With the cornucopia of activities we have coming up in September, we need to take a deep breath before telling you about the highlights! We’re all really excited about the opening of our new contemporary art exhibition Double Indemnity, an investigation of desire inspired by Billy Wilder’s classic film noir of the same name, on 14 Sep; which will include new commissions by Ming Wong and Anicka Yi and work by artists including Sophie Calle, Jenny Holzer, Sharif Waked and Frances Stark. Curator Michael Connor and many of the artists will be at our preview event on 13 Sep, so drop in to get that coveted first view – or come along to our Curator and Artist Tour and Talk the following lunchtime.
Also on Sat 14 Sep we’ll launch our accompanying My Noir film season, with a 24-hour-long noir-athon in our cinemas. 11 film noirs spanning classic Hollywood, neo-noir, retro-noir and more have been selected by artists, curators, musicians and filmmakers, and will be screened back-to-back (with one or two sustenance breaks!) with introductions by guest speakers. The season then continues with films including Shock Corridor, The Killing and Kiss Me Deadly; if you need a quick briefing before all this noir book yourself in for our One Hour Intro: Labyrinths of Desire on 10 Sep for a beginners’ level introduction to the genre.
September also sees the launch of a diverse season of activities to accompany Double Indemnity and My Noir, including visual arts workshops Love in the Age of Silicone (24 Sep) – exploring the phenomenon of the Real Doll through Japanese photographer Azusa Itagaki’s work and Craig Gillespie’s film Lars and the Real Girl – and Killing Me Softly (1 Oct), which will look at the dialogue between fashion model and photographer with reference to Alexander McQueen and Helmut Newton.
September is also a big month for our creative industries activities. We’re looking for people to join our Digital Reporters Scheme, which offers support and training to develop your digital media portfolio – drop in to our free Intro Meeting on 11 Sep to find out more. We’re also looking for new programmers for our Filmed Up nights; you don’t need to be a filmmaker or have any experience of programming but you must have an interest in short film and time to watch the good, the bad and the ugly! Find out more at our free information meeting on 4 Sep, or join the audience at the next Filmed Up on 27 Sep.
In the middle of the month, we have a new Meet, Speak, Create social event for artists and film-and theatre-makers. Come along on 19 Sep and meet, share ideas and enjoy a drink with others in the region’s creative sectors, beginning with a speed networking session (this event is suitable for people aged 18 or over).
Art and film come also together in our cinemas too, with On Landguard Point on 8 Sep. This artist film ‘about home’, by Robert Pacitti, features a soundtrack and new commission from Michael Nyman; alongside work by artists including Kira O’Reilly, Dominic Johnson and Harminder Judge. And on 4 Sep we have a special BAFTA preview of Metro Manila, including a Q&A session with director Sean Ellis and lead actor Jake Macapagal; when Oscar Ramirez and his family move from the Northern Philippines’ poverty-stricken rice fields to the capital mega city of Manila, they fall foul of its manipulative inhabitants.
Opening on 13 Sep is Ron Howard’s keenly anticipated Formula 1 movie, Rush. This fast-paced, action-packed film tells the true story of two of the greatest rivals the sport has ever seen, with James Hunt taking on Niki Lauda as the McLaren team goes head to head with Ferrari. Another big directorial name this month is Woody Allen, whose latest feature Blue Jasmine (from 27 Sep) sees elegant New York socialite Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) move to her sister (Brit Sally Hawkins)’s modest San Francisco apartment to get over her failed marriage to wealthy businessman Hal (Alec Baldwin).
With The Great Beauty (La grande bellezza), Paolo Sorrentino’s classy portrait of contemporary Rome, and Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, starring Casey Affleck as the imprisoned half of a young outlaw couple, also opening this month, September could be the ideal time to become a Cornerhouse Member. With two free cinema tickets and ongoing discounts throughout the year, you’ll also be the first to hear about our special events – and receive a weekly programme update before our listings are made publicly available.
However you take part we hope you’ll join us for an action-packed month here at Cornerhouse, and let us know what you think via this website, Twitter or Facebook.