Video Contests, Film Festivals, and Awards

20th Festival of Fantastic Films - 2009 Days Hotel, Sackville Street Manchester 16th � 18th October 2009

The Festival of Fantastic Films ( http://fantastic-films.com/festival/) , which is held over 48 hours in October, is an annual movie based event in the form of a Convention cum Festival of Science Fiction / Fantasy & Horror movies with particular emphasis mostly, though not absolutely, on the movies of the period 1920 � 1970.

The Festival was originally devised by Harry Nadler, Tony Edwards Dave Trengove and Gil Lane � Young in late 1989 as a retrospective event with the first guest being the tremendous animator Ray Harryhausen. Sadly both Dave Trengove & Harry Nadler have passed on but Gil & Tony are still running the event some 20 years later.

The Line up of Guests for 2009 is as follows, and are subject to commitments:

Ian McCulloch - Actor
Scottish Actor Ian McCulloch has appeard in numerous UK movies including � The Ghoul � with Peter Cushing, � Where Eagles Dare � with Richard Burton & � Cromwell � with Alec Guinness. In the 70�s he appeared in several Italian Horror movies including the infamous � Zombie Flesh Eaters � (Also known as � Zombi 2 � with Richard Johnson ) & � Alien Contamination �. He was hugely successful after appearing in the 1970�s TV series � The Survivors � as well as appearing in top shows such as � Bergerac �, � Sutherlands Law �, � Doctor Who � � Secret Army � & � Taggart �.

Derren Nesbitt - Actor / Director
London born actor Derren has had quite a wide career covering Theatre Television & Films. After making several movies in the late 50�s & early 60�s he starred for several years in the very popular crime series � Special Branch � as well as having made appearances in other successful TV series such as� Doctor Who �, � UFO �, Man In A Suitcase �, � Gideon�s Way � & � The Saint �. After making appearances in � The Night To Remember � & � The Silent Enemy �, he went on to appear in several excellent movies including � Strongroom � , � Room At The Top � , � Victim � , � The Blue Max � , � Nobody Runs Forever � & � Where Eagles Dare �. He also directed, wrote & appeared in � The Amorous Milkman � . Derren is still hard at work doing the rounds of theatres.

Jenny Hanley - Actress
The daughter of British veteran movie stars Dinah Sheridan & the late Jimmy Hanley, Jenny has appeared on TV, stage & films for over 30 years. Her TV appearances include � Department S � , � The Persuaders � , � The Adventurer � & � Emmerdale � Her movie appearances include � On Her Majesties Secret Service � , � Tam Lin � , Peter Walker�s � The Flesh & Blood Show � , � Soft Beds, Hard Battles � with Peter Sellers & memorably as the young lead with Denis Waterman in the Hammer movie � Scars of Dracula �.

Robert Fuest - Director / Writer
An old friend of the Festival is Robert Fuest who previously visited us in 19. Robert�s successes include the double bill of movies made with Hollywood giant Vincent Price as the mad bad Dr Phibes character in � The Abominable Dr Phibes � & � Dr Phibes Rises Again � two terrific films. He was also responsible for � The Devil�s Rain � one of John Travolta�s early movies & � The Final Programme � and the movie � And Soon The Darkness � written by Brian Clemens, another old friend He has also directed non genre movie such as � Wuthering Heights � with a young Timothy Dalton.

John Scott - Composer / Musician
Originally a jazz musician John Scott is another returning friend, in this case from 19.

After many years performing John was found to have a huge talent for making movie music and has gone on to compose & sometimes conduct music to films such as � A Study in Terror � , � The Long Duel � , � Anthony & Cleopatra � & � England Made Me � as well as genre movies such as � Doomwatch � , � Craze � , � Rocket To The Moon � as well as a couple of movies for his friend and ours Norman J Warren called � Inseminoid � & � Satan�s Slave � John has also spent time writing movies for silent movies reissued such as � Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde � starring John Barrymore & for TV programmes including � That Was The Week That Was �

Emily Booth � Actress / Presenter
Chester born Emily is a extremely successful in her presentational roles on Satellite & TV including shows such as � Eurotrash � , � The Big Breakfast � , & � several of the movie shows with the title 100 greatest e.g ( Blockbuster movies , Scary Moments, ) She fronts chat shows & horror film presentations. She has also appeared in several genre movies including � Evil Aliens � , � Event Horizon � , � Pervirella � , � Witchcraft X : Mistress of the Cult �

It is likely further guests will be announced when available.

Contents of Festival
The festival has a very eclectic mix of events as well as guests, in that we hold Panel discussions on movies, The Amateur & Independent Film Competition, Interviews with the celebrities followed by autograph sessions as well as the infamous Auction chaired by our President the world famous Horror writer Ramsey Campbell. Also no Sunday 18th a film fare will be held during which memorabilia & autographs can be obtained.

Cost of entry for the weekend is �70 and deals have been made with certain hotels for accommodation.

Further PR details or any other information can be obtained from G R Lane � Young ( details above )

Previous Guest Attendees

DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS - John Landis, Roger Corman, Peter Walker, Tony Tenser, Robert Fuest, Roy Ward Baker, Freddie Francis, Ray Harryhausen, Brian Clemens, Mariano Bueno, Norman J Warren, Hal E Chester, Robin Hardy, Richard Gordon. Jimmy Sangster, Gerry Anderson, Stephen Weeks, Steve Barkitt, Antonio Margheritti, Jorge Grau, Val Guest, Paul Naschy, Peter Graham Scott, Christopher Neame, Ruggero Deodato, Mark Redfield, Lamberto Bava Michael Roesche, Peter Scheerer.

ACTORS/ACTRESSES - Ingrid Pitt, Caroline Munro, Andrew Kier, Francis Matthews, David Prowse, Valerie Leon, Gunnar Hansen, Barbara Shelley, Ann Robinson, Janette Scott, David Warbeck, Catriona McColl, Norman Rossington, John Cater, Janina Faye, Suzanna Leigh, Eddie Powell, Hazel Court, Martine Beswicke, Madeline Smith, Jeremy Bulloch, Yvonne Monlaur, Warwick Davis, David Hess, Robin Askwith, Kenneth Cope, Renny Lister, Burt Kwouk, Crispin Glover, Ken Foree, Barrie Holland, John Leyton, Jess Conrad, Damien Thomas.

AUTHORS / WRITERS TECHNICIANS/ & OTHERS - David McGillivray, Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Gallagher, Stephen Laws, Peter James, John Brosnan, Kim Newman, Peter Atkins, Allan Bryce, Screaming Lord Sutch, Sara Karloff, James Bernard, Steven Archer, Tudor Gates, Tony Iles, Roy Field, Nick Meaghan ( Brit Board of Film Censors ). Forrest Ackermann, John Scott

Festival Committee:
Tony Edwards & Gil Lane-Young
Telephone (+44) 161 929 1423 / 07773 347864
Fax (+44) 161 929 1067
gil[at]manchesterfantasticfilms[dot]co[dot]uk
grlyfilms[at]gmail[dot]com