First-Ever Sundance London Film and Music Festival Runs Now thru April 29

Sundance Institute and The O2 present the first-ever Sundance London film and music festival, opening today, April 26, and running through April 29 at The O2.

Both the Cinema Café and Music Café are elements of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. – the premier independent film festival in the United States – and will take place in festival hub the Sundance London Inc Club, located on the ground floor of The O2. Events at the Cinema Café were programmed by Sundance Institute, and performances at the Music Café were produced by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

Admission to the Cinema Café and Music Café is non-ticketed and for guests 18 and older only. Sundance London “Credential” holders receive priority access while all other patrons with a ticket to a Sundance London event are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Credentials can be purchased at www.sundance-london.com.

John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “Key to the success of the Sundance Film Festival is providing shared spaces and experiences for attendees, which is precisely our aim with the Cinema Café and Music Café. The line-up of events and performances announced today complement our film, music and panel programming and offer an additional opportunity for festival attendees to interact with each other as well as the visionary artists whose work will be presented at the first-ever Sundance London.”

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.sundance-london.com.

Previously announced events and performances for Sundance London include the Opening Night event An Evening With Robert Redford And T Bone Burnett; a rare intimate concert performance by Placebo; Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird performing Maxinquaye; a performance by Rufus and Martha Wainwright following the world premiere of Lian Lunson’s film about the music of their mother, folk singer Kate McGarrigle; and screenings of 14 feature-length and eight short films from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.

Cinema Café was created to inspire dialogue about film in a relaxed, engaging environment where there are no boundaries as to where the experience can go and anything can happen. It is a recent addition to the signature events at the Sundance Film Festival each January, where it’s fast becoming a favorite with patrons and filmmakers alike. The artists participating are linked to a subject or idea but the form of these events is open to their interpretation.

The Cinema Café and Music Café will be located in the festival hub, the Sundance London Inc Club, located on the ground floor of The O2. Events are non-ticketed and for guests 18 and older only. Credential holders receive priority access while all other patrons with a ticket to a Sundance London event are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. This venue has limited capacity. Credentials can be purchased at www.sundance-london.com.

The festival program at the Cinema Café is as follows.

Friday, 27 April

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Table Read: FARMING, with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (actor/writer/director)

Join actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (GI Joe, The Bourne Identity, LOST, OZ) for a look inside the creative process of filmmaking as he directs a live table read of his compelling true story FARMING; a young African boy's search for love and belonging within a brutal skinhead subculture. Adewale participated in The Sundance Institute Screenwriters & Directors Labs and was awarded an Annenberg Film Fellowship Grant from the Institute for the script.

Saturday, 28 April

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Bring the Noise: Music in My Film

Since the days of silent films music has played a crucial role in the power of cinema, triggering a wide range of emotional reactions. This impact and the creative process behind it will be discussed by: Gina Rodriguez, who stars in Filly Brown as a young woman trying to make it as a rapper; Michael Olmos, director of Filly Brown; and Terence Nance, who directed and created much of the music for An Oversimplification Of Her Beauty. Hosted by John Nein, Senior Programmer for the Sundance Film Festival.

Sunday, 29 April

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Making LUV

Director Sheldon Candis and producer Jason Michael Berman will discuss their journey in making their film, LUV. Providing insights into the director/producer relationship they will cover how they assembled their phenomenal cast (Common, Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Michael K. Williams, Meagan Good) as well as share anecdotes about the obstacles and blessings they encountered. Hosted by David Courier, Senior Programmer for the Sundance Film Festival.

The Music Café is a dynamic showcase for live performances by emerging and established artists and bands from across the musical spectrum in an intimate setting. These performances, with the exception of the Gibson Spotlight at Sundance London contest in association with Absolute Radio, were produced by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), which for years has produced a showcase for attendees of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. to experience live music performances. Gibson Guitar will provide all backline and instrumentation for bands to use in the Music Café.

The program at the Music Café follows below.

Friday, 27 April

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The Staves: The unique vocal harmonies and haunting melodies of sisters Emily, Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor have already seen them tipped for success by The Guardian, iTunes, Time Out, and The Independent, among others. Known for their jaw-dropping live performances, The Staves have toured with The Civil Wars and Michael Kiwanuka.

Gibson Spotlight at Sundance London contest in association with Absolute Radio: Gibson Guitar has teamed with commercial radio station Absolute Radio to offer one unsigned band or singer-songwriter the opportunity to perform live at Sundance London. Absolute Radio DJ Pete Donaldson will select the winner to perform a brief live set at the Sundance London Inc Club and play their track on his Sunday Night Music Club on Absolute Radio. For details how to enter, visit http://www.facebook.com/GibsonGuitarUK.

Beatrice Andersen is an 18-year-old singer/songwriter. Since graduating from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Beatrice has been writing and recording her debut album. Her sound combines big powerful melodies with an uncomplicated organic sound.

Daughter: Members Elena Tonra, Igor Haefeli and Remi Aguilella write dark, ethereal and beautiful songs that experiment delicately with a rich array of songwriting ideas and yet remain intent on pouring out their soul pure and unadulterated. The band have just returned from supporting Ben Howard on his sold-out UK tour.

Saturday, 28 April

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Charlene Soraia: Charlene attended the Brit School and was a contemporary of Adele. ‘Wherever You Will Go’ off her debut album (‘Moonchild’) with Paul Stacey (Oasis/Black Crowes) peaked at No.3 on the UK Singles Chart and has since passed 400,000 (Gold Status) sales.

Rams’ Pocket Radio: Rams’ Pocket Radio has earned comparisons with the likes of Frightened Rabbit, and played with Darwin Deez, Marina and the Diamonds and You Me at Six. His songs are meticulously crafted and effortlessly epic, mixing elements of pounding, piano-based pop with heavier rock sounds. Rams’ recently supported Snow Patrol on their european tour and will be heading out around the UK in May supporting Get Cape Wear Cape Fly.

Seye: Having made a name for himself playing guitar for big-name pop artists such as Paloma Faith, The Noisettes and Ellie Goulding, Seye’s sound is a melting pot of colourful music and electronic beats, pulled together with a pure pop sensibility.

Man Without Country: Man Without Country are a modern duo with tour de force dynamics and a lingering afterburn in both sound and vision. Their intensely atmospheric sonic palette combines manic and eerie synth pulses, glacial guitar ripples, heavy bass and haunting vocals that describe a relentlessly compelling world view – uneasy, heavy, confrontational.

Sunday, 29 April

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Cosmo Jarvis: Cosmo is a musical magpie who’ll go anywhere, from hip hop to punk hoedown to gorgeous ensemble orchestration. With his new album, ‘Think Bigger’, he adheres to a singer-songwriter template tinged with alt-country sensibilities. His music and films, including the contagious shanty, Gay Pirates, have made him an online phenomenon.

Escapists: Escapists are rapidly establishing themselves as a future force of alt-indie. Their debut EP ‘Burial’ is charged with urgent guitars and counterbalanced by a remarkable vocal delivery, speaking as much of the band’s dark personal histories as their collective bright futures.

Gabrielle Aplin: Gabrielle’s pared-down blend of sweetly romanticised, introspective pop-folk hovers somewhere between Ellie Goulding and Mumford & Sons and with her fresh, new sonic perspective, clings fast to the adage that less is more. She has played to sold-out audiences on four headline UK tours. Gabrielle is currently in the studio recording her debut album which will be released later this year.

Simon Lynge: Simon writes and performs mostly on guitar with a style that produces bell-like harmonies that splinter in gorgeous patterns around superb melodies. His work has been compared to the likes of Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake and other uncommonly gifted artists.

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