Day Six: Saturday 19th August

London to Brighton director makes a Freudian slip discussing his initial financing

by Chris Docker

"How did you fund the film?" The audience are listening to the struggles of an emerging director of gritty films with one ear, suddenly perking up when he says, "This man put some money in my shorts!"

"Errrm... that's not quite how it sounds," says flustered London to Brighton Director Paul Andrew Williams. He was referring to his previous short films, and the Cameo audience suppress their smiles of discomfort. He is dressed very casually, almost like one of the thugs in his movies. I ask him if he has ever met any dodgy characters - that he might have based his story on. He confesses to working in pubs and bars. When the audience realise he made his film with about £80,000 and friends cajoled into acting they probably forgive him any shortcomings in what is quite a polished movie.

The Filmhouse and Cameo Bars have a strange atmosphere just now. You can almost walk up to any stranger and start talking about movies. Anyone who wanders in with anything else in their head feels distinctly out of place. I have an intense discussion about last year's sci-fi hit Serenity and the true meaning of the word 'reavers'.

Tonight looks fun. Guest list for the EIFF Birthday Party includes many of the stars already seen about town, plus Sean Connery, Mike Leigh and Tilda Swinton, to name but a few. Our story about the US bias of the Festival movie Charlize Theron produced reached the Beeb. Come back Charlize! We love you! Really!

Till later...

Share this with others on...
News

Having the final say Sinéad O’Shea on Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story

Band of brothers Petra Seliškar on capturing a way of life in the Macedonian mountains

For all your supernatural elimination needs Interview with Claire Bueno about Cleanin' Up The Town: Remembering Ghostbusters and her book

Keeping the spaghetti flying Michelle Danner on family life, Ang Lee and making The Italians

Talking to strangers Tracie Laymon on laughing at pain together and Bob Trevino Likes It

Punching through the glass ceiling Chee Keong Cheung and Ioanna Karavela on new opportunities for Women In Action

More news and features

We're bringing you news, reviews and more from Visions du Réel and Fantaspoa.



We're looking forward to Queer East.



We've recently brought you coverage of the Overlook Film Festival, BFI Flare, the Glasgow Short Film Festival, South by Southwest, the Glasgow Film Festival, the Berlinale, Sundance, Palm Springs and DOC NYC.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

More competitions coming soon.