The 16th Raindance Film Festival (2008) - Gala Opening Night October 1, 2008

On Wednesday 1 October at 7pm, the 16th Raindance Film Festival launches with the UK premiere of the hotly anticipated independent film "Choke" (based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk) followed by one of the parties of the year.

The Raindance Film Festival showcases features and shorts made by independent filmmakers from all around the world to an audience of film fans, journalists, acquisition executives, actors, producers and directors. Each year we receive thousands of film submissions of just about every genre you can imagine from very talented filmmakers so it’s safe to assume that the competition is fierce.

The Raindance Film Festival is the UK's largest independent film festival.[1] It was established in 1992 by Elliot Grove to extend the normal film school activities of Raindance and to celebrate and support independent filmmaking - it runs in the autumn each year in London's West End and always features an eclectic mix of genres with films from all over the world.

The festival has a very strong music influence and incorporates music related films, special events and has premiered Pulp Fiction, The Blair Witch Project, Capturing the Friedmans, Memento, Oldboy, Steve Balderson's Firecracker, and Girlfriend in a Kimono.

Jury members have included Lou Reed, actress Dame Judi Dench, 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.

Prestigious awards at the festival include Best International Feature and Short, Best UK Feature and Short, Best Documentary Feature, and the Tiscali Short Film Award.

Raindance is also the founder of the British Independent Film Awards.

rain dance
i. a fertile place
ii. a place of celebration and pleasure
iii. a forum where brave and aspiring filmmakers can meet
iv. a place to learn your craft and show your work to your peers
v. a tournament held on every full moon, where aspiring artists compete to win prizes, favour, fame and fortune...
"Most importantly, in a film industry that appears inaccessible to everybody who is not part of a pre-approved UKFC private member's club, Raindance inspires original voices from a great variety of backgrounds."
"Short Films have had a recent resurgence thanks in no small part to festivals and screenings like Raindance”
Danny Edwards
[Editor – Shots]

Official Website: http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/raindance-independent-film-festival