The 28th edition of the Raindance Film Festival will take place in London from Oct. 28 through Nov. 7. this year.
Known as a showcase for independent cinema, the festival normally attracts some 16,000 visitors annually. The 2019 edition took place in September, but organizers have likely moved the event back as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic and its knock-on effects on film releases.
Winners of best short, best animation short and best documentary short at the festival will qualify for the Academy Awards. British films accepted at Raindance may qualify for BAFTA consideration. British features and shorts in the official selection are eligible for entry for the 2020 British Independent Film Awards.
Festival strands this year include Raindance Immersive, Raindance Queer, Raindance Sonic for music documentaries and live music, A Dirty World for environmental films, Homegrown for U.K. films), Viva Voce: Stories of Women, Female Gaze featuring films by women behind the camera, Absurdities for edgy films, and the self-explanatory Politico.
This year, the festival will be working in partnership with London-based PR agency Premier.
Raindance founder Elliot Grove said: “Raindance returns to London and is happening from October 28 — no ifs, no buts. And who better to amplify the voices of indie filmmakers than U.K.’s leading film publicity agency Premier.”
“Independent filmmaking has always been at the heart of what we do, so we are very happy to be collaborating with an institution that celebrates this and gives a platform to some of the best independent titles from across the globe,” said Jonathan Rutter of Premier.
In 2019, “On The President’s Orders” won best U.K. feature at the festival while “By The Name of Tania” won best international feature.
Films that have U.K. premiered at Raindance include “Pulp Fiction,” “Memento,” “The Blair Witch Project,” “Ghost World” and “Love Exposure.”