Last night we celebrated the return of KIFF – an international film festival in Kingston-Upon Thames that has a laser focus on creating opportunities for independent film makers.
Local voices and leading figures in the British film industry came together, including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Director and Festival Patron Mike Newell, to launch the three-day programme of special events, screenings and awards.
The Festival founders also announced a newly established Association of Independent Film Festivals. The body, comprising 10 festival partners including KIFF, aims to promote best practice for film festivals and offer protections to young talent that submit their films.
Christopher Haydon, artistic director at The Rose theatre in Kingston, highlighted at the launch the vital importance of festivals in developing emerging talent, he said “Festivals such as KIFF are the first opportunity that many filmmakers have to get audiences to interact with their work, therefore they are crucial for the development of talent.” He added that Kingston hasn’t had the cultural representation people might expect, and therefore Festivals such as these aren’t just important for the future of the industry but for the future identity of towns and cities, too.
