Students set for role in film festival

The 16^th edition of the annual festival, which runs in partnership with the University of Brighton, takes place across Brighton and Hove as well as Lewes, Worthing and Eastbourne from 9 to 25 November 2018.

Tickets are on sale now, with all screenings at Duke of York’s Picturehouse and Duke’s At Komedia only £5 for under 25s.

University of Brighton student volunteers will help out with audience feedback forms at screenings and distribution of programmes.

The line-up features premieres, previews, treasures from the archive, live soundtracks, talks and special events. A number of hotly anticipated films will be screened ahead of their general UK release.

The Favourite with Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone and Olivia Coleman

Sorry to Bother You with LaKeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson

CINECITY gets underway on Friday 9 November 2018 at Duke of York’s Picturehouse with a special preview of The Favourite, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer). His latest movie stars Emma Stone, Olivia Coleman and Rachel Weisz and goes on general UK release on 1 January 2019.

The festival’s closing gala, held on Saturday 24 November 2018 at Duke of York’s, is the eagerly-awaited Sorry to Bother You, a satire starring LaKeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson and written and directed by rapper Boots Riley.

The last film of the programme is Blue Live, a special one-off event to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of Derek Jarman’s landmark film with a live soundtrack performed by Simon Fisher Turner and narration by poet and musician Black Sifichi. This takes place at Duke of York’s on Sunday 25 November 2018.

Other highlights include the Adventures in World Cinema sub-section, which features this year’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner Shoplifters – the latest film from Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda – and Beautiful Boy, the new release from Call Me By Your Name director Timothee Chalamet starring Steve Carrell as a father trying to cope with his son’s addiction.

The extensive Best of British programme includes the seventh feature film by Brighton resident and CINECITY patron Ben Wheatley – Happy New Year, Colin Burstead – which will be followed by a Q+A.

The festival is also showing a series of short movies made by filmmakers across the south east region. The scheme, entitled CINECITY Open, is curated by Film Hub South East, who are working with BFI Network to support new filmmakers in their careers and projects.

The CINECITY programme also entails live soundtrack events, restorations, Q+As and panels, and ‘Screen Talks’ – a series of discussions focusing on women working across film in production, journalism and programming.

You can view the full CINECITY schedule online.

CINECITY is made possible by BFI’s Film Audience Network with the support of The National Lottery. Patrons of the festival include Nick Cave, Barry Adamson, Ben Wheatley, Paddy Considine, Steve Coogan and Henry Normal.