Luba Balagova Kandur and filmfestivals.com founder Bruno Chatelin photographed during sunny Cannes film festival
The announcement of this year’s SIFFA UK (Nov 20-27) lineup was made by Luba Balagova Director, Screenwriter,Independent Film Festival SIFFA Founder/President. She unveileda selection of films from across the globe, including Iran, Israel, the United States, China, Italy, Ireland, Russia, Costa Rica, Romania, Australia, Colombia, and also films out-of-competition movies from Jordan, the United States, UK and Russia, will be showcased.
THERE is your chance to see unique films this year including a British movie classic at the Seventh SIFFA UK Independent International Film Festival & Awards which opens in London on November 20.
The Queen of Spades is the fantasy horror epic, based on a short story written by the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin in 1834.
First released in 1949, it has been re-mastered at a cost of £4,000 by the British Film Institute and is sure to be one of the “hot tickets” at the week-long film bonanza.
It tells the story of an army officer who becomes obsessed with learning the secret to a card game for which an elderly countess sold her soul years earlier.
Directed by Thorold Dickinson, The Queen of Spades starred giants of the silver screen Anton Walbrook, Edith Evans and Yvonne Mitchell, who made her cinematic debut in what became one of the most-loved movies of all time.
The film, which runs for 95 minutes, will be shown at the Vue Cinema in Piccadilly on the opening gala night. The festival’s other venue is Castle Cinema in Hackney.
Luba Balagova Kandour, the festival’s founder and president, and an award-winning Poet and film-maker together with her husband, the Hollywood veteran Mohy Kandour (Quandour), commented: “The Queen of Spades somehow symbolically echoes the concept of our festival this year.
“It has all the elements and values, spiritual and cinematic, that I would like the films to talk about. I believe that there are still lots to learn from this movie – set design, camera movements. It’s almost Scorsese or Tarkovsky-like.”
Another screening which is sure to attract big audiences is the barely-believable rags-to-riches story of gypsy business king Alfie Best.
Gypsy Billionaire, which has been nominated in the best documentary section, can also be seen at the Vue Cinema on the second day of the festival.
The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, has been directed by British filmmaker Joel Alexander Van der Molen, who has won 35 global awards in a stellar career in the industry.
It tells the story of Alfie’s traveller journey from being born in a roadside caravan on the outskirts of Leicester in 1970 to becoming the first gypsy billionaire in the country, owning businesses, properties, hotels and restaurants in Britain, Barbados and the United States that have elevated him to the Sunday Times Rich List.
Van der Molen says: “I was immediately captivated by Alfie’s inspirational life and business story. It is an untold Great British success story and pertinent for our time.
“Roma, Gypsy and Traveller people in Britain face more barriers and discrimination than any other community. Even in 2023, Britain is still a racially unjust society.
In addition to the documentary section, the festival is screening a total of 44 films in three other categories – narrative features, narrative shorts and out-of-competition entries.
The closing feature will be British-Jordanian director Mohy Kandour (Quandour)’s 50 times award-winning Cherkess, based on the true story of an encounter between two different cultures – Bedouin and Cherkess – in the year 1900 during Ottoman rule in territory now known as Jordan, with its centrepiece “an impossible love story”.
Luba Balagova Kandour, who is also an award-winning Poet and author, adds: “The festival is first of all for those who put so much effort despite all the current difficulties in politics and the ongoing economic crisis to make films.
They economise on everything and invest in their films so they can reach other people’s souls.
This is about connecting filmmakers to their audiences and giving them hope for peace and a platform for a better understanding and exchange of culture. It inspires me to support filmmakers internationally.
At these difficult times I believe the Great Britain must be truly great to support the culture. As a festival, this is what we can offer and invest in our culture”.
For more info visit: www.siffa.media on this release please contact Laurie Stone on 07810 552 202.
COMPETITION
NARRATIVE FEATURES
Gorgon Medusa, Vladimir Alenikov
For The Sake of Ava, Mohsen Seraji
Do not bury me without Ivan, Lyubov Borisova
Aul challenge, Islam Satyrov
Paper Dream, Ali Atshani
Mercy Land, Simon Rickards
Tyger, Alexander Milo Bischof
Knots, Oleg Khomokov
Maya, Julia Verdin
DOCUMENTARIES
Apnea, Stefano Poggioni, Claudia Cataldi, Elena Poggioni
Chatelin Bruno 
