For the final week of its 16th edition, Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival (BFMAF) is delighted to announce its new Previews programme strand highlighting forthcoming feature-length films. For its first edition BFMAF has invited artist filmmakers Tim Leyendekker (NL) and Fern Silva (US) to introduce their debut—work in progress—feature films.

Fern Silva’s first feature Rock Bottom Riser revolves around the director’s interest in Mauna Kea land preservation in Hawaii, its cultural impact, and the resiliency that has kept it from further desecration, whilst in Tim Leyendekker’s Feast, perpetrators, victims and their onlookers are entangled in a dramatic reconstruction of the Groningen HIV case—the story of three men who drugged other men during a series of sex parties and then injected them with their own HIV-infected blood.
The festival’s aim is to initiate an additional forum for artists and filmmakers to connect with industry professionals who share BFMAF’s interest in challenging, complex and risk-taking new cinema. In addition to the public programme, Silva and Leyendekker’s forthcoming films will be made available to invited festival programmers, distributors and sales agents for a time limited preview. Guided by the principles through which the Festival curates its wider programme, these forthcoming films are expected to generate strong resonances with audiences and exhibitors alike.

Prem Kapoor behind the camera

With still a week to enjoy the Festival, new live events have been added to the calendar for the festival’s last week of programming:
Tuesday 6 October at 8 PM, as previously announced: Filmmaker in Focus and pioneering director in Moroccan cinema, Izza Genini will be joined by writer and curator Omar Berrada and filmmaker and writer Yasmine Benabdallah to expand upon the recurring concerns of her decades-long career, such as diasporic identity, traditional Moroccan heritage and music.
Wednesday 7 October at 8 PM: as part of our Essential Cinema programme, film curator Jonathan Ali will be joined by scholars Rini Bhattacharya Mehta and Rajinder Dudrah in conversation about Badnam Basti. Briefly released in 1971 and subsequently lost for decades until its rediscovery in 2019 at Arsenal Berlin, Badnam Basti (Alley of Ill Repute) is the debut feature of Indian New Wave filmmaker Prem Kapoor. In addition to its artistic value, Badnam Basti is remarkable as arguably the first Hindi language film featuring a queer relationship at the core of its narrative. Jason Jones will also bring his invaluable perspective as an activist working to overturn British colonial legal legacies that criminalise adult consensual same sex intimacy. Prem Kapoor’s son Hariom shared a brief introduction to the film which can be watched here.
Thursday 8 October 8 PM, as previously announced: as part of the final Filmmaker in Focus live discussion, Angelo Madsen Minax will be joined by filmmaker and writer Steve Reinke, filmmaker Jennifer Reeder and programmer Ana David to consider the many themes and layers—queerness, trans identity and sexuality, mysticism and death, family bonds and social justice, among others—comprising the artist’s first retrospective outside of the USA.
Saturday 10 October at 3 PM: for the inauguration of the festival’s new programme slate, filmmakers Tim Leyendekker and Fern Silva will each share a taster of their yet to be premiered feature length works and discuss their process with BFMAF programmers Ana David and Herb Shellenberger.
Saturday 10 October at 8 PM: One of Drum & Bass’ most influential figures, DJ Flight (Metalheadz, Rinse FM, 1Xtra) will perform a DJ set in response to artist, dancer and choreographer Zinzi Minott’s new work Fi Dem III presented in the festival’s  Propositions series. Introducing the listening party will be a live conversation with the two artists moderated by Rabz Lansiquot.
Saturday 10 October at 10 PM: following the listening party, join us for live DJ sets to celebrate BFMAF’s closing weekend.
Sunday 11 October at 3 PM: the 2020 Festival’s final event where Janka Barkócz will be discussing the 1970 Hungarian Beat era ballad Don’t Cry, Pretty Girls! with its pioneering  director Márta Mészáros. Mészáros was the first female filmmaker to direct a feature film in Hungary and her half century long career’s many accolades include Berlinale’s Golden and Silver Bear awards (respectively for Adoption in 1975, and Diary for My Lovers in 1987) and a Cannes’ Grand Prix for Diary for My Children in 1984. The event is pre-recorded but will be streamed live.

All live conversations will stream live BST from the festival’s website, Facebook page and twitch channel. You can check and watch all of the previous live events here.
While podcasts, essays and recordings will be available after the festival’s ending on bfmaf.org, join us for this last week of screenings, talks and live performances!