Film: Be Natural

Last night, film again - booked in advance though, because they were already selling out. It's part of the London Film Festival at the BFI - Be Natural is the story of Alice Guy - Blaché, the first female filmmaker, and is narrated by Jodie Foster.

It was on late, so I had plenty of time to get there - unfortunately, I just missed my bus, which took off as I was running for it! Never mind, I was early, so I did get there in time, in the end. Remembered, as I was queueing at the desk for my ticket, that all they need is your payment card, so had that ready - and despite being behind an elderly gent with a cane going up the stairs (well, he was doing a fair lick), I did make it before lights down. Which is more than the lady in front of me, who arrived late and - I guess it didn't suit her - left early.

Anyway, was I ever glad I went to this. It's an utterly fascinating story, and a pacey film, made by someone with an obvious passion for the subject. Jodie Foster is also an executive producer. As is Robert Redford. As was the late Hugh Hefner, apparently - seems he did a lot for women, behind the scenes!

It starts out with a voxpop from several celebrities in the film industry, confirming that they'd never heard of her. Then we launch into the absorbing story of a young lady in the late nineteenth century, growing up in Paris, who worked as a secretary for Gaumont, the famous photographer. Well, he got an invite to a premiere by the Lumière brothers of their new-fangled cinematograph; he brought her along, and.. it was love at first sight. He started a film company, in which she became a writer, producer, and director - the first woman ever to direct film. In short, she fell for someone else who worked for the company, married him, and they moved to the States, where they set up their own film studio.

In her time - as we learned in the Q+A afterwards with the director (writer/producer) of this film - she made in the order of 1000 films. When she died, she thought only three had survived - now they've found 132 or so. It is amazing to hear how she pioneered close-ups and colour tinting - she was the first to synchronise visuals and sound! Various people remarked how modern her films seem - the clips shown were certainly enjoyable. The title of this film stems from a big sign she kept in her studios, reminding actors to act naturally..

And yet. And yet she was completely forgotten. Her husband turned out to be a liability, losing a fortune in the stock market crash - the business ultimately went bankrupt. He moved out West - with many other filmmakers, driven out of the original centre of filmmaking in Fort Lee, New Jersey, by the greedy monopoly of Thomas Edison, who was charging everyone exorbitant licence fees to use his inventions. Hence the foundation of the film industry in California! For her part, she returned to France - where she was, predictably, ignored, and never made a film again.. In later years, she was written out of film histories, her films scandalously credited to others who had worked on them in a more minor capacity. Her films, however, influenced later filmmakers like Eisenstein and Hitchcock. 

On top of educating us about a forgotten - and important - part of film history, the film is a terrific detective story, considering there was so little available information about her! The filmmakers go in search of her family, with hilarious conference calls where they try to piece together who's who in old photos. Then there's the digging out of old film stock - which they have to go around the houses just to be able to view! Absolutely enthralling stuff - recommended to all. The Q+A afterwards was illuminating - it started with an archivist, who praised her on account of the sheer amount of work that he confirmed it takes to do these things. And it ended with an irate older man, complaining that organisations like the BFI don't do enough to make these old archives available to the public. Well, as she said, it all comes down to money - these things are expensive.

For her part, she's still seeking distribution for this project, which was 10 years in the making. Showing again on the 21st in the Ciné Lumière - well worth a look.

No blogging last night - I wanted to be up early today to watch the royal wedding! Tonight, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, again. On Monday, back with North London Friends for The Wild Duck, by Ibsen, at the Almeida. I wasn't in time to get one of their tickets, so booked my own - what the hey. My last proper Meetup of the month..

On Tuesday, comedy with Ahir Shah at Soho Theatre.

On Wednesday, a real dose of nostalgia - Mayerling ballet, at the Opera House. My favourite ballet, this was also the last event we attended here with the Man with the Hat. And the second last event ever. At least it'll be less evocative since, for once, I'm sitting facing full-on! He always had us in the slips, so I haven't faced the Opera House stage since I started with his groups! I'd watch it blindfolded just to have him back again, though. We miss you, MwtH.

On Thursday - why, I'm off to Manchester. For U2, unsurprisingly. Yes, I get busier around now as they come around these parts. Taking the train that evening - it was the cheapest, and so much handier than having to make my way to and from airports and watch what I pack! I should arrive walking distance from my hotel, Roomzzz Corn Exchange, which itself is walking distance from the venue, the Manchester Arena. And right beside the shopping centre, apparently! That could be handy.. if only to buy provisions, as this is an aparthotel, so I can cater for myself.

The concerts themselves are next Friday and the 20th, and I'm expecting a more enthusiastic audience than my section last Monday! Really, who'd believe such apathy from a U2 crowd?! Ironically, the English concerts are the only ones whose tickets are being posted to me - and would you believe it, what with booking them in January and moving in June, I completely forgot to make the connection. So I forgot to update my address with Ticketmaster (TM). Just remembered recently, by which time it seems they'd already been posted. I've contacted my old flatmates, but the only response I got was from one who's also moved out - happily, TM says, if I contact them next week, they'll void the old tickets and issue new ones that I can pick up at the box office. There's always some palaver on a U2 tour, and this isn't the first time I've had to pick up my tickets in Manchester!! Outside of England, they're all e-tickets..

I take the train back on the 21st. Better not leave it too late, as I've actually booked for the Smithfield & Clerkenwell Walk: Guts & Glory, with Walking in London - but more specifically, with Katie of Look Up London! Excellent - I was booked for this in July, but she had to cancel. She's one of the best around. Should be close enough to me, too, and it doesn't start too early. And it being a Funzing event (like all of Walking in London's) I scoured my old Funzing discount codes, and discovered that Funzing_Fb20 seems to be working again - for all of them I've recently booked! So, a 20% discount - better than any recently offered on their Facebook page.

On the 22nd, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club for Buddha Babies, again at Soho Theatre. Naturally, not advertised on their Meetup group. I wonder whether that's now defunct, as they have advertised no upcoming events.

On the 23rd & 24th, I don't have to travel so far to see U2 - they're playing the O2 in London. These tickets, I got my address changed in time for, it seems - they're also being posted. Helen is going on the 23rd.. sat in the corporate box, poshly! Nah, I'd rather be closer and sweatier, thanks! I wonder how many of them stand during the show.. I am absolutely mithered with Twickets alerts for ticket offers for these shows!

The 25th is my colleague's last day before he quits for a new life in Stockholm - we're headed out that night. Amazing that I still had that day free when we arranged it!

On the 26th, I fly to Belfast. Yep, U2 again. Told ya. Staying in the Crescent Townhouse, walking distance from the SSE Arena, where the concerts take place on the 27th and 28th. On the 29th, I'm taking the train down to my mother for a week - makes more sense than jetting back and forth to her!

On the 5th, I'm back up to Dublin. U2 again, dont'cha know? Staying in the Clayton again, which is a hop, skip and jump from the 3Arena, where there are concerts on the 5th and 6th. Would you believe, not even I could swing a ticket for the 5th - well, I'll just rock up on the day, and hopefully I can get something at the box office. I have heard of such things happening. I've had stranger things happen!

On the 7th, I fly back to London (BA) - purely so I can work on the 8th, before flying back to Dublin that night! Was supposed to be Cityjet, but they've now ended their flight schedule after this month - so now I'm going Ryanair. Same hotel, same venue, same band - on the 9th and 10th. There's a free tour of Windmill Lane Studios on the 9th - open to U2 concert ticket holders only. Registration required. I fly back on the 11th, exhausted, and finished with U2 concerts for the year!

On the 12th of next month, I booked for Macbeth, at the Wanamaker Playhouse. And then Let's Do This finally posted that date for the Shirt Tail Stompers at Wilton's - well, I couldn't miss that! Eh, anyone want a spare ticket for Macbeth?

On the 13th, we have our monthly team outing - probably just the two of us, but hey.

On the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at last for Love Lies Bleeding, at the Print Room at the Coronet. Got my ticket from London Theatre Direct.

On the 15th, I'm going to try the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London again, so discounted again! Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.

On the 19th, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre.

On the 20th, back with UITCS for Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. Two long ones on this occasion - this is Programme Four: Moonlight & Night School.

On the 21st, back at last with The London Jazz Meetup, who are off to the London Jazz Festival for a concert by the Faraj Suleiman Quartet at King's Place. UK premiere, apparently!

On the 22nd, with UITCS at the Garrick for Don Quixote. The only cheap tickets left for this were terrible, so I went a bit upmarket. A bit - I'm still behind a pillar!

On the 23rd, I'm on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we get ghost-hunting equipment, which could make it interesting - I don't fancy the dowsing rods, myself, but we'll see. Walking in London, again. Discounted, again. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price.

On the 24th, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.

On the 25th, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.

On the 26th, I'm back with UITCS for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.

On the 27th, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.

On the 28th, I'm with Walking in London again (and the same discount) for the Haunted London Pub Tour.

On the 29th, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.

On the 3rd of December, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.

On the 4th, I'm off to the Bush, for Drip.

On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing). This is a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill.

The 6th could be interesting - Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. We shall see whether this event happens, I guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way.

On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!

On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.

On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, an afternoon of Sufi legend.

On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson!

And on the 11th of December, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!