It’s that time of year again and #LIFF2021 is heading back into venues and also making lots of films available to watch online. Earlier this week committee members Bill Walton and Andy Smith attended the launch of the festival and share their first impressions.

For me one of the delights of the Leeds International Film Festival has been settling into the comfy seats of the Hyde Park Picture House, and watching several films in a row. A pleasure deferred until November next year…

This year we had the usual LIFF launch, with a breathless back to back screening of many short trailers for 55 minutes. This approach does give an impression of the variety of films on offer but is not ideal for decision-making. However I came away with a few clues:

• a number of interesting Japanese films, including Seven Samurai (1954)
• films about the impact of the climate crisis, Dear Future Children (2021) and The Ants and the Grasshopper (2021)
• No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics (2021)
• The Hand of God (2021) directed by Paolo Sorrentino
• Compartment no. 6 (2021) about two travellers on a Russian train.

But this is just scratching the surface. I haven’t had time yet to delve into the printed programme yet, so these impressions are very much subject to change. I suggest that you have a look for yourself!

Bill Walton

I always look forward to the LIFF preview so after missing last year it was with a sense of anticipation that I went along to the Vue on Wednesday especially as the venue was bragging about their new seats….I could have happily watched more trailers [and you now can – see below] but was glad that the screening was only 55 minutes as I could not have slouched in those seats for any longer despite having fiddled with the adjustment throughout, there was not a comfortable setting for a back now in its 7th decade….

It was a whirlwind of trailers….

I picked out the same ones as Bill plus:

• The Justice of Bunny King
• Power of the Dog
• The Exam
• Lamb – looked very interesting but possibly a bit too surreal for me

Our task is now to go through the brochure and working out which films and venues align with work and other commitments with the backstop of the Leeds Film Player [the clashfinder can help with this]

Andy Smith

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The festival guides are available from Vue Leeds in The Light, Leeds Town Hall now and more sites around Leeds and Yorkshire soon. For a guide in the post, email your details to leeds.film@leeds.gov.uk.

A PDF version is available online and tickets and passes are on sale now.

A number of festival fans have also put together some things that may help you plan your festival.

• Clashfinder – see what films are on at the same time, highlight your choices, export to your calendars
• The Films of #LIFF2021 – a Letterboxd list of most of the films showing at the festival
• Online films at #LIFF2021 – a Letterboxd lists of most of the films available on the Leeds Film Player during the festival
• LIFF2021 Trailers – a YouTube playlist of 80+ trailers for films at the festival