“The Screaming Skull” has not only been officially selected for screening at the 17th ‘Raindance Film Festival‘ London but has also been nominated for Best UK Short 2009.
“Record breaking crowds, sold out screenings, live music, loud raucous parties and great films. This is what an independent film festival should be. Raindance has become what Sundance used to be fifteen years ago.”
Raindance is the UK’s leading independent film festival and each year more and more films achieve success after Raindance screenings. Recent triumphs include IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS (Independent Spirit Award-winner, 2009), TOYLAND (Oscar-winner, Best Short 2009) and ONCE (Oscar-winner, Best Song, 2008).
“Over the years, the festival has hosted such guests and filmmakers as Christopher Nolan, Shane Meadows, Ken Loach, Marky Ramone, Iggy Pop, Anton Corbijn, Mick Jones, Andrea Arnold, Adam Yauch, Quentin Tarantino, Faye Dunaway and Lou Reed.
But we’re here for the little guys too. Our big-name successes ensure that attention is on the whole programme. Everyone’s looking for the next big indie hit. Our audience of film fans, journalists, acquisition executives, actors, producers and directors know that a screening at the Raindance Film Festival is a sign of quality.”
This is the first time that the film has been screened in an official capacity in the capital, following its warm enthusiastic reception when screened in Manhattan in June as part of the ‘Fangoria Weekend of Horrors‘. Director Ashley Thorpe has high hopes for the screening – “In the light of all the – wonderful – exposure ‘Scayrecrow’ has received recently, its eerie cousin has been somewhat relegated to the shadows a little. It’s a very different animal: its purposely slower paced, funereal almost and has that long POV sequence that borders on abstraction, so I’m personally thrilled that ‘Screaming Skull’ is garnering interest and finding its audience…and its inclusion in Raindance this year, and of course the nomination for best UK short, is just beautiful. I am absolutely thrilled.” – Ashley Thorpe
Ashley Thorpe - on set 'The Screaming Skull' 2008.
A brief history of Raindance (taken from www.raindance.co.uk) : – Raindance founder, Elliot Grove, found himself at odds after crashing out of the London property market in the 1990 recession. After two years of thumb-twiddling, his neighbour, a part-time farmer, reminded him of his roots and said: “As long as you are feeling sorry for yourself, no doctor in the world can cure you.” Thus, Raindance was born, with Elliot casting back to his long exprience as a sceneic artist and set designer on some 700+ projects, his inherent Canadian organisational ability, and good, old-fashioned PMA (Positive Mental Attitude).
The first Raindance event was a Dov S-S Simens class in early April, 1992 – on the weekend before the last general election that John Major won. A few months later, with friends of Raindance making movies, Elliot launched the festival in the heart of London, during the pre-MIFED week mid-October. With MIFED long gone, it’s hard to remember that during the first 9 years of the festival over 1,000 international acqusision executives attended the festival each October. During that period, over 63% of the films screened at Raindance found an international distributor. MIFED died a death post 9/11, and the festival has developed from a trade and industry event into a bell-weather festival.
UPDATE: ‘The Screaming skull‘ will be screened on Thursday 8th October ( which commences at 16:45pm) at the Apollo West End Cinema, Lower Regent street, London.
Click here for Raindance page and trailer.
SCREENING AT SPACEX GALLERY
‘The Screaming Skull‘ has also been selected to be screened as part of the Open Film Screening Night at the Spacex Gallery in Exeter, Devon. The event is due to be held on Thursday 3rd September, with all screenings commencing at 7pm. For more details, and bookings, please contact the gallery on 01392 431 786 or email mail@spacex.org.uk.
Spacex is a public-funded contemporary art space and registered educational charity. It works to encourage public engagement with the latest developments in contemporary art through commissioned projects, exhibitions, events, talks and activities for all ages. Spacex became a registered charity in the early 1990s and is now recognised by Arts Council England as one of the UK’s leading international contemporary art spaces. Spacex presents the work of emerging artists as well as those who are internationally renowned. Spacex has presented exhibitions at the last three Liverpool Biennials, including He Yun Chang this Autumn.
Spacex was established in 1978, in a 19th century warehouse building between Exeter High Street and Quayside, extending the SPACE philosophy of artist-led studios and exhibitions initiatives for the first time beyond London. Supported by Arts Council England, Exeter City Council and Devon County Council.