Member Article

Gateshead College supports international film extravaganza

Gateshead College has been unveiled as an official partner of an international festival designed to put North East filmmakers, actors, actresses and emerging talent on the global stage.

The organisation will be the only further education college to support the international Newcastle Film Festival, which runs from March 29-April 1 next year and is expected to attract up to 60,000 visitors and an audience of more than ten million.

The four-day carnival of cinema, film and world-class documentaries will celebrate films from different genres around the world – including animation, Bollywood, music videos, NE schools, sports documentaries and foreign language – by showcasing them in venues around the region. So far, over 1,800 films from 73 countries have been submitted for consideration and this number will be whittled down to about 200 before the event gets underway. The event will also be used to launch a world premiere, which will be showcased around the globe.

Gateshead College, recently ranked the number one college in the region and fourth best in the country by the Skills Funding Agency, will provide exclusive opportunities for its students to showcase their digital and filmmaking talents at the festival. The organisation has a strong track record in the arts, creative and digital media sectors and has developed training schemes with several local companies.

Judith Doyle, principal and CEO of Gateshead College, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting a global event that celebrates the best creative talent from around the globe. It’s fantastic that this festival is coming to the North East and it will give our students the ideal opportunity to showcase their talents and learn from some of the best filmmakers in the business.

“We are also working with several employers to ensure they have the skills they need to help the digital media sector grow and thrive in the North East of England.”

In the last two years, the filmmaking industry has generated an estimated £20m for the local economy and created 350 jobs.

Jacqui Miller-Charlton, president of Newcastle Film Festival, said: “We recognise the value of the filmmaking industry to the North East economy and the role that Gateshead College plays in producing talent that can boost the performance of the sector. Newcastle Film Festival is a great platform for aspiring filmmakers and emerging talent to showcase their work, get noticed and reach a wider audience.”

To find out more about Gateshead College and the courses on offer, visit www.gateshead.ac.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Gateshead College .