Press Release 14 January 2010

Flatpack Festival unveils 2010 programme

23 - 28 March 2010 Birmingham, UK
Bus trips to art deco cinemas, the weird world of puppets, immersive art happenings,
Murnau rescored, optical illusions, idea theft and creepy 70s television are just some of
the inventive offerings that will be brought to life during the 2010 edition of
Birmingham’s unique Flatpack Festival.

With fresh eyes, a sense of occasion and film culture popping up in an eclectic array
of unexpected spaces and places, Flatpack Festival 2010 offers a platform for new
filmmakers and moving image creativity together with a playful and original
programme of cult classics re-imagined, silent cinema re-scored and archive material
re-invented.

Taking place in locations across Birmingham including warehouse spaces, art galleries,
a social club, a specially constructed cardboard cinema and the sites of some of the
UK’s first Odeons designed in the 1930s, Flatpack’s joyous visual adventure takes place
from 23 – 28 March 2010.

The festival will be launched with a rare screening of FW Murnau’s 1927 Oscar-winning
romance Sunrise, accompanied by a newly commissioned live score by jazz pianist
Alcyona. Highlights for 2010 include a celebration of puppets in classic and
contemporary film; a special exploration of the 1930s from cinema design to
Birmingham’s literati; plus Dublin collective Synth Eastwood present one of their
legendary events, on the theme of ‘a shared view’.

Optical illusions and reconfigured technology come courtesy of French artist Julien
Maire; Ghost Box records present a Sunday feast of haunted audio and creepy 70s
telly at Belbury Youth Club; and there is also a rare chance to have your head melted
by the pioneering work of structuralist filmmaker Takashi Ito.

All manner of talks and demos will take place around themes of archive, puppetry
and plagiarism at Flatpack’s established show-and-tell day Unpacked; plus screenings
of new animation, documentary, a programme of music-inspired films, cult late-night
cinema in partnership with Electric Sheep; a host of new features by emerging
filmmakers, and weird and wonderful films and activities for kids in Colour Box.

The full programme and more special events will be announced in early February.

For further press information, images and interview requests, please contact Matt Moore at the
Festival Office E: matt@7inch.org.uk / T: 0121 771 1509