The Marbella International Film Festival

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The playground of the rich and famous gears up for
The Marbella International Film Festival

Budding actors, film makers and celebrities arrive this week in Europe’s capital of all things glamorous to celebrate the Marbella International Film Festival taking place between the 1st - 4th October.

Separated into shorts, features, documentaries and animations, entries have come in from Europe, Canada, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia thus attracting a high level of international media coverage. Screenings include, Academy Award Nominees, ‘Ruby Blue’ in which British actor Bob Hoskins is wrongly accused of indecent proposal and ‘The Morse Collectors’, set in Ireland during the Second World War where two children are forced to walk a fine line between responsibility and childhood fantasy.

Other films include Russian Director Anton Barshhervsky’s interpretation of the struggle of love between a German soldier and a Jewish girl in Heavy Sands. Canadian Director, Daniel Wilson tells a chilling story of seven friends on vacation who start to disappear one by one in, The Long Weekend. The Marbella International Film Festival is delighted to be screening three films created by the critically acclaimed Japanese Director, Hiroshi Toda. Mr Toda’s films to be featured this year include, ‘Memory of September’, ‘Summer Trip’ and ‘Sky in December’. Spanish filmmakers have contributed to some of the most outstanding shorts to be featured this year. Among them include Martin Crespo’s Volver a Verte about two young girls who fall in love and are forced down very different paths in their adult life. Other Spanish entries include, ‘En El Appartmanto’ and ‘The Deal’.

Must mention submits include animation, ‘Leonardo’ from Oscar nominated director Jim Capobianco, writer and animator of films such as Finding Nemo and Ratatouille which tells the tale of Leonado Da Vinci’s dream of flight and Banksy’s Coming for Dinner from Ian Massow featuring Joan Collins, Tamara Beckwith and Stephen K Amos.

Marbella is patron to young talent, encouraging the community to get involved in this exciting star studded event. Kicking off this year’s festival is a 24 hour film challenge whereby each candidate is given the same brief to produce 4 ½ minutes worth of footage in 24 hours on a theme chosen by a film industry guest panel. The winner will not only receive post production facilities from, ‘Big Buoy’, one of the best known production houses in Europe, but the winning film will also be taken to major film festivals around the globe including Cannes.

This year, we are delighted to welcome Mr William Shatner as our special festival guest. The legendary actor, who has over 50 years in the entertainment industry will formally open the 2009 festival with the red carpet European premier of his latest film, ‘Gonzo Ballet’ on Thursday 1st October. The premier will be followed by a William Shatner dinner at Novelli’s with live entertainment from Tres Divo, Christina Novelli and Mayte.

Diners at Novelli’s will also be treated to performances from Spanish opera sensation Antonio Torres Baritono from 11.00pm on Friday 2nd October with an after party at TIBU lounge for film festival VIPs. On Saturday, the cast of new West End musical, ‘The Happy Hooker’, will perform a snapshot of Xaviera Hollander’s book about her frank and informative account as an influential madam in New York throughout the 60s and early 70s with an after party at Pangea, Puerto Banus.

Cines Gran Marbella in Puerto Banus is the location to screen the global collection of films while the Festival Village located between the cinema and Marina Banus will feature live entertainment from local artists, dance schools and UK theatre sensations throughout the event. The area around the stage will be filled with pavillons sponsored by Arte de Marbella. Sisu Boutique Hotel, formally Hotel Lorcrimar official home to the Marbella International Film Festival will also hold networking lunches and inspirational workshops including a presentation by the Marbella Films Commissions, a Director’s Q & A and a Producer’s master class.

The festival will close with an awards ceremony and Gala Dinner at Novelli’s on Sunday 4th October which will see idols of stage and screen award up and coming talents of today’s industry. A Jean-Christophe Novelli creation will be followed by stunning performances from Ruth Lorenzo and Laura White.

Europe’s answer to Hollywood closes in on the film maker’s industry gap as the Marbella International Film Festival takes this year’s festivities to new heights and helps Marbella regain its red carpet crown.