Cutting some rug on the cutting room floor

Not content with projecting moving images onto every single flat surface in Glasgow, this year the festival promises to infiltrate the underbelly of the town, with events taking place in the Sub Club and The Arches.

Feature by Chris Duncan | 11 Feb 2009

Glasgow's fifth annual film festival promises to spread itself over every cinema, arthouse and multiplex in the city. Not content with projecting moving images onto every single flat surface in Glasgow, this year the festival promises to infiltrate the underbelly of the town, with events taking place in the Sub Club and The Arches.

Return to Mono, Subculture and Optimo will all host short film screenings as well as inviting visual artists to create installations to go alongside the usual musical journeys. Underground music veterans Slam host Return to Mono as usual and on Feb 13 invite local video artist and lighting designer Scott McDonald to dress up the Subby with his unique visuals.

Subculture opens its doors on 14 Feb with a DJ set from the Godfather of House that is Harri. Following Harri is a very special guest slot from Hacienda DJ Greg Wilson, all set against the backdrop of the well known visual art installations of Pointless Creations.

15 Feb is the closing night of the Short Films Festival and Optimo see off this year in style with a David Lynch themed evening. One section of the club will be cut off with Twin Peaks style red drapes and a screen showing Lynch's short films throughout the night. Music will be provided by resident JD Twitch and JG Wilkes, along with guests Jackmaster and Desmond and the Tutus. The David Lynch room will show the films Six Men Getting Sick, The Alphabet, The Grandmother, both versions of The Amputee, The Cowboy and the Frenchman, and finally Premonitions Following An Evil Deed. Elsewhere in the club the team at Magic Lantern will present the French films Un Chien Andalou, L'Etoile de Mer and Entr'acte. German offering Ghosts Before Breakfast and the Irish short simply entitled Film will also make an appearance. All this alongside art installations and projections onto the dancefloor roof, expect a very surreal and unforgettable experience.

Through at The Arches various events are taking place throughout the festival. Monthly super club Death Disco gets its glad rags on and gets truly tarted up in the form extra visuals from Pointless Creations. Taking place on 21 Feb it also features guest performances from Brodinski, Jokers of the Scene and The Filthy Dukes, who are performing live in The Playroom.

Before Death Disco arrives there is a screening of Who Killed Nancy? and a short film entitled I Love You More. Who Killed Nancy? is a documentary focusing on Sex Pistol's bassist Sid Vicious and the circumstances surrounding his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen's death. The film is preceded by the fifteen minute short film I Love You More, a tale of two teenagers drawn together by the Buzzcock's single of the same name during the summer of '78.

On 20 Feb, Numbers hijack The Arches to present their good friends and exceptional music talent Modeselektor. The Berlin based duo are considered to be true trailblazers within the electronic music scene and recently supported Radiohead on their international tour. Visuals come from Retina Glitch and the Berlin VJ collective Pfadfinderei.

Earlier in the evening local boys Union of Knives perform live to what will almost certainly be a sell out crowd. The three piece have enjoyed great sucess following the release of their debut album, Violence and Birdsong, the band are just about ready to reveal their second album to fans. The show promises to be an intimate affair and, like all live music shows taking part during the film festival, will be accompanied by visuals.

Last, but by no means least, comes SHHHH! An Evening Of (Not So) Silent Movies on 22 Feb. Rounding off the music programme of the Glasgow Film Festival, The Arches will be transformed into a 1920's cinema for the evening, complete with themed decor and ushers selling popcorn. There will also be a troupe of burlesque performers, which may break away from the 1920's theme but who are we to argue? The aim of the night is to explore the link between live music and cinema, with musicians given free reign to come up with an original piece of music to accompany a piece of film. A lot of scope for some imagination at what is sure to be an unforgettable event. Guests confirmed so far include My Latest Novel, Remember Remember, Zoey Van Goey and Dolby Anol. More guests are set to be announced within the coming weeks to add the finishing touches to this interesting event.

http://www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk