER p31 THE INVISIBLE LIFE THE SHEPHERDESS AND ZANA p43 Anthony Hopkins gives a superb performance OF EURÍDICE GUSMÃO p32 THE SEVEN SONGS p35 Haunted by her suppressed past, a Kosovar as a man suffering from dementia. This gripping Melodrama about two sisters painfully forced to Based on folk songs, a visually striking tale woman seeks infertility treatment from drama plays out like a thriller as twists and turns live separate lives in 1950s Rio de Janeiro. A about Laila, a fierce young shepherdess, set mystical healers. Powerful imagery evokes place us inside his nightmarish world. portrait of a vibrant city and a repressive society. against the backdrop of the Kashmir conflict. her legacy of wartime brutality. 4 HOW TO BUY www.borderlinesfilmfestival.org 5 Book online via Y WELCOME TO THE BU borderlinesfilmfestival.org W TO 19TH BORDERLINES HO We offer a range of pricing for audiences to stream films from our Eventive online FILM FESTIVAL! viewing platform. VIRTUAL ADMISSION PRICES Borderlines will be an The Festival would not be possible Standard / single film: £8 online only film festival in without the continued support of Concession*/ single film: £6 our funders: the BFI awarding funds 2021, a first for the team. from the National Lottery, The Elmley FESTIVAL PASS/5 FILMS: While we will miss the sociability and Foundation, Film Hub Midlands through £35 Standard / £20 Concession* interaction that the Festival normally funds from the National Lottery and Hereford City Council. Our sponsors, new FESTIVAL PASS/10 FILMS: brings, drawing audiences across and returning, are an important element £70 Standard / £40 Concession* Herefordshire, Shropshire, Malvern and the Welsh borders together to enjoy a in delivering the Festival and we ask * Alone at home? You qualify for concession rates! feast of the best independent cinema from you to support them where you can. Concessions: 16–30 year-olds, Covid impacted/unemployed, across the world, we are looking forward Enjoy the Festival and spread the word! those living on their own, single parents, and people living solely to widening our reach to audiences from on the state pension across the UK. So, if you like Borderlines, please make sure to pass the word to your Naomi Vera-Sanso Festival Director FUNDERS family and friends further afield so that they too can take part this year online. PROGRAMMERS’ CO-SPONSOR PROGRAMME PARTNER PICKS 02 HOW TO BUY 04 WELCOME 05 FESTIVAL TEAM BOARD MEMBERS HOW TO DO THE Naomi Vera-Sanso Jo Comino John Banks, Mo Burns, FESTIVAL 06 “easily rural UK’s (Festival Director) (Marketing Manager/Press) Anne Cottringer, Richard Heatly (Chair), Jonny Courtney Alison Chapman Joanna Henshaw, Jane Jackson, 2021 PROGRAMME 07 most impressive (Film Programmer) (Press Assistant) Rachel Lambert, Paul Murray, Adrian Rhead, Simon Scott Isabel Moir Carole-Anna Quinto A-Z FILM LISTINGS 08 film festival” (Film Programmer) (Festival Co-ordinator) FESTIVAL PATRONS THE INDEPENDENT Chris Menges SUSTAINABILITY 44 A big thank you to Gaz Bailey of Abertoir Horror Festival for his invaluable advice and to our regular venues for their support. Francine Stock SCHEDULE 46 Design: elfen.co.uk 6 HOW TO DO THE FESTIVAL www.borderlinesfilmfestival.org 7 Andie Jordan's How I Watch HOW TO DO PROGRAMMERS THE FESTIVAL JONNY COURTNEY AND ISABEL MOIR ROUND UP THE 2021 FESTIVAL THE WAY IT WORKS Each film has a set start time on a given date, and will be available for either 48, CHECK YOUR VIEWING SET-UP Borderlines 2021 is a virtual With 32 previews, 2 brand new releases 72 or 96 hours from that start time. and post-screening Q&As with directors Even though you can’t watch the festival. It gives us much wider and talent, there’s once again a huge You can either get the full Festival festival films on a big screen, we reach than usual and it’s been experience by watching to schedule, want you to have the best viewing a unique challenge to us as variety to experience here, from Anthony Hopkins’ acting tour de force in The along with others, or choose a time experience possible on our new programmers to curate a festival within that watch window to suit yourself. Eventive screening platform. Father, its first British festival showing, that represents the traditional through to the beautifully intimate Korean Once you start watching, you’ll have Borderlines audience whilst also 24 hours to complete your viewing. drama Moving On (previewing exclusively appealing to a wider demographic in the UK at Borderlines). We bring you Watch alongside friends and family across the UK and Northern films from across Africa – You Will Die at the same time, even if not in the Ireland who will have access to at Twenty, Eyimofe (This is My Desire) same place. Our streaming platform You can use a Roku stick or Apple the festival for the first time. and W.I.T.C.H - alongside American films enables you to gift a Virtual Admission TV (generation 4 or above), to adored by critics and festival audiences to a person of your choice. access the Eventive TV app. alike, such as Sundance-winner Minari and Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow. There will be intros that preserve If you have a smart TV enabled with some of the flavour of this rural film AirPlay or Chromecast, you can set your Veins of the World, Black Milk, The Salt in festival and Q&As with filmmakers to computer, mobile device or browser to Our Waters and The Shepherdess and the participate in, as well as free events ‘AirPlay’ or ‘cast’ to the TV device. Seven Songs offer windows into another way of living that are sure to appeal hugely and short film screenings to enjoy. You can also directly connect a laptop to regular Borderlines attendees, whilst or computer using an HDMI cable. Please note that most screenings have documentaries like Gunda, Stray and The We’ve made a How-To video that you The F-Rating is awarded to films a cap on viewing numbers so make Reason I Jump highlight contemporary can find on our YouTube channel. sure that you book in advance for 1. directed by a woman issues in new and inventive ways. the films you don’t want to miss. 2. and/or written by a woman The Eventive platform has extensive There’s so much more to explore and we If the film also features significant women on and user-friendly support in case you screen it is TRIPLE F-Rated. It’s designed to hope these films offer you the escape experience any technical issues, and you’ll support and promote women and redress the you’ve missed this past year. Programming find our Test your Device Compatibility or imbalance in the film industry. a film festival is a privilege, especially Visit our FAQs pages helpful. Please don’t Look out for the F-Rating stamp in the at the moment, and we feel both hesitate to contact us with any queries. A-Z film listings. fortunate and excited to bring such a wealth of films to you once more; albeit, Do take time to set up your Eventive in the comfort of your own homes. account well before the start of the Please note, as most of the films in the programme Festival and test out your equipment are previews, all certificates with the exception of using the free Test Film on our site. Ammonite are discretionary. Jonny Courtney & Isabel Moir Independent Cinema Office 8 A-Z FILMS www.borderlinesfilmfestival.org 9 subtitles DIRECTOR: DIRECTOR: 180 RULE (15) Farnoosh Samadi AMMONITE (15) Francis Lee ˚ STARRING: Sahar Dolatshahi, Pejman STARRING: 20:30 / 30 MAR > 1 APR Jamshidi, Azita Haji 18:00 / 27 MAR > 29 MAR Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, James McArdle IRAN, 2020, 1 HOUR 23 MINUTES UK/US/AUSTRALIA, 2020, 1 HOUR 57 MINUTES A debut feature by Iranian filmmaker Preview courtesy of Pluto Film Francis Lee’s (God’s Own Country) fictional “…combining these alpha Farnoosh Samadi underlies grief with a account of the life of 19th century palaeontologist players [Winslet and Ronan] heart-stopping moral conundrum.