Press room

From Wednesday 16 September to Sunday 4 October 2020, Leytonstone Loves Film will return for a second year to celebrate film culture and Leytonstone’s exciting cinema community through a reimagined programme of small-scale film screenings, online Watch Parties, talks and workshops.

Produced by the Barbican in partnership with local residents and organisations and the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the free community-powered programme will bring people together through movies and storytelling in a safe and enjoyable way and provide a platform to showcase the work of filmmakers, industry creatives and cinema enthusiasts in the local area. More information about the official programme can be found at leytonstonelovesfilm.com

Highlights include screenings of the 1969 British black-and-white film Bronco Bullfrog; smartphone filmmaking workshops with E17 Films, a local filmmaking project with Stow Film Lounge; a collection of 20 short films presented in Leytonstone Library Hall programmed by Women Over Fifty Film Festival (WOFFF), Cheap Cuts Doc Fest, Forest Film Club and local artists and filmmakers; a series of family-friendly digital workshops produced by the Barbican’s Family Film Club; as well as a series of online Watch Parties hosted by We Are Parable, Sign For All Community, Last Frame Film Club and many other partners. As everyone will not be able to attend in person, Leytonstone Loves Film will be working with local film exhibitors to bring a series of small film screenings to local care homes, residential homes, community centres and neighbourhood locations to share a cinematic moment in some unexpected places.

Wilna Fourie, Producer at the Barbican, said: ‘This year Leytonstone Loves Film celebrates innovation and the DIY spirit of filmmakers and film exhibitors and their commitment to sharing new voices, stories and ideas that help us through difficult times. Given the current circumstances we’ve completely reimagined the programme to explore different ways of experiencing the movies and to continue inspiring new makers and enthusiasts to connect over films.’

Cllr Paul Douglas, Waltham Forest Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture said: ‘Waltham Forest has an impressive film history and we are delighted to be working with the Barbican again to present Leytonstone Loves Film. This is such a community-led project and the Barbican is working with our residents, organisations and local filmmaking projects to deliver this fantastic film festival for people of all ages, across the borough to enjoy. Although this year we won’t be spilling out into the streets with music, markets and food stalls, we hope that residents can take part in this experience from a venue local to them or at home sharing popcorn and enjoying the films.’

Below is a selection of events taking place throughout the duration of Leytonstone Loves Film 2020.

Screenings

Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Leytonstone Loves Film 2020 has been reimagined in a hybrid format featuring small scale live screenings and in-person activities, as well as an exciting online programme of events.

As part of this year’s programme, residents will have a chance to enjoy a collection of 20 short films from local and international film producers presented in Leytonstone Library Hall and programmed by Cheap Cuts Doc Fest, Forest Film Club and the Women Over Fifty Film Festival (WOFFF) as well as local artists and filmmakers.

Throughout Leytonstone Loves Film 2020, there will be a series of online Watch Parties which will include a selection of LGBTQ+ short films and a collection of films profiling Waltham Forest residents, all streamed via free platforms such as YouTube and Zoom. These Watch Parties have been curated by Ashton John, Forest Film Club, Last Frame Film Club, Sign For All Community, We Are Parable, and the Barbican Young Programmers and will also include post-screening Q&As with local filmmakers, programmers and actors, celebrating what they love about the movies.

As part of the new Moving Pictures series, the Barbican has worked with local film exhibitors Stow Film Lounge, We Are Parable, Apna Cinema Club and Leytonstone Pop Up Film Club to bring six films, including the 1969 British black-and-white film Bronco Bullfrog, to community centres and neighbourhood locations to share cinematic moments in unexpected places throughout the local area.  Moreover, WOFFF will select their favourite short films from the 2020 festival, which will be shown in selected care and residential homes in the local area.  

Workshops and activities

As part of the Leytonstone Loves Film 2020 programme there will be some exciting opportunities for young people and Leytonstone residents to explore film and share their stories.

On three Sunday mornings (20 Sep, 27 Sep and 4 Oct) during the festival, families will have a chance to enjoy a programme of fun digital workshops hosted by the Barbican’s Family Film Club, a special watch party curated by Sign For All Community Ltd, and a short film programme curated by Barbican Cinema, all available via the Leytonstone Loves Film website. In addition, a printed activity pack for children aged 5-12 will be made available for free through various community channels in the local area such as local foodbanks, and community centres.

Another highlight will see award-winning film exhibition company We Are Parable present a series of talks and workshops designed to showcase different career paths within the film industry. From journalism, to programming, distribution to marketing and PR, industry experts, such as founder of The British Blacklist and Co-founder of S.O.U.L Fest, Akua Gyamfi, and Zakiya Bale, Film Academy and Education Project Officer at BFI Film Academy, will be on hand to talk through their experiences of establishing their careers via practical, informal and insightful events. Other workshops organised as part of Leytonstone Loves Film 2020 include a guide for first time filmmakers on making movies through smartphones, organised by E17 Films.

Moreover, Stow Film Lounge will produce an original short film in collaboration with local businesses, residents, and filmmakers to celebrate 2,000 years of the Leytonstone High Road. The film will be a cinematic road trip through Leytonstone, past and present, and is scheduled to be screened as part of the Leytonstone Loves Film programme.  

Leytonstone Loves Film is produced by the Barbican in partnership with local residents and organisations and commissioned by the London Borough of Waltham Forest.