Manchester International Film Festival (MANIFF) have announced a comprehensive line-up ahead of their citywide event which will begin in March 2016.
The festival will feature more than 90 films at HOME, the AMC and Odeon in the Printworks between March 3 and 6.
After its successful inaugural event in 2015, MANIFF have included new facets to their festival, including a themed day of sports films, an evening of music films, and a day dedicated to film’s inspiring women.
Neil Jeram-Croft, co-founder of MANIFF, told MM: “People can expect an exciting, diverse specturm of the best independent films from all over the world.
“There are just so many films to talk about. The opening film Dennis Viollet – A United Man obviously has a great link with the city with an international story to boot.
“We’ve got the UK première of Despite the Falling Snow staring Charles Dance and Rebecca Ferguson, based on the best selling novel and leading the line of of our Inspiring Women in Film programme.
“Plus we have a huge and diverse selection of amazing international features and shorts meaning there really is something for everyone.”
A few films to look out for:
HOME
Thursday March 3 – Opening
A Walk in Winter by Ryan Moody @ 7:00pm
James Franco features in this film adaptation (based on a short story by acclaimed author, Robert Boswell) as Conrad, who has returned to his hometown in the middle of winter to find out whether a corpse found nearby is his long-disappeared mother.
When he sees the remains, he is shocked into understanding the missing pieces of his early life.
I’m sorry to tell you by Ben Price @ 7:00pm
Coronation Street’s Ben Price has directed and written a film about a doctor who is anxious about delivering a cancer diagnosis to a patient. It features Corrie co-star Ian Puleston-Davies.
Dennis Viollet – A United Man by Rachel Viollet @ 7:00pm
This film will be an intimate portrait of the career and legacy of the late Busby babe, which is directed by his daughter.
It will feature commentary from footballing greats including Sir Alex Ferguson, Brian Robson, Dennis Law, Nobby Stiles, Wilf McGuinness, Paddy Crerand and Mike Summerbee.
AMC
Sunday March 6 – ‘Super Sport Sunday’
No Limits by Tim Hahne @ 12:00pm
Tim Hahne has directed a feature documentary on para-cyclist and ex-Formula 1 driver Alex Zanardi, who lost his legs in an almost fatal car crash in 2001.
It tells the story of how, despite losing his legs, he returned to racing less than two years after the accident to face able-bodied drivers.
Broke by Heath Davis @ 2:30pm
The festival will host the UK fiction première of Broke, the story of an Australian rugby league star who has fallen on difficult times because of a gambling addiction.
Dennis Rodman’s Big Bang in Pyongyang by Colin Offland @ 5:00pm
Manchester’s Colin Offland has directed a film with former professional basketball player Dennis Rodman.
After the 54-year-old forges an unlikely friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he tries to set up an historic basketball game between North Korea and the USA.
ODEON PRINTWORKS
Sunday 6 March – ‘Inspiring Women’
Despite the Falling Snow by Shamim Sarif @ 12:00pm
Despite the Falling Snow from British director Shamim Sarif stars Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid and Charles Dance.
A spy falls in love with an idealistic politician after stealing secrets from him during the Cold War in Moscow.
A Beautiful Now by Daniela Amavia @ 5:00pm
Starring Abigail Spencer, a disillusioned dancer is contemplating on life after reuniting with her friends, asking them to help her figure out the passions and relationships that have shaped who they are and their future prospects.
West of Redemption by Cornelia Moore @ 7:30pm
A romantic-thriller starring Billy Zane, West of Redemption is about the husband of a couple living in a remote farmhouse takes a stranger hostage and interrogates him.
For reasons that the stranger doesn’t readily understand.
