Bristol Festival Of Puppetry Highlights
Since its start in 2009, the Bristol Festival Of Puppetry has explored the relationship between puppetry on stage animation and puppetry. The programme has expanded over the years and this years Bristol Festival of Puppetry has over 100 artists performing, 50 live performances including world and UK premieres and a heap of free events and activities, Bristol Festival of Puppetry is a key event in the cultural diary that runs from 26 Aug – 06 Sep.
Such a bumper programme is no surprise for a festival based in a city with a thriving live puppetry scene and a reputation for world-class animation. For 2015, Bristol Festival of Puppetry is presenting an expanded film programme that showcases work featuring both world-renowned filmmakers such as The Quay Brothers and Barry Purves and the very best of the talent from the emerging generation.
This year’s festival and the film programme kicks off with The Quay Brothers Retrospective and In Conversation at Watershed 6pm Thursday 27 August. The work of The Quay Brothers is amongst the most unique and influential of stop-motion filmmakers in recent times. The Quays’s body of work includes commercial production, such as advertising and music videos. However, they are best known for their portfolio of independent artwork, including feature-length films, stop motion animated shorts, installations and theatrical design.
Influenced by the European avant-garde and drawing inspiration from literature and visual arts, their dream-like and abstract film-work features worlds that are more suggestive of highly stylised theatrical spaces than natural environments. With little or no dialogue in many of their films, greater emphasis is placed on sound and motion, with music as a root for both the piece and the process. As music guides artists and, later, audiences through the film so, the motion of the puppet speaks in the absence of sustained dialogue.
As well as the screening and in conversation event, The Quay Brothers have created a unique installation for the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge Control Room. Passersby will have the opportunity to peer through windows of this disused room, once a critical space in Bristol’s commercial shipping heyday, and discover a landscape upturned in a moment of convulsion.
As second in conversation event will also be held with Barry Purves. Barry Purves is a veteran stop-motion animator and celebrated filmmaker and 2015 marks his 36th year in the world of puppet animation. We are delighted to be hosting Barry Purves Retrospective and In Conversation at Watershed 6pm Saturday 29 August.
A key thematic that identifies much of Purves’s work is the theatrical treatment of his films and Like The Quay Brothers, Purves’s portfolio includes commercial work, for television (Wind in The Willows – 1990, Hamilton Mattress – 2002) and Hollywood (King Kong – 2005). However, it is his independent filmmaking that provides the greatest insight into the artist. In addition to the root subject matter often deriving form classical or long-established narratives: Greek tragedy (Achilles – 1995), Japanese folk story (Screen Play – 1992) his directorial style is faithful to a theatrical aesthetic. This allows his audiences to delight in a sense of the real world in miniature. Sets, costumes and theatrical devices are authentically reproduced with an exacting detail. This adherence to realism extends into the movement of the puppets. As an animator, Purves lends weight and plausibility to his characters via their naturalistic movement. Adult themes of lust, violence and violation take on startling gravity by consequence, as Purves flirts with our suspension of disbelief in a uniquely disquieting manner.
Barry Purves will also lead a masterclass in directing puppetry on film and animation on Sunday 30 August at Watershed.
As well as these two fantastic in conversation events their is a whole host of film screenings taking place during the festival. The film programme has been curated by Joseph Wallace who has created a programme that is rich not only in the reputation of filmmakers represented but also the scope and ingenuity of puppetry on film and animation. For this year’s festival he has put together two very special screenings that reflect his personal choices of films that showcase the unique storytelling qualities of puppetry and animation.
Puppets On Screen 1: Lightness 3pm Friday 28 August at Watershed
Puppets On Screen 2: Darkness 6pm Monday 31 August at Watershed
Both programmes explore a multitude of cinematic approaches to puppet-led storytelling through both stop-motion and live action puppetry. Contemporary filmmakers demonstrate puppets and animation are forms that allow for complex and nuanced storytelling on subjects that range from the light-hearted and comedic to the mysterious and emotional..
Working alongside Joseph Wallace this years festival film curator, Show Me The Animation are delighted to be presenting a special “New Visions” programme of films at the festival. New Visions is a platform for emerging talent from the UK. The 5 programmes showcase the best student puppetry from schools including National Film and Television School, Royal College of Art and University of the West of England. The New Visions film programme will run 7pm every evening from 28 August – 5 September at our special pop up cinema at Tobacco Factory Theatres. You can see the full listing for the New Visions Programme here: http://showmetheanimation.com/events/new-visions/
Other film programmes include, Handmade Puppet Dreams volume VI 6pm Sunday 30 August at Watershed a programme from Ibex Puppetry handpicked by Heather Henson, Creative Director, at Ibex Puppetry, Director of Orlando Puppet Festival and daughter of Muppets creator Jim Henson. For full list of film programmes visit the festival website: http://www.puppetplace.org/events/new-visions-film/
As well as the film events there is a programme of workshops in animation for all ages and skill levels, Punch& Judy at Watershed Cafe/Bar from Robert Styles and two very special performances from The Paper Cinema, who are reviving three of their early works especially for this year’s festival. Founded by Nicholas Rawling, with Imogen Charleston and Christopher Reed, The Paper Cinema has a worldwide reputation for their bespoke performances. Their shows are a unique blend of live animation and music and not to be missed. Also returning this year to kick off the festival is the popular BFP Carnival on North Street, 12pm Saturday 29th August where local Southville residents, school groups and general public can parade their giant puppet creations down the street. Tobacco Factory Market are also hosting Pupp Out the closing event of the festival where people can chill out, shop, eat, listen to music and be entertained by a host of puppetry personalities.
For more information on the festival visit: http://www.puppetplace.org/festival/?festival=main
