Leeds International Film Festival 2019

With details of upcoming events as part of the Festival:

LIFF 2019: Portrait of a Lady on Fire          Céline Sciamma’s (Girlhood, Tomboy) mesmerising portrait of desire and the female gaze is one of the most acclaimed films of the year. In 18th century Brittany, young painter Marianne (Noémie Merlant), is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of reclusive Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) without her knowing. Under the guise of being a paid companion, Marianne can observe her model by day, whilst secretly painting her at night. Day by day an intimacy and attraction steadily grows between the two women as this exquisite tale of sexual awakening unfolds. Winner of the Queer Palm and Best Screenplay award at Cannes 2019. Watch the trailer Thu 14 November, 8.30pm. Hyde Park Picture House Sat 16 November, 8.15pm & Tues 19 November, 8.30pm. Victoria Hall, Leeds Town Hall Highlights and special events at LIFF 2019... LIFF 2019 festival passes: LIFF LITE & LIFF BUZZ With over one full week packed with incredible film events still to go at LIFF 2019, you'll get excellent value viewing with our festival passes. The LIFF LITE pass offers 6 tickets for £40 to all viewers, and those aged 25 and under can purchase a LIFF BUZZ pass, giving 10 films for just £30. Visit our ticket and passes page for more info. For those wanting to see 12 films or more, the LIFF Explorer Pass offers great value. LIFF 2019 Catalogue The LIFF 2019 catalogue will be available from Leeds Town Hall from Friday 15 November. The 236 page publication includes expanded information on all feature films in the LIFF 2019 programme, including directors' statements and details of all short films featured. The catalogue is free to LIFF Explorer Gold pass holders, and £3 to all other pass and ticket holders. This is a limited print run available while stocks last.   Helena Třeštíková retrospective: Forman vs Forman + Q&A LIFF presents a special retrospective of the extraordinary Czech documentary filmmaker, Helena Třeštíková who has pioneered a unique, long form approach to her subjects, nurturing close relationships over decades as their lives develop. We are screening six of her films including her latest, an intimate profile of the great director Milos Forman including a Q&A with Helena. Please note changes to the schedule of the retrospective. Watch the Forman vs Forman trailer Sat 16 Nov, 1pm. Everyman Cinema Leeds Short Film Awards: Short films from around the world  LIFF 2019's short film competitions begin today and we have a wide variety as always. The eight competition categories include International, Music Video, Queer, Screendance, British, World Animation, Yorkshire and our own Audience Award. LIFF is a qualifying event for shorts for the Oscars and BAFTAs and the programmes are filled with discoveries from all over the world and here in Yorkshire. Join for five days of screenings including our awards event on Sunday 17 November. Weds 13 - Sun 17 November. Various venues  Night of the Dead: Fanomenon's all-night horror marathon! LIFF's legendary Fanomenon all-night horror marathon returns to Hyde Park Picture House on Friday with another gloriously outrageous selection. There's the UK Premiere of Italian socio-political zombie film Go Home and Russian splatterpunk action comedy Why Don’t You Just Die? (individual tickets are available for both). Denise Richards stars in the unearthed gore cut of 90s treat Tammy & the T-Rex. Friday 15 November, 10pm. Hyde Park Picture House Sci-fi Day: Features and shorts in LIFF's new Fanomenon marathon Sci-fi Day brings together alternative reality films, all with the theme of being trapped. In Vivarium, Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg play a couple stuck in a neverending neighbourhood of identical houses. The Incredible Shrinking WKND takes the time-loop premise and adds an extra terrifying twist, and In Jesus Shows You The Way To The Highway, a CIA agent is trapped in a virtual world by a Russian computer virus.  Sat 16 November, from 2.15pm. Hyde Park Picture House Aquarela: a cinematic journey through the transformative beauty of water Filmed at a rare 96 frames-per-second, the film is a visceral wake-up call that humans are no match for the sheer force and capricious will of Earth's most precious element. From the precarious frozen waters of Russia's Lake Baikal to Miami in the throes of Hurricane Irma to Venezuela's mighty Angels Falls, water is Aquarela's main character, with director Victor Kossakovsky capturing its many personalities in startling visual detail. Watch the trailer Tues 19 November, 6.15pm & Thu 2 November, 3pm. Victoria Hall, Leeds Town Hall Other film events happening in Leeds and beyond... 2040: a positive look at earth's future It’s refreshing to see a new documentary about climate change that has a constructive and optimistic approach, showing things ordinary people can do that will make a real difference in the long run. Australian environmentalist Damon Gameau focuses on the potential of community projects and a gradual shift in public habits, imagining the great things that could happen by 2040, when his daughter will be a young woman. (Tickets | Trailer) Select screenings from Sat 16 November. Citywide. Screenings at Square Chapel, Halifax & Science and Media Museum, Bradford include director Q&As. The Irishman: Leeds screenings Following LIFF 2019's special preview of The Irishman at Leeds Town Hall, Martin Scorsese's crime saga opens for select screenings at cinemas including Everyman Leeds, Hebden Bridge Picture House, Hyde Park Picture House and Square Chapel, Halifax. Robert De Niro heads an incredible cast as Frank Sheeran, a World War II veteran who, now in his old age, recalls his past years working as a hitman. Al Pacino and Harvey Keitel also star. (Tickets | Trailer) From Thu 13 November. Various venues LIFF 2019 industry opportunity... Industry Event: ScreenSkills Together with TaylorKerek, LIFF is hosting two courses to address skills shortages amongst those working in the film industry. The courses have been created by TaylorKerek with support from ScreenSkills to develop and advance the expertise of people already working in the UK film industry. The courses include Introduction to Leadership for Filmmakers and Marketing Via Social Media For Film & Filmmakers. Each course costs £25 and a reduced price is available. Mon 18 & Tues 19 November, 10am-4pm. Leeds Town Hall.