24
FILM
How To Be Part Of The Film Community This Year by hamilton brown If you want to be in the movie instead of watching the movie, then Film-Making Society is the place for you. The society makes smaller short films, and then bands together to put on a big film every year. At the moment, they are currently in the process of making a film called Isolationships, a film documenting a group of people and how their relationships have developed, been tested and strengthened by lockdowns. There are also many cinemas to visit in Norwich, perfect for a rainy day or to catch the latest blockbuster. There are two big chain cinemas: the Odeon, located on Riverside, which has perfect popcorn, and Vue Cinema in Castle Quarter, which does great milkshakes! For those of you wanting to see something a little different, I would recommend Cinema City, located on
St Andrews Street – in my first year at UEA I visited this independent cinema frequently. Here they do viewings of fewer mainstream films and instead focus on more alternative showings - I went to see Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle, for example. They screen Anime films, old films, foreign films, as well as staged West End musicals, plays and ballets. There’s something for every filmlover in Norwich, I hope you find your genre!
Photo: Unsplash
If you love film, then you’re in the right place! UEA has multiple film-related societies suited for any taste - including Cinema Society, Bad Film Society, Film-Making Society, Disney Society and many more! It is the perfect chance to not only meet new people and make new friends, but to watch movies and discuss them with other like-minded people who might also believe that Shrek 2 is the best in the franchise! I joined Disney Society in my first year and highly enjoyed it - I ended up meeting a friend there, who I am still really close with today. Of course we saw the newest Disney releases in the cinema, but the society also held really entertaining quiz nights, gettogethers and socials that I enjoyed a lot (there was some spark about going to Disneyland Paris, too, but COVID spoiled that!)
Norwich and Norfolk Spots On The Big Screen by laura patterson ‘A Fine City’ and ‘Home of the Wonderful’ are the words associated with Norwich, and they’re certainly not wrong. The landscape of our city and county has been showcased in many films we know, love, or need to watch - be sure to check out these films and hidden gems if you’re new to the Norwich area! Norwich has been the setting for the renowned Alan Partridge series, and this remains the case in its spinoff feature film, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013). The plot entails the hilarious consequences of our much-loved radio DJ getting kidnapped, and Steve Coogan’s witty acting will never disappoint. Not only does the film show various shots such as Norwich City Hall, but it also presents an amusing showdown at Cromer Pier - only a speedy train trip away. Fighting With My Family (2019) is another fun homage to our city and produced by Dwayne ‘The Rock’
Johnson himself. It tells the true and emotional story of the Norwich bornand-bred Zodiac family, whose great enthusiasm for wrestling leads to their daughter training for the WWE championship in the United States. In one of the opening scenes, you’ll see Paige (wonderfully played by Florence Pugh), handing out her wrestling club leaflets in front of the iconic Norwich Market. The cobbled street and antique shops along Elm Hill are the perfect setting to capture Stormhold, the magical land in the film, Stardust (2006). A fairy-tale for adults, this film explores the tensions between the mortal and magical world when a star falls from the sky. The Briton Arms, a quaint tea shop, was brilliantly transformed into a guest house called The Slaughtered Prince for the film. The location manager of Stardust also described the residents and businesses of Elm Hill as, ‘a joy to work with.’
Did you know you study just metres away from a box-office success? One of the biggest superhero franchises of the last decade has also set foot on our campus at UEA– the unique Sainsbury Centre art gallery performs as The Avengers headquarters in many of their films. One of the most adored Norfolk coasts, Gorleston, is the location of a key scene in the music comedy Yesterday (2019), written by the British rom-com king Richard Curtis and directed by the talented Danny Boyle. This wholesome film is about the big break of a struggling musician when he takes credit for The Beatles’ music in a world that has forgotten the bands’ existence. It seems that Norwich and Norfolk have always been recognised for their underrated beauty by film production teams. Go and explore its beauty for yourself!
