Jersey Dairy ice cream helps launch film festival
01/09/2009
Branchage Jersey International Film Festival launched its 2009 Programme last week to 300 press and industry representatives at London’s trendy Idea Generation Gallery. Guests were treated to complimentary Jersey Dairy Ice Cream and a specially created Branchage Cocktail, a tasty Mojito-style drink mixed with the exciting newly imported spirit Hierbas. DJs opened the night, before announcements from Festival representatives and patrons and a live music set from the up-and-coming band Plaster of Paris. There was also a work-inprogress display of 3D time-lapse films shot aroundJersey by artists Brian McClave, Gavin Peacock and Darren Umney.
Festival Founder and Director Xanthe Hamilton welcomed the guests and thanked sponsors Jersey Trust Company and Spearpoint who are supporting the festival for a second year. She also thanked Barclays Wealth who recently joined the festival’s supporters to present the Barclay’s Wealth Speigeltent, a beautiful 600-capacity tent which will add some real magic to St Helier. The tent will host opulent parties by night and free film training sessions, part of the Shooting People Filmmakers Campus, by day. James Mullighan, Creative Director of independent filmmakers network Shooting People said in his speech “Shooting People is a proud partner of Branchage - the hottest new film festival around. In seemingly no time, Xanthe Hamilton and her team have put Jersey on the International Film Festival map. As well as an intriguing programme of films, there’s a film market swiftly establishing itself on the island. It’s not one for sales agents and distributors - it’s a market of filmmakers.”
Festival Patron Simon Chinn, producer of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning film Man on Wire which opened the 2008 Festival spoke to the crowd about the fantastic time he had had at the festival last year, and encouraged other filmmakers to make the trip to Jerseyfor a unique and rewarding festival experience. He said “Run by a dynamic young team of film lovers and film makers, Branchage - now in just its second year - has the kind of youthful verve and imagination that many of the more established festivals can now only dream of. It’s a festival I’m proud to be associated with.” Festival Programmer Philip Ilson spoke about the extraordinary selection of films and venues used in this year’s festival, from Jersey Opera House to a Drive-In Cinema at People’s Park, and from Jersey War Tunnels to The Magistrates Court. A full festival programme is viewable at www. branchagefestival.com, and tickets will be available from Friday August 28th.
Branchage Jersey International Film Festival will take place at an array of atmospheric and inspirational venues across the island from 1st – 4th October 2009. Online Resources MAN ON WIRE Off icial website: http://www.manonwire.com/ SHOOTING PEOPLE Off icial website: http://www.shootingpeople.com/ BRANCHAGE Website:www.branchagefestival.com Blog: http://branchageblogage.blogspot.com/ Facebook:http://tinyurl.com/cwlc5b Twitter: http://twitter.com/Branchage Contact For more information contact Xanthe Hamilton, Creative Director, please call 07801227391 or email xanthe@branchagefestival.com