The Dodge Brothers and Neil Brand at BIFF 2012
11 January 2012
The Dodge Brothers, cinema fans' favourite country blues, rockabilly and skiffle playing four-piece have been announced as one of the special event headliners at this year's Bradford International Film Festival in Partnership with Virgin Media, which runs from 19 - 29 April.
They will be joined on stage by one of the world's best known silent-film accompanists, Neil Brand, to provide a live soundtrack for the classic silent film Beggars of Life (1928).
Passes are set to go on sale on 16 January for the 18th edition of the Festival – a highlight of the annual film calendar, organised and hosted by the National Media Museum in Bradford.
BIFF co-director Tom Vincent said:
"BIFF has a long and much-enjoyed tradition of including live music as part of our annual celebration of cinema, and over the years audiences' enthusiasm for these shows has grown and grown. We're very excited to up the scale of these events in BIFF 2012 with the long-awaited first ever gig in the North of the country by The Dodge Brothers, plus the UK's foremost piano accompanist Neil Brand."
The Dodge Brothers will be playing guitars, harmonica, banjo, double bass and a washboard, with Brand on piano, in the National Media Museum's renowned Pictureville cinema on 21 April.
Neil Brand is a celebrated silent film accompanist and composer who regularly performs to screenings at London's BFI South Bank (formerly the National Film Theatre).
The Dodge Brothers features Mike Hammond (lead guitar, lead vocals, banjo), Mark Kermode (bass, harmonica, vocals), Aly Hirji (rhythm guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Alex Hammond (washboard, snare drum, percussion). Their music has an authentically American tang – lead guitarist/vocalist Mike Hammond was raised in Alabama, USA – but with a strong British perspective from Culture Show presenter and film critic Mark Kermode.
Other highlights for BIFF 2012 include a brand new European Features competition as well as regular programme strands - the Shine Short Film competition, Widescreen Weekend and Uncharted States of America.
In addition to screening classic large format films, Widescreen Weekend will celebrate the 60th birthday of Cinerama – this unique three-projector system demonstrated the world's first widescreen films when unveiled in 1952. The National Media Museum's Pictureville Cinema is now the only public cinema in Europe to have a Cinerama screen.
Details of further special events, star guests and an incredible variety of films will be revealed in the coming weeks. Individual tickets are due to go on sale in March.
Festival passes (£65, £60 concessions) and tickets for Beggars of Life + The Dodge Bros and Neil Brand (£16, no concessions) will be available from 16 January from www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/biff , or the National Media Museum box office: 0844 856 3797.
ENDS
For further details please go to www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/biff National Media Museum Box Office: 0844 8563797
For press information and images please contact:
Phil Oates, Press Officer, National Media Museum phil.oates@nationalmediamuseum.org.uk 01274 203317
BIFF Title Sponsor: Virgin Media
BIFF Supporters: Northern Rail, Jurys Inn, Black Sheep Brewery, The David Lean Foundation.
Notes to Editors
About BIFF
It is the 18th Bradford International Film Festival at the National Media Museum, and the first to have Virgin Media as a title sponsor.
Since it began in 1995, Bradford International Film Festival has continued to be one of the outstanding events in the UK's film calendar. This year, the National Media Museum will again be joined by satellite venues throughout Bradford and Yorkshire. The National Media Museum is the hub of the festival, where its unique facilities make it possible to present films in every format from 16mm, 35mm and 70mm to 3-strip Cinerama and IMAX 3D.
Previous guests have included John Hurt, Imelda Staunton, Michael Palin, Virginia McKenna, Alan Bennett, Malcolm McDowell and Kenneth Branagh.
About Virgin Media
Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK.
The company delivers ultrafast broadband connections to over half of all UK homes, with speeds of up to 100Mb, and is expanding this cable network – the result of a multi-billion pound investment – to reach thousands more people across the country.
Virgin Media has developed the most advanced interactive television service, bringing together broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to millions of UK households.
Virgin Media also operates the most popular virtual mobile network in the UK which, when launched, was the world's first such mobile phone service. It is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.
Virgin Media Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market and the London Stock Exchange (VMED). For more information, go to www.virginmedia.com.
Virgin Media Shorts
About to enter its fifth year, Virgin Media Shorts has become the biggest short film competition in the UK, giving emerging British talent the best possible exposure for their work. Each year, 12 up-and-coming directors have their films showcased to millions of people across the country in cinemas nationwide (through the Picturehouse network and independent cinemas), on TV through Virgin Media's leading on demand platform and TiVo® Service, as well as via mobile and online.
Virgin Media Movies
Virgin Media boasts the best and widest collection of films of any TV provider in the UK. From 3D blockbusters and classic feature films, to Bollywood movies and short films – Virgin Media has over 1,000 movies available on demand at any one time, as well as a wide selection of film channels covering a variety of genres.
About Bradford, City of Film
In June 2009 Bradford became the world's first UNESCO City of Film. Bradford successfully bid for the title by showcasing its rich heritage in film production and its significant contribution to the film industry's technical development; its inspirational film locations and its diverse society; its celebration of film and commitment to sharing understanding and enjoyment of film through the National Media Museum and the City's annual film festivals.
The UNESCO designation recognises Bradford City of Film's aim to use the popularity and accessibility of film to all as a major tool for regeneration, cultural development and social inclusion.