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10 years ago I had a blog where I wrote about film.
It was called...MyFilms2010.
Clever right?
Fine, it's a terrible name for anything.
Even for a site about film that started in 2010.
Anyway.
I had recently divorced and my life was...complicated.
It was called...MyFilms2010.
Clever right?
Fine, it's a terrible name for anything.
Even for a site about film that started in 2010.
Anyway.
I had recently divorced and my life was...complicated.
I was making what could reasonably be called "high risk" choices and my mental health was, at best, poor.
I was in what people sometimes call a "bad place".
Then I started going along to the @Filmhouse cinema in Edinburgh. They showed interesting films of course...
I was in what people sometimes call a "bad place".
Then I started going along to the @Filmhouse cinema in Edinburgh. They showed interesting films of course...
...but there was also a bar where I could sit and have a Coca-Cola and a bit of cake and, sometimes, meet people and have a chat.
The staff were so lovely too.
Over time they started to recognise me and I genuinely felt like I was part of...something.
Then I set up the blog.
The staff were so lovely too.
Over time they started to recognise me and I genuinely felt like I was part of...something.
Then I set up the blog.
I saw 244 films that year.
Not all of them at the cinema...but most of them and most of those at the Filmhouse. Once, twice...sometimes three or four times a week.
Every week.
For a year.
Then I managed to get myself a press pass for the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Not all of them at the cinema...but most of them and most of those at the Filmhouse. Once, twice...sometimes three or four times a week.
Every week.
For a year.
Then I managed to get myself a press pass for the Edinburgh International Film Festival
That led me to meet some really incredible people in the film industry; @markcousinsfilm and his partner in high jinx Tilda Swinton, @HannahJMcGill the director of the festival (and one of the loveliest people I've ever met), @chrisfujiwara who was a joy...
Anna Skrein, Rona Mark, @ElliottGould Bobcat Goldthwait and so many other incredible people in that industry.
It was just an incredible time.
So when I saw Mark Cousins encouraging people to #SaveTheArts I thought I would try to do my bit by sharing how important film has been.
It was just an incredible time.
So when I saw Mark Cousins encouraging people to #SaveTheArts I thought I would try to do my bit by sharing how important film has been.
It isn't just the stories and the plots and the effects and the crashes and the escapism and the bangs and the flashes...
Film is a community.
It's a medium that can bring people together, that encourages discussion and thought, that bridges gaps between people...
Film is a community.
It's a medium that can bring people together, that encourages discussion and thought, that bridges gaps between people...
Most important for me is the way that film has helped to increase my knowledge of the world I am such a small part of.
Films like Ali-Talebi's "Willow and Wind" which made me look at the world in a different way... https://themildmanneredarmy.com/2015/01/29/willow-and-wind/
Films like Ali-Talebi's "Willow and Wind" which made me look at the world in a different way... https://themildmanneredarmy.com/2015/01/29/willow-and-wind/
Or Mark's own "What is This Film Called Love" https://themildmanneredarmy.com/2018/01/20/what-is-this-film-called-love/
