Shorts season in the UK: coming up next march...

Birds Eye View Film Festival, LondonMarch 4 - 12BFI Southbank, Institute Contemporary Arts (ICA)http://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/2014/overview/birds-eye-view-film-festival-2010.html  Back for their 6th annual Film Festival of celebrating, championing and showcasing women filmmakers. Multi-talented actress Jane Horrocks will officially open the festivities, and present to you a trademark showcase of the world's best new shorts by women.Sounds and Silents will feature Patti Plinko, Gwyneth Herbert and Mira Calix. UK premieres include the fresh US/Palestinian drama AMREEKA, the supreme and close-to heartbreaking ENTRE NOS, candid Polish teen-drama MALL GIRLS, enthralling Indian music documentary THE OTHER SONG, and SHE IS THE MATADOR - a study of the passionate struggles of female matadors. They also present awesome work from the new generation of Kenyan filmmakers and previews of two sure hits to be released after the festival, Austrian mystery LOURDES and Drew Barrymore's WHIP IT starring Ellen Page and Juliette Lewis. LSFF would like to further recommend 2 specific screenings: 4docs have pulled out all the stops to bring you an international programme of award-winning short documentaries, including Kara Blake’s 'The Delian Mode' about the BBC Radiophonic Workshop pioneer Delia Derbyshire. http://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/2043/shorts/short-docs.html Branchage presents ROUGH AUNTIES, plus director Q&A with Kim LonginottoA celebration of the strength and compassion of the ‘Rough Aunties’ who care, and fight, for South Africa’s abused children, from one of the world’s best documentary makers. http://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/2028/docs/rough-aunties.html   Tongues on Fire Film Festival, LondonMarch 5 – 14www.tonguesonfire.comThe first lady of Bollywood JAYA BACHCHAN and her son ABHISHEK from India’s foremost acting dynasty, renowned director and screenwriter SHYAM BENEGAL, Hindi film star SHARMILA TAGORE together with her actor daughter SOHA ALI KHAN are among the stars of Asian cinema flocking to London for Tongues on Fire, the capital’s only Asian Film Festival celebrating the very best in Asian cinema - Bollywood and beyond - with films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and even Afghanistan.  The Minghella Film Festival, Isle of Wight12 -14 MARCH 2010http://www.minghellafilmfestival.com/index.htmlThe Minghella Film Festival on the Isle of Wight is a charitable event hosted by Anthony Minghella’s family that aims to celebrate his life and continue his legacy. Established in 2009, on the first anniversary of his death, the festival provides an ongoing retrospective of Anthony’s work and a platform for showcasing the artists and filmmakers that he still inspires.  24th BFI London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival17 – 31 Marchhttp://www.bfi.org.uk/llgff/ Celebrating the best in new queer cinema from around the world.  Northern Lights Film Festival, Newcastle20 – 28 Marchhttp://www.nlff.co.uk/ - programme announced early MarchNLFF 2010 brings you rule breakers and mischief makers. This year’s festival will place our audience as critic, judge and film maker. Join us for a thought provoking week from March 20th – 28th - rich with tales from industry insiders. With a new mix of public events, challenges, music and film screenings. LSFF Director Philip Ilson will present Crossing Boundaries, an international shorts programme looking at issues around borders, both personal and national, featuring work from Israel, Czech Republic, the US and UK.  8th Wood Green International Film Festival25 - 28 Marchhttp://www.woodgreenfilmfestival.co.uk/Short films submitted from 31 different countries! Once again our principal venue for the festival will be Cineworld Wood Green and Alexandra Palace to host the awards ceremony and closing gala.LSFF Director Philip Ilson is on the short film jury.  Flatpack Festival, Birmingham23 – 28 Marchhttp://www.flatpackfestival.org.uk/Back for six days of cinematic adventures in venues across Birmingham, Flatpack 2010 is shaping up quite nicely. As ever the programme is a lucky dip of the best new features, animation, documentaries, shorts, kids movies and experimental film, along with live scores, bus-tours, workshops, special guests and loads of free screenings. LSFF would like to recommend:Uncle Hans-Peter comes to the critically acclaimed Flatpack Festival; Uncle Hans-Peter is the patriarch of the LET ME FEEL YOUR FINGER FIRST family. He’s a hunter. An operator. He enjoys tying up his nephews on hot summer afternoons. The Uncle Hans-Peter Party is a ‘live’ comic strip in which the audience don plastic masks and collectively assume the persona of Uncle Hans-Peter. All guests receive a mask and the new LMFYFF comic Das Familienoberhaupt. Uncle Hans-Peter Party features Escapade (Uncle Hans-Peter’s Theme) by Fil OK (Nag Nag Nag). http://www.flatpackfestival.org.uk/event/the-uncle-hans-peter-party