Confusion surrounding the two London film festivals - neither has yet confirmed any major sponsors - should clear a little with the delivery next week of Angus Finney's long-awaited research report, commissioned by Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT) and the BFI, into the LFF and the London sales market. Finney confirmed it would be ready in time for the monthly meeting of the BFI Governors on 26 February.
The LFF's new programmer Sandra Hebron confirmed there were 'around a dozen films' at this year's Berlinale she would like to invite to next autumn's LFF. 'But we don't want to commit too early. We still have a lot of work to get through.'
Meanwhile, Tim Cole, in Berlin for rival outfit London Film '97, claimed it was premature to start issuing invitations, 'especially as I don't think it is a valid supposition there will be two London Film Festivals next autumn.'
Back in London, PACT spokesperson John Woodward poured scorn on the antics of the two competing organisations. 'PACT will work with both parties to create some sort of rapprochement, but the idea of two festivals is absolutely appalling,' he commented. He also cautioned the LFF and London Film '97 against assuming that PACT's priorities were the same as theirs. 'Our commitment is absolutely to give UK sales agents and distributors the pre-Mifed screenings they want. Our main interest is in the market, not the festival. We're not a cultural body.' Geoffrey Macnab
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