There is good news and bad news for fans of award winning independent cinema in the Blackpool area. The good news is that following support from Film Hub North West Central the sparky bunch at Aunty Social have arranged a season of screenings at Stanley Park Visitor Centre. The bad news is if you didn’t know about this already is the first film in the July-September season has been and gone. But don’t despair, there are still five other events to get yourself to.
On 4 August at 7pm the LGBT drama Tangerine (Certificate 15) is showing at 7pm. Tangerine is a non-stop, vibrant and fierce trip into the Los Angeles street scene, exploring the Trans culture with empathy. As Geoffrey McNab said in The Independent “Tangerine is a bit of a marvel, a low-budget film reportedly shot entirely on the iPhone5 but one which combines extraordinary visual inventiveness, humour and pathos“.
Next up on 18 August at 6.30pm is Tale of Tales (15), a sumptuous fantasy based on classic 17th century fairy tales that subsequently inspired Hans Christian Anderson. Observer and BBC critic Mark Kermode called this film “A timeless portrayal of the bonds of sisterly love, a theme amplified by both the defiance and pathos of Shirley Henderson’s wonderful performance“.
On 1 September there is a double bill from 7pm. This commences with the short film Life Is Beautiful (U Certificate), this production is in Polish and directed by Blackpool based Anna Paprzycka. The main feature is Wrony (Crows) (15); a neglected young girl kidnaps a toddler and takes her to the beach. She soon discovers just how hard being a parent is. Reviewing in The Guardian Peter Bradshaw said “the overwhelming impression is one of loneliness, sadness and suppressed fear: this is a strange, small, flawed gem.“
On 11 September Power In Our Hands (PG) explores the secret history and heritage of the Deaf community in the UK. This film is in British Sign Language with English subtitles. It is a ground breaking documentary on the Deaf community’s fight for civil rights and the right to be heard. This is an afternoon tea screening at 3.30pm.
Finally on 29 September another 3.30pm screening features Anomalisa (15), winner of the 2015 Venice Grand Jury Prize. The plot of this film revolves round a man struggling with his inability to connect with other people. The critics consensus per the Rotten Tomatoes website is that Anomalisa marks another brilliant and utterly distinctive highlight in Charlie Kaufman’s filmography, and a thought-provoking treat for fans of introspective cinema.
And if you want to know what you’ve missed – on 14th July the Turkish language film Mustang was shown. Mustang was nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign language film category.
Aunty Social’s Pop-Up Picture House aims to screen films that would otherwise not visit Blackpool; new independent releases as well as older titles that people will not have had the chance to see locally, all screened in the brand new, permanent venue of Stanley Park Visitor Centre.
With a season co-curated with local Blackpool volunteers, Aunty Social’s Pop-Up Picture House has worked closely with Film Hub NWC, part of the BFI Film Audience Network which is supported by the National Lottery, to provide accessible and inclusive, low cost screenings.
The season will also tackle isolation by creating a friendly and public space for people to connect through their love of film.
Catherine Mugonyi, Aunty Social’s Pop-up Picture House, comments: “We’re looking forward to launching the Summer season of Pictures in The Park in our new, accessible and permanent venue. Aunty Social is dedicated to bringing affordable film screenings to Blackpool so nobody is left out.”
Evening screenings cost £4.00. The afternoon tea screenings, with coffee and a cake included in entry, are still a very reasonable £5.50. For more information get the brochure for the film programme here or keep up to date with Pop-up Picture House on Facebook.
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