Raindance Film Festival

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Raindance Film School and Festival
Location(s) London, New York, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Berlin, Brussels and Budapest
Website
http://www.raindance.org

Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates throughout major cities including: London, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin and Brussels.[1] The festival itself was established in 1992 by Elliot Grove to be the voice of British Filmmaking. Listed by Variety as one of the world’s top 50 ‘unmissable film festivals’, Raindance aims to nurture, support and promote independent films and filmmakers from the UK and around the world.[2] Raindance showcases features and shorts by filmmakers from around the world to an audience of film executives and buyers, journalists, film fans and filmmakers. Along with screenings, there are seminars, workshops and parties to allow everyone the chance to share the passion for independent cinema.[3] In 2012 The Raindance Film Festival had approximately 13,500 attendees, and 80,000 online followers.[4] In the coming years Raindance expects these numbers to increase dramatically. With famous patrons such as Nick Broomfield, Jonathan Caouette, Terry Gilliam, Mike Figgis, Ken Loach, Dave McKean, Alan Parker, Jonathan Pryce, Marky Ramone, Daisy Lowe, Jeremy Irons, and Faye Dunaway, Raindance has become a staple in the film community.

Timeline of Raindance

  • 1992- Raindance Is born. Film training courses are offered.
  • 1993- Raindance Film Festival is launched, World premiere of What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
  • 1994- Pulp Fiction makes its UK debut at Raindance
  • 1995
  • 1996
  • 1997
  • 1998- Raindance Creates the British Independent Film Awards which celebrates the achievements of independent British filmmaking.
  • 2000- Christopher Nolan's Memento has its UK premiere at Raindance
  • 2001
  • 2002
  • 2003- Raindance launches the world's first 15 Second Shorts Competition with Nokia
  • 2004- The Independent Film Trust is launched by Raindance. A charity that supports independent filmmaking and provides bursaries and training for the disadvantaged, from children in inner-city schools to refugees and the mentally ill.
  • 2005- Raindance opens its first international office in Toronto, Canada
  • 2006- Raindance launches the world's first online film festival screenings
  • 2007- Raindance TV is launched, one of the UK's first IPTV channels, with hundreds of hours of movies, interviews, and live screenings.
  • 2008- Raindance Screens Once, which goes on to win the Oscar for Best Song
  • 2009- Down Terrace, Ben Wheatley's first film, debuts at Raindance.
  • 2010- Raindance opens offices in NYC, Berlin, Brussels, and Budapest
  • 2011- Raindance launches the Postgraduate Degree in Independent Film. Accredited by Staffordshire University, this degree in Independent Film can be taken in London or online.
  • 2012- Short films which play at Raindance become eligible for Oscar nominations
  • 2013- Raindance launches Raw Talent and produces its film Love.Honour.Obey
  • 2013- Raindance opens offices in Paris

Raindance Alumni

The Raindance Film School alumni list includes some of the most notable names in Hollywood, such as: Sacha Baron Cohen, David Yates, Edgar Wright, Matthew Vaughn, Alison Owen, Guy Ritchie, Ben Miller, Christopher Nolan, Kirk Jones, Mark Mahon, Emily Lloyd, Vadim Jean, Allin Kempthorne, Nick Hornby, Roland Gift, Julian Fellowes, Paul Brooks, Clive Bradley and Jeremy Bolt.

Awards

Awards at the festival include Best International Feature and Short, Best UK Feature and Short, Best Documentary Feature, and Best Debut. In its time the festival has premiered The Blair Witch Project, Capturing the Friedmans, Memento, Oldboy, Firecracker, Karosta: Life After the USSR, Girlfriend in a Kimono, Ex Drummer and War Games: At the End of the Day.

Jury members have included Lou Reed, actresses Judi Dench and Kerry Fox, Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Dutch photographer and filmmaker Anton Corbijn, Mick Jones of The Clash, Andrea Arnold, Marky Ramone, and American filmmaker Jonathan Caouette. Patrons of Raindance include Ewan McGregor, Terry Gilliam, Mike Figgis, Ken Loach, and Marky Ramone. The festival attracts key industry figures including notable appearances by Alan Rickman, Mike Figgis, Ken Loach, Don Letts, Marky Ramone, Trudie Styler, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mick Jones, Anton Corbijn and Jonny Lee Miller.

Elliot Grove is the founder of the British Independent Film Awards.

References

  1. ↑ Britishcouncil.org
  2. ↑ "London Official Visitor Guide". 
  3. ↑ "Screen South". 
  4. ↑ "Raindance Sponsorships". 

External links

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