DE-JA-VU FOR FILM BUFFS AS BRITISH URBAN FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS

For immediate release: 
After the success of last year’s event, organisers of the 2009 British Urban Film Festival (BUFF for short) are to once again offer free tickets to the public in what’s been dubbed ‘credit crunch cinema’, part of its’ strategy to capitalise on the growing interest in urban independent film and making it accessible to the public at large.

Launched last December when the credit crunch began to hit people financially, over 400 people took advantage of free tickets (and alcohol) and were introduced to a new crop of independent film-makers reflecting their own experiences of the nation’s inner cities and suburbs.

The last few years has seen the likes of Noel Clarke, Greg Hall, and even Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand bring urban independent film to the fore with high-profile movies such as Adulthood, The Plague and Dead Man Running. And with organisers promising a bigger event this year, capacity attendances are expected as the festival strives to be noticed in what is already a crowded market of film festivals in the capital with the likes of Raindance, Portobello and the London Film Festival dominating the landscape.

The line-up of films for this year’s event is headlined by the UK premiere on Friday October 2nd of ‘Stick With Me’, a debut drama directed by Bernard Kordieh – a former UEL student, an institution which can also lay claim to having unearthed film director Ken Russell and grime artist Tinchy Stryder. Also headlining will be ‘Disoriented Generation’, a romantic drama produced by actor Wil Johnson who also stars in the lead role. Also on the bill is ‘Fresh Off Da Boat’, marking the directorial debut of Adulthood actor Femi Oyeniran and Teddy Nygh’s award-winning ‘CLASH A' DA TIGHT 1’s’, a feature-length documentary celebrating the heritage of UK and international hip-hop music. Organisers have also confirmed that a Michael Jackson tribute will be screened on the opening night.

The Stratford Picturehouse in East London is the setting for the opening night's festivities on Friday October 2nd. Then its' onto Oxford House in Bethnal Green for 12 hours of screenings including Disoriented Generation - part of 'Super Saturday' on October the 3rd. The festival ends in nearby Whitechapel at the Brady Arts Centre on Sunday the 4th of October. Once again, members of the public can get their hands on free tickets by calling a special festival hotline. The number is 08712 885 785. Lines close at midnight on Thursday October the 1st.

Full listings can be found at www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk  
Editor's notes:
The British Urban Film Festival is organised by and is the property of Buff Enterprises Limited and is used under license. More information can be found by visiting www.buffenterprises.co.uk

The festival is supported by the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Redbridge and by The NHS Sicklecell and Thalassaemia screening programme. The festival is also supported by Knowledge Fountain magazine, Just Productions and other partner organisations in the London Boroughs of Newham, Redbridge and Hackney (4front Films, Gabriel Media International and Ewav Works).

To find out more about the festival visit:
www.towerhamletsarts.org.uk www.myspace.com/britishurbanfilmfestival 

www.gabrielmediainternational.com

 Press Contact:
Buff Enterprises (Press Office)
+44  8712 885 785info@buffenterprises.co.uk(c) Buff Enterprises Ltd MMVIX. Friday October 2, 2009, 8.15pm
Stratford Picturehouse, Theatre Square, London E15 

Michael Jackson Tribute (presented by Cecilia MARQUIS)
The Male GROUPIE (dir. Chris Scott-Cherot)
BUFF – Behind the Scenes (‘Stick With Me’)  - dir. Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe
Stick With ME (UK PREMIERE)  - dir. Bernard Kordieh

 
Saturday October 3, 2009, 10.30am
Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, BETHNAL GREEN, London E2

Digitalis - dir.  Robert ‘Beyonder’ Asare
Diaspora DIARIES  - dir. Robert ‘Beyonder’ Asare
The Family LEGACY (followed by Live Q&A) – dir. Jane Thorburn

Afternoon session (starting at 1.30pm)
The Art of 16 BARS – dir. Peter Spirer
CLASH A' DA TIGHT 1’s – dir. Teddy Nygh

Evening session (‘BUFF Shorts’ starting at 5.00pm)
Cages – dir. Chema Gomez
Ominous THOUGHTS – dir. Tyrone Ashley Grosvenor
Brothers  - dir. Diane Musafiri
Much Ado about a minor TING – dir. Jesse Lawrence
Color BLIND - dir. Amanda Baker
Still LIFE – dir. Nelson Sivalingham
Fresh off da BOAT  - dir. Femi Oyeniran
Stolen CLOTHES  - dir. Christopher Cargill
Virus – dir. Kole Onile-Ere

Late session (starting at 7.45pm)
Disoriented GENERATION (UK PREMIERE) – dir. Christian Ashaiku

Sunday October 4, 2009, 12.15pm
The Brady Arts Centre, WHITECHAPEL, London E1

Citizens TODAY – dir. Mahad Ali
Dirty LAUNDRY – dir. Michael Easley
New York’s Dirty LAUNDRY (UK PREMIERE) – dir. Patrice Johnson
Adulthood: BUFF on the red carpet (documentary) – dir. Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe
Rappin at the ROYAL – dir. Jeremy Wooding