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Apr 2021

Last Updated: 17/04/2021

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Hollywood director stars in Harrogate Film Festival this week

by Suzannah Rogerson

| 19 Apr, 2021

Hollywood director, Oliver Stone, is the star as Harrogate Film Festival returns this week. Events will be held online over the coming months with some hoping to go ahead face-to-face as covid restrictions ease.

The Harrogate Film Festival returns this week and will start with an exclusive interview with Hollywood director Oliver Stone.

Oliver Stone directed the film JFK about the assassination of American president John F. Kennedy, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best director.

The festival is returning for its fifth year this Friday, April 23, with numerous events. The festival is being held differently this year with a series of mini festivals between April and September.

This year is also the 30th anniversary of JFK. Prior to the virtual screening on Friday, there will be a 30-minute question and answer with Mr Stone.

Talking about the film, Mr Stone said:

“In the United States we did $70 million alone, for a three-hour eight-minute film. It’s extraordinary as in that era we didn’t have three-hour movies because we had lost that with the roadshows back in the 50s. So, to make a film of this length and be successful it was an amazing, amazing breakthrough.

In many ways, it was the climax to a strange film career that I’ve had.”

The JFK event is part of the festival's Independent Filmmakers Competition which offers a platform for up and coming filmmakers.

Do you remember when journalist Alan Whicker came to Spofforth to interview the local horse breaker?

Classical stars such as Alfie Boe are set to perform at Harewood House in the summer.

Festival director, Adam Chandler, said:

"As ever, Oliver is open and candid with his answers. He doesn’t shy away from giving difficult answers to the questions put to him in the interview and he covers so much ground in the 30 minutes.”

Mr Chandler said all of this year's events will run in-line with covid restrictions. If these are eased the events will still stream online as well as in person.

When restrictions ease in May, the JFK event and Independent Filmmakers will be re-run in cinemas.

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Hollywood director stars in Harrogate Film Festival this week

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