The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

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July-August, 1952 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN si ever the reasons behind the holding of the event the outcome has exceeded all expectations. And the same may be said for Venice, where The Grand Prix is the most sought-after prize in the world of the cinema. Film Festivals resemble the Olympic Games in many ways. The same spirit of international co-operation and friendly rivalry persists, and nation meets nation on common ground. Festivals are another step towards world understanding and world peace, and for that reason alone they should be encouraged. They spotlight the cinema as an advanced form of both art and entertainment, investigate the as-yet undeveloped possibilities of the cinema as a means of mutual understanding between peoples of the world and help to disseminate information, to exchange viewpoints and the study of new ideas in cinematic technique. A meeting place is provided for film workers, critics and writers on film matters from all countries and we are aided in our endeavours to understand a nation's particular problems as reflected in its movies. As a commercial aid to exhibiting, Festivals must also not be ignored. If, for example, a British picture wins an award for acting or direction, or even carries off the coveted First Prize, it will then have the prestige and value of its award attached to it when shown all over the world. " The Browning Version " won the Best Screenplay award at Cannes last year, and Michael Redgrave carried off the First Prize for the Best Acting. Undoubtedly these prestige awards aided the film when it was shown not only in France but in all parts of Europe. And not only may a prize-winning film obtain wider exhibition abroad, but other British pictures, bearing an honourable reflection, may also find their way into markets hitherto untapped. For our film-makers, therefore, Festivals, whether Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Knocke or Uruguay, represent a potential method of propaganda and market exploitation. Apart from that, they raise the standard of movie-making everywhere, and for this reason alone all filmgoers and film-workers should be grateful to them. This year at Cannes two of our feature films only were entered, " Cry the Beloved Country " and " Encore," but it was a short cartoon, " Animated Genesis," a London Films production, made by Joan and Peter Foldes, which carried off the prize for the Best Colour. At Venice we all hope to do much better, though at the time of writing the British Film Producers' Association have not issued a list of our entries. Orson Welles, with his " Othello," shared the Grand Prix at Cannes with Renato Castellani's ' Two Pennyworth of Hope," which means that Morocco and Italy shared the Award. Next year I hope it will be Britain. (We came awfully near to doing so last year, with Anthony Asquith's " The Browning Version," but Sweden's " Miss Julie," a magnificent film, managed to beat us to the post.) Since 1947 the Edinburgh Film Festival has been held annually, in association with the famous International Festival of Music and Drama. It has become the focal point of world interest in documentary, short and experimental films. " The measure of its international standing," as the Daily Mail commented, " is the fact that 25 countries are happy to be represented, even though no Oscars are awarded and selection is considered its own reward." From August 17th to September 7th new documentary productions from all over the world will be shown at Edinburgh. Most of them are shown publicly here for the first time and many receive their world premiere in Scotland. It is right that Britain should have its own Festival, but I personally look forward to the time when the London Film Festival, on the lines of those at Cannes and Venice, will bring to our capital annually the cream of the world's films and the best brains among international movie-makers. For Festivals mean better film business, better films, and in the long run, more films. And in an industry where shuttered studios are the order of the day who can argue against that ? 37%li Between scenes for " The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By," Marta Tor en flew to the Cannes Film Festival. With her is Peter Noble