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SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY

WHAT’S INSIDE?

GFF BOX OFFICEOrder tickets from the box office at

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2>> FEATURE: MUSIC AND FILM

Documentaries and gigs that cross the music-film divide.

3>> REVIEWSAbout Elly Beyond the Pole Capitalism:A Love Story

4>> LISTINGSComprehensive guide to what’s going on at the Festival.

4>>WHAT’S NEW ONLINE?Follow us online on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

4>> PRIZESWin 2 tickets to Vacation, a film about capital punish-ment in Japanese society.

THE CINESKINNY

Produced by The Skinny magazine in association with the Glasgow Film Festival.

EDITOR Gail TolleyEDITORIAL Becky BartlettASSISTANTDESIGNER Emma Faulkner

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TEXT: BECKY BARTLETT

RESTING IN a small, quaint but slightly neglected city park in Glasgow is the Mobile Picture Salon. From the outside, to the normal passer-by, it looks suspiciously like a very little caravan. But – and this has been dem-onstrated time and time again in both sideshows and cinema – appearances can be deceiving. The door opens, our ring-master, for all intent and purpose, Mitch Miller, welcomes us with a warm handshake and a hello, and we clamber inside to find a perfect, tiny cinema.

Yes, we sit on cushions to save our bottoms from the wooden bench, and the generator outside continues its whirring, but inside it feels as though we are guests, invited into a secret world that time has forgotten. How’s the Ghost? Presents: The Movie Trailer is a highly personal, intimate, intrigu-ing and truly unique cinematic event.“In the sideshows, there were these guys called lecturers who stood at one side putting narrative onto the film [they were showing], explaining it, telling lies about it – doing whatever it took to make it interesting, and I thought, I like that idea, why not do something like that for this”, reflects Miller, our curator (along with Chris Dooks).

On-screen the audience is shown a series of films – experimental modern art films (including Escaped Circus Elephant Lives the Dream by Ruth Macdougall), fragments of an as-yet unfinished feature documentary (“now sitting in development hell”, sighs Miller) and shorts created by the sideshow folk as early as 1901. The connection between the sideshow,

the fairground and cinema is one that many may have missed, but as our curator points out, “any object could be turned into a show”.

Whilst The Movie Trailer explains about this forgotten relationship, at the show’s core is Miller’s family. The descendent of a long line of ‘carnies’ (his term), the intimate setting reflects the intimate nature of what is seen on-screen and what we are told by our narrator. It wasn’t intended, he admits, but “after a while it became logical to look into my own family his-tory. If I’m going to effectively exploit this background of mine, then I really should go right to the bone”. And without the family connection, this show may never have happened. “I saw a film - my great great grandfa-ther walking around in this bizarre, macabre archive film and it was really the genesis of the whole project”, he states.

As the sideshow embraced moving pictures, slowly but surely the images took over, and the tradition that em-braced this novelty never recovered. “They gave birth to cinema and then cinema promptly strangled them”, Miller reflects. Now, the sideshow has been sidelined, exploited and misrepresented in cinema. Little but the stories, and some brief film clips, remain, but maybe The Movie Trailer can help keep the traditions alive. “I’d love to do it [this film] in an actual show”, he says. “There are a few that are still going, a couple in Europe that are museum pieces but still travelling around. That would be excellent.How’s the Ghost? Presents: The Movie Trailer is showing in Garnethill Park, Rose Street on 21 February at 12.30 and 16.30.

THE GHOST SHOW

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Sights and Sounds

Text: Juliet Buchan

FROM MUSIC that pays tribute to filmmakers to films that pay tribute to musicians, the Glasgow Film and Music Festival offers a veritable feast for fans of both creative genres.

There are two films that address the risks of being an artist in a country where political turmoil restricts musical expression. Xavier de Lauzanne’s With One Voice concentrates on the electro-acoustic pioneer Jean-Yves Labat de Rossi in his attempt to unite musicians of differing religious denominations from the Gaza Strip. Having experi-enced conflict first hand in the 1970s as a prisoner of the Nakasero Death Camp in Uganda, de Rossi brings together Israeli and Palestinian artists to join a French tour that nobly attempts to forge communication, despite inevitable political tension backstage. Also in the Middle East, No One Knows About Persian Cats tells the story of two musicians, Ashkan and Negar, in Tehran as they attempt to follow their dream of taking their band to perform in the UK amidst tight restrictions that are placed on the arts in Iran. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 2009 and inspired by real events, the film captures a journey through an

underground Iranian culture in a darkly authentic representation.

When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors chronicles an intimate account of the band from their early days at UCLA up until Morrison’s untimely death. Using previously unseen footage of their most private moments, Tom DiCillo presents an alternative view of the group than what we might expect. Enthusiastically narrated by Johnny Depp, who stated he is as ‘proud of this as anything I have ever done’, it is sure to be an attractive take on one of America’s most fabled bands.And speaking of fabled, a pair who seem to propagate their own musical mythology on a regular basis come to the big screen in the documen-tary White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights. Filmed stylistically in their trademark black, white and red, Emmet Molloy follows them on their 2007 Canadian tour. With spontane-ous performances on public buses and playing for unusual audiences such as tribal elders, the blues-rock journey of these divorced ‘siblings’, will likely be an interesting one.

Appearing in person, Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard will be visiting the festival to discuss the showing of their film about Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The

Good Son is an observational retrospec-tive named after the album, and pays tribute via interviews with famous peo-ple and not-so-famous people whose own life and work has been influenced by the much revered Australian band. Other Antipodeans, in the form of Kiwi twin sisters Lynda and Jools Topp, are biographically documented in The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls by Leanne Pooley, which covers everything from Kiwi national affection for their country and western musical history, to their involvement in political issues ranging from gay equality to Maori rights.

If you are a fan of The Kinks, you can bet Geoff Edgers is more so as he optimistically attempts to reunite the band in Do It Again, directed by Robert Patton-Spruill. Interviewing other celebrities such as Sting, Zooey Deschanel and Peter Buck (REM), Edgers take a loving look at the band and their back catalogue in the hopes of pulling a ‘Justin Lee Collins’ with one of the forerunners of the 60s British Invasion. Also from that era, the 1968 documentary from Sheldon and Diane Rochlin, Dope, will be showing. Provid-ing an artistic representation of London at the height of its drug-saturated swinging scene, it uses a dreamlike film style that perfectly reflects the fleeting

nature of that specific moment-in-time. Immediately following Dope is The Delian Mode by Kara Blake, a short film documenting Delia Derbyshire, the fascinating Radiophonic Workshop innovator who realised Rob Grainer’s epic Doctor Who composition to amaz-ing and iconic electronic effect. John Cavanagh, the broadcaster, musician and friend of the late Derbyshire will be there in person to introduce the film.

Until The Light Takes Us is a look at black metal rock in Norway, a dark enlightenment on a subculture’s roots and followings, as well as the few cases where musicians have tragically ended their own lives. Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell are the directors who relocated to Norway to gain this unique insight and will introduce the film fol-lowed by a short Q & A session. On the polar opposite side, Chopin: Desire For Love looks at the great man’s relation-ship with the feminist author Aurore Dupin, which will be preceded by a piano recital by Aleksander Kudajczyk. Whatever your musical taste, GFF 2010 is certain to give you a musical insight to suit.

Glasgow Music and Film Festival is showing as part of Glasgow Film Festival 2010.

We explore the events at the Music and Film Festival

First to know what’s on www.seeglasgow.com

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POKING FUN at recent po-faced, Ben Fogle style documentaries, Beyond the Pole follows friends and every-men Brian and Mark (Rhys Thomas and Stephen Mangan) in their attempt to become the first ‘carbon neutral, organic, vegetarian and unsupported’ North Pole explor-ers. Their effort to raise awareness of global warming is brought down to earth however, when strained relationships back home test the two’s friendship to breaking point. Treading ice between piss-take and an attempt to highlight the serious-ness of climate change, the humour in Beyond the Pole stays pretty safe

and at times is in danger of falling into Robson Green Northern Lights territory. (Mark Benton even co-stars as the “second best mate” back home). The film picks up when the unhinged Mark goes Charlie Bron-son with a shotgun – scaring away a rescue helicopter and threatening to take out the Norwegian competi-tion. Director David L. Williams soon drags the film back onto safe ground however, for what is an enjoyable, if a little cosy, mockumentary.[Alastair Roy]

GFT, Sun 21, 20:15

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ReviewsABOUT ELLYDirector: Asghar FarhadiStarring: Golshifteh Farahani, Taraneh Alidoosti, Merila Zare’i

THE TRUE nature of About Elly sneaks up on the audience. Asghar Farhadi’s Silver Berlin Bear winner begins as a light-hearted affair with a group of friends enjoying a week-end at the beach, but a shocking turn of events takes us into much darker, more complex territory. The beautifully structured screenplay piles lies upon lies as the group’s desperate attempts to salvage the situation only make matters worse, and in the process, Farhadi makes a sly statement on the culture of deception that defines much of Iranian life. The film’s political angle is secondary to its resonant human

drama, making this one of the most accessible and purely entertain-ing Iranian films in years. About Elly blends humour and irony with sequences of real tension, and the director rarely missteps in his handling of the frequent tonal shifts. He also elicits superb performances from his actors, with Golshifteh Farahani the pick of a perfect ensemble as a woman strug-gling to cope with the consequences of her actions. [Philip Concannon]

Cineworld, Sun 21 Feb, 18:00

CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORYDirector: Michael MooreStarring: Michael Moore, John McCain, Thora Birch

CAPITALISM: A Love Story is a Michael Moore film, and by now we know exactly what to expect from this frustrating filmmaker. His take on the financial crisis suffers from the same failings that afflicted his earlier works. The tone alternates between sarcasm and faux-naïveté, the links between his points are clumsy, there’s an overreliance on comically voiced stock footage, and he’s not above shamelessly milking a child’s tears to ram his point home. Aside from a few interesting anecdotes, there is little here that is truly revelatory, and when the film runs out of steam

Moore resorts to playing his most tiresome card – standing outside a building with a bullhorn until he is escorted away by security. Michael Moore may be a man with the best intentions at heart but this is another sloppy piece of filmmaking, and when we’ve already had more than a year’s worth of coverage and analysis of the banking collapse, Capitalism: A Love Story just feels like old news. [Philip Concannon]

GFT, Sun 21, 20:30

BEYOND THE POLEDirector: David L WilliamsStarring: Rhys Thomas, Stephen Mangan, Helen Baxendale

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SUN 21 FEB

LUX: ONE-TO-ONE - GSFF @ CCA10:30AM ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE11:00AM

A CONGREGATION OF GHOSTS @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE11:30AM

HOW’S THE GHOST? PRESENTS: THE MOVIE TRAILER @ MOBILE PICTURE SALON (GARNETHILL PARK)12:30PM AUTUMN @ CINEWORLD (REN-FREW STREET)01:00PM

WITH ONE VOICE @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE01:15PM HIS GIRL FRIDAY @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE01:30PM

LEARNING TO BREATHE - GSFF @ CCA02:00PM

THE FRENCH KISSERS @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)02:15PM

ARTIST FILM & VIDEO PROGRAMME @ CCA02:30PM

DO IT AGAIN @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE03:15PM IN CONVERSATION WITH JAMES EARL JONES @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE03:30PM AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)03:45PM

PAUL COTTER: FROM SHORTS TO FEATURES @ THE APPLE STORE (BUCHANAN STREET)04:00PM

I’M GLAD THAT MY MOTHER IS ALIVE @ CINEWORLD (REN-FREW STREET)04:15PM

LEAVE A TRAIL - GSFF @ CCA04:30PM HOW’S THE GHOST? PRESENTS: THE MOVIE TRAILER @ MOBILE PICTURE SALON (GARNETHILL PARK)04:30PM CENTRAL STATION PRESENTS ART/ ROC/ DOC @ CCA05:00PM THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE05:30PM YATTERMAN @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE05:45PM BRINGING UP BABY @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE06:00PM ABOUT ELLY @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)06:00PM HIS & HERS @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)06:15PM

LOVE & RAGE @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)06:30PM SPACE & LIGHT @ CCA07:30PM BEYOND THE POLE @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE08:15PM

ROOM AND A HALF @ CINE-WORLD (RENFREW STREET)08:15PM CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE08:30PM

DOGTOOTH @ CINEWORLD (REN-FREW STREET)08:45PM ADRIFT @ CINEWORLD (REN-FREW STREET)08:45PM OPTIMO @ SUBCLUB11:00PM

CINESKINNY ONLINE

All issues of The CineSkinny are now available to read through the GFF website. Simply go to www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk/cineskinny to catch up on any reviews, features or interviews you may have missed. Remember everything in The CineSkinny and more is on The Skinny’s website too. www.theskinny.co.uk

GFF ARTISTS

The people in charge of GFF have commissioned two artists to offer an alternative method of documenting the festival. Their work will be online soon, but in the meantime check out the GFF blog for a biography of Jeffrus, aka “Official Artist 1”.

FIRST LOOK

Check out an exclusive trailer for I Am Love, starring Tilda Swinton, at www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/feb/19/tilda-swinton-i-am-love. Showing for the first time in the UK on 24 Feb as part of the GFF programme, it has already received much acclaim, so impress your friends with the inside scoop.

FLICKR

Keep an eye on GFF’s Flickr page, where there are daily additions to the festival’s pho-tos, including new pictures of Zombie Zombie’s performance on Thursday.

COMPETITIONHow would you spend your last days? No, that’s not our competition question (sorry folks), but it’s one worth considering when watch-ing Vacation (GFT, Mon 22 Feb, 20.45), a Japanese drama following a death row inmate’s last days, and the man tasked with assisting him in exchange for a week’s holiday. So if the issues surrounding capital punishment are of interest to you, or if you’d just fancy some free tickets, simply answer this question:

The Green Mile was adapted from a novel by which author?

Email your details with the answer as subject line to: gail@theskinny.co.uk by 10am Monday.

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First to know what’s on www.seeglasgow.com

WHAT’S NEW ONLINE?

4 THE CINESKINNY SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY

Comprehensive film and event listings for each day of the festival