London SadFest is a unique film festival that celebrates and explores the world of sad films and sad culture.
We are holding a special one day pop-up event inspired by all the sadness around Brexit.
This is *NOT* about the horrible politics of Brexit, rather it is about THE SADNESS OF IT ALL...
There is so much sadness around Brexit for all sorts of reasons. Approximately half the country feels extremely sad at the prospect of leaving the EU. Many families and individuals that came to the UK from the EU have had to make tough decisions they never thought they would have to face. Even some people who voted for Brexit in the referendum are desperately unhappy about the way the process has played out.
Festival organiser Steve Todd says, "this is a one day festival for anybody who feels sad about Brexit, for whatever reason, and wants to see some great sad European films. We’ve also got a wonderful performance lineup of talks, sad music, poetry and songs, all of which will be free-of-charge. This isn’t about the boring politics - it’s about the sadness of it all. This is a day where you can come and cry your heart out about Brexit with like-minded souls!”
Aren’t people sad enough about Brexit already? Yes they are, but they have no way to express it or share it. The news is full of the angry voices and the politics, but what are people supposed to do with their more tender and vulnerable emotions in this face of this cacophony? This day is about catharsis and sharing a sense of community with others who feel the same sadness, the same pain. In short, a mass lamentation for the sadness of Brexit.
"We seem to be scared of sadness as a society, we're always running away from it. I think we need to stop running and instead face up to and even embrace sadness. It's a big part of being human and I think it's at the heart of compassion.", says Steve Todd.
The organisers think so, "we're hoping the talks and Q&A after the screenings as well as the after show-events will really create a strong feeling of coming together as festival community. The celebration aspect is just as important as the sadness."
The festival runs from 10am to 6pm Saturday 16th March, showing three sad European films. There will also be a completely free live pefromance track in the bar area running throughout the dat.
We’ve chosen three brilliant European films which all echo aspects of the Brexit tragedy.
11am Journey to Italy (Il viaggio in Italia, 1957) directed by Roberto Rossellini and starring Ingrid Bergman, charts the relationship breakdown of a married English couple on a trip to Italy..The film has been hailed as the inspiration for the French New Wave films. The New Yorker called it “One of the most quietly revolutionary works in the history of cinema.”
1pm The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (Moartea domnului Lăzărescu, 2005) directed by Cristi Puiu. The film follows Mr. Lazarescu’s tragicomic fate, after he is stricken with a mysterious illness and is shunted from one hospital to the next as the doctors refuse to treat him as time is running out. The film earned a coveted 4 star review from Roger Ebert and was named the fifth "Best Film of the 21st Century So Far" in 2017 by The New York Times.
4pm The Umbrellas of Cherbourg(Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, 1964) written and directed by Jacques Demy and starring Catherine Deneuve. This romantic musical, shot in intensely vivid colour, tells the tale of young love interrupted by events on the global stage and diverted by practical choices. The ensuing sadness of the loss of what could have been is truly heart wrenching. The film won the Palme d'Or at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival.
Every ticket sold will also include a donation to the Samaritans charity to support their amazing work.
