Ian McEwan and Irish cinema on display at the British Screens in Nîmes

Ian McEwan, écrivain et scénariste, invité du festival Ecrans britanniques. – Francesca Mantovani

The 27th edition of the British Screens festival will take place from March 8 to 17, at Sémaphore, Lycée Daudet and Carré d'art in Nîmes. 

This year, on the poster for the 27th British Screen Festival, in addition to the Union Jack, there are a few clover leaves floating. &quot ;Since 1977, our association has strived to raise awareness of British cinema, we have become the second most important after Dinard, the longest and the only one to subtitle its films", welcomes Bernard Raynaud, president of the association.

Ireland, "a scene of effervescence" 

The festival is now recognized, to the point that the team was contacted by the Irish Film Institute and Cultur Ireland to showcase their cinema. "It's a bustling scene, with young talents, who are trying to stand out", continues Bernard Raynaud. The festival will therefore reconcile the English and the Irish by screening a film concert around patriotic short films from the 1910s and four current films. Director Fintan Connoly will present Barber, screenwriter Elisabeth Gooch accompanies Lies We Tell, a session with the association L'arene of prides will take place around the documentary How to tell a secret and Typist artist pirate king rediscover the journey of the forgotten artist Audrey Amiss. < /p>

British Screens continues to explore the relationship between cinema and literature, delving into the theme "From the written word to the screen" by welcoming the writer Ian McEwan. His books have been transposed to the cinema, he himself has written adaptations and screenplays. In The Plowman's lunch, for which he wrote the original screenplay, addresses the liberalism and individualism of the Thatcher years. He also wrote The Good Son, an American thriller. The cycle also includes Atonement , inspired by a novel by Ian McEwan, The Children Act and On Chesil Beach  where he adapts his books.

Ian McEwan, from writing to screen

Retrospectives and tributes allow us to go back in history… "We are not only interested in black and white films evoking the misfortunes of the working class", jokes Bernard Reynaud. Time for the big show with the frescoes of David Lean, the director of Doctor Zhivago, of Lawrence of Arabia or River Kwai Bridge.

The festival will also pay a nod to Tom Wilkinson, a famous supporting role in British cinema who recently passed away with the essential The Full Monty and the jewel of black humor Dead in a week (on your money back). British Screens will also pay tribute to the memory of Terence Davies, guest of the 2009 edition who died last October, director of The Neon Bible to which Francis Rousselet, the founder of the festival, dedicated a book in 2012.

British cinema news

News in British cinema will be in the spotlight, with several previews, notably the opening black comedy The Trouble with Jessica, by James Handel and Matt Winn, which won the audience prize at the last Dinard festival. Also on view, A Resilient Man, portrait of prima ballerina Steven McRae, the historical film Firebrand by Karim Aïnouz, the strangeness of Enys Men by Mark Jenkin, director discovered several years ago years by the festival. 

Finally, the festival is already planning for the next edition which will explore the relations between the British crown and Jamaica, with Pressure, a film by ;#39;Horace Ové, who left his mark in 1975. 

From March 8 to 17. The sessions take place at the Sémaphore (usual prices, 6 € for members of the association, pass for 5 sessions 27.50 €), at the large auditorium of Carré d’art and at the Terrisse room at Daudet high school (free). The association is always looking for volunteers! Membership is 15 €, 8 € at a reduced rate. Full program www.ecransbritanniques.org