Satires, dramas and world classics among brilliant films at Leeds International Film Festival
Leeds' vibrant cultural scene always has plenty on offer for locals and visitors, with concerts, festivals and more on offer in the city.
This November, the Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) is taking place here in the city and it really does have some fantastic stuff on offer for dedicated film fans, or for those interested in widening their knowledge of world film. From France to Japan, there are films from all corners of the world represented there.
I took a trip into Leeds to see what the festival had on offer, sitting down in a comfy seat in the Everyman Cinema, Trinity, to watch a showing of the 1962 Mexican classic 'The Exterminating Angel', along with the 2006 short film 'Century City'.
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The short film kicked things off in my showing, with a narrative focused on a circular conversation between a Cape Town Detective and an American Film Director, about the murder of his daughter. Directed by Leeds-man Stuart Croft, who passed away in 2015, this is an excellent chance to view work by someone from the city itself on the big screen, as many of his other films are set to be seen at different showings at the festival.
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As for the feature film, 'The Exterminating Angel', this film, directed by the fantastic Luis Buñuel, focuses on a large group of rich socialites who, after attending a dinner party at a friend's estate, become strangely unable to leave. Quickly, the group turn on each other, with their true natures revealed as the pleasantries and pretenses are stripped away.
Buñuel has his roots in the early surrealist movement, collaborating with the famous Salvador Dali in the creating of the film Un Chien Andalou in 1929 in his native Spain. During the 1930s, the Spanish Civil War broke out, and Buñuel worked extensively for the legitimate Spanish government.
However, the Spanish Republic was defeated in the Civil War, as Nationalist forces under the command of General Francisco Franco established a fascist dictatorship, with the assistance of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, and with the ambivalence of the UK, France and the United States.
After the end of the Second World War, Spain remained a dictatorship and the regime lasted until Franco's death in 1975, and the subsequent transition to democracy. As a result, Buñuel moved abroad, and settled in Mexico, gaining Mexican citizenship.
It is there that he made The Exterminating Angel, a movie which satirises the rich and powerful bourgeoisie. The film remains highly charged to this day and takes on class conflict, the aristocracy and the church, three subjects Buñuel continued to tackle throughout his career.
Over the years the film has been subject to the interpretations and analysis of generations of film critics, with some pointing towards the film being an analogy for fascist Spain, and others for the class conflict inherent to capitalism itself. Each of these subjects are tackled in the film, making for a decisively fascinating watch, which is also enrapturing as the film is funny, thought provoking and entertaining in equal measure.
This is only one film LIFF has to offer, and there is so much more to discover at the festival. Jean-Pierre Melville's 1967 film Le Samouraï, starring the recently deceased Alain Delon, is on show alongside another Stuart Croft film, Hit.
There are also more recent films on offer, such as the British film Witches (2024), directed by Elizabeth Sankey (Romantic Comedy, 2019), or Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, 1997) and his new film Cloud (2024).
With so much on offer, and showings in various cinemas around Leeds, there really is no better time to experience some of these films. The festival is running from November 1 all the way until November 17, so there is plenty of time to find a showing you want to see.
With the foreign language films subtitled in English, this is a great opportunity to watch some real classics, as well as some brand new films, from around the world. The biggest film festival in England outside of London, LIFF has so much to offer everyone.
You can see the festival schedule, and buy tickets, from this link here.
To find out the latest event news in our city you can visit our Best in Leeds homepage. There you will also find a guide to great things to do in Leeds. Stuck at home and wishing you were there? Download your favourite artists from Amazon and Apple music.
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