Coming soon: UK-wide celebration of Roald Dahl on Film

For immediate release: 31 May, 2016 (download)

Coming soon: UK-wide celebration of Roald Dahl on Film

Film Hub Wales and Chapter launch a major season of film across 49 unique locations this summer

Fans of all ages will be able to relive their most magical memories this year, as Roald Dahl’s films are brought to life on the big screen.

To celebrate Roald Dahl 100 – the centenary year of Roald Dahl’s birth, Film Hub Wales and Chapter as Film Hub Lead Organisation, have developed a family-friendly film programme that will celebrate the world’s number one storyteller, who was born in Cardiff in 1916.

The season launch coincides with the release of Entertainment One’s The BFG, in July, and culminates on Roald Dahl Day on the 13th September – 100 years since Dahl’s birth.

The programme will appeal to audiences of all ages, featuring his best-loved classics like James and the Giant Peach FAN BFI a Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. There will also be lesser-known screenplays such as the cult classic Gremlins, which was inspired by Gremlin Gus and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which will give us a chance to relive one of our scariest childhood moments with the ‘child catcher’, the character Roald Dahl added into Ian Fleming’s original story.

Venues across Wales and the UK are promising to put on far from average events, with plans for everything from interactive ‘Scratch ‘n’ Sniff’ screenings of Matilda to celebrate the film’s 20th year anniversary, to thrilling immersive cinema experiences and workshops for the family. The season also promises to cater to an adult audience, with films such as Night Digger and episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which captivated us when we really should have been in bed.
Hana Lewis of Film Hub Wales, said:

“We are extremely proud to be leading the UK’s national celebration of Roald Dahl on Film and look forward to working with our partners across all nine BFI Film Audience Network regions.”

“We were all inevitably inspired by Roald Dahl as children and as we grow into adults, his stories remain with us. The season will offer a rare opportunity for parents to enjoy his films together with their children, on the big screen.

“Venues have some exceptional ideas in store to entertain audiences, from outdoor events, to creative workshops and darker tales for the grown-ups. We’ll be announcing the full listings in the coming weeks.”

John Collins, Brand Marketing Director at The Roald Dahl Literary Estate, said:

“Roald Dahl had an incredible talent for creating stories and characters that not only leap off the page, but leap too onto the big screen so naturally and so memorably. We’re delighted that Film Hub Wales and Chapter are celebrating these amazing movies through Roald Dahl on Film during his centenary year.”

Ben Luxford, the BFI’s Head of UK-wide Audiences, said

“Roald Dahl’s stories have inspired generations of young people and have become part of our film heritage. Enabling the BFI Film Audience Network to bring these classic stories to new and familiar audiences reflects our aims to give audiences everywhere the opportunity to enjoy and experience a wide range of films including family titles.”

The project is taking place with the support of the BFI (British Film Institute), which has awarded National Lottery funding, and in collaboration with the Roald Dahl Estate, which is marking the centenary with the Roald Dahl 100, a year packed full of exciting surprises and treats.

The season will involve 21 cinemas and 49 unique locations across the UK, projecting a total of 263 screenings in the three-month period. Many more cinemas will get involved and benefit from resources created through the project.

To find out what’s on in your area and how to buy tickets, visit: www.filmhubwales.org/roalddahlonfilm

Participating venues:

 

For more information please contact Kate Mann or Hollie Jones on 02902 789321 or email kate@wearecowshed.co.uk / hollie@wearecowshed.co.uk

Join the conversation at #RoaldDahlonFilm

ABOUT FILM HUB WALES:
Canolfan Ffilm Cymru aims to bring more films, to more people, in more places around Wales. Along with its independent member venues, FHW regularly develops inventive ways for people in Wales to go to the cinema.

Film Hub Wales (FHW) is one of nine UK wide ‘hubs’ funded by the BFI (British Film Institute) to form the Film Audience Network (FAN), with Chapter appointed as the Film Hub Lead Organisation (FHLO) in Wales. We aim to develop the exhibition sector through dedicated research, training and audience development project support. Since Film Hub Wales set up in 2013, we’ve supported over ninety exciting cinema brosiectau, reaching over 100,000 audience members.

In partnership with our member cinemas, arts centres, community venues, societies, festivals and wider film practitioners, FHW aims to celebrate and support the vibrant cultural film sector here in Wales, working together to expand and increase choice for audiences, regardless of where they live.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FilmHubWales
Facebook: www.facebook.com/filmhubwales

Film Hub Wales contacts:
Hana Lewis, Rheolwr Strategol y Ganolfan, on 02920 353 740 hana@filmhubwales.org neu
Lisa Nesbitt, Swyddog Datblygu / 02920 311 067 lisa@filmhubwales.org

ABOUT THE BFI:
The BFI is the lead organisation for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:

Mae’r BFI yn gorff hyd braich y Llywodraeth ac yn dosbarthu arian y Loteri ar gyfer ffilm. Mae’r BFI yn gwasanaethu rôl gyhoeddus sy’n ymdrin ag agweddau diwylliannol, creadigol ac economaidd ffilm yn y DU. Mae’n cyflawni’r rôl hon:

Wedi'i sefydlu ym 1933, mae'r BFI yn elusen gofrestredig a lywodraethir gan Siarter Frenhinol.

The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE.

ABOUT THE BFI FILM AUDIENCE NETWORK:
The BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) is a ground-breaking initiative that gives audiences across the UK the opportunity to see a diverse range of films in a cinema setting. For filmmakers, getting films onto cinema screens is a highly competitive business, particularly for specialised films which includes archive, documentary, independent and foreign language films. The BFI FAN aims to change this.

With £8.7 million of Lottery funding over four years (2013-2017) the BFI FAN works with cinema exhibitors, film festivals, educators, film societies, community venues, film archives and other organisations in their regions or nations to boost audiences for film across the UK.

The film hub partners which drive audience engagement across the UK comprise:  Broadway Cinema Nottingham and Cambridge Film Trust; Chapter, Cardiff; HOME, Manchester; Film London; Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast; Regional Screen Scotland; the University of Brighton; Showroom Sheffield and National Media Museum, Bradford; and Watershed, Bristol.

Am Chapter
A multi-platform venue that presents and produces international art, live performance and film from around the world alongside a social space that welcomes over 800,000 visitors each year. Chapter is a dynamic cultural and community venue with 2 cinemas, theatres, exhibition spaces, a cafe/bar, 60 resident companies in cultural workspaces and rooms for hire for 200 community and cultural groups. In relation to film, Chapter remains the only cultural centre in Wales with a full-time commitments to cultural film programming, two screens, educations programme, Europa Cinema support and access to high-definition digital projection.

Website: www.chapter.org
Twitter: www.twitter.com/chaptertweets

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