Adrian is a freelance photographer and film maker who has worked in the Bolton area for twenty years. He has an MA degree in Travel & Photojournalism. His previous projects include Past, Present and Future, partly funded by Bolton at Home, and a photo-book, Four Years On.
Adrian’s vision for the festival is to give Bolton something to be proud of – and arts and cultural event that will appeal to everyone.
Adrian Barber, the Bolton Film Festival’s director, says that the idea for the festival first came to his partner Zoe, inspired by the building of the Light Cinema in Bolton. They contacted the cinema, met manager Jamie Atherton to discuss the idea, and later got funding for the first festival. Adrian later took on the organisation of the festival.
Explaining why he felt it was important for Bolton to have its own film festival, Adrian said:
“Bolton loses out to Manchester in many ways. Its proximity to Manchester is a strength, but also a weakness.’’
The Festival Patron is Westhoughton-born actress Maxine Peake. An accomplished stage actress, she is also well known for her roles in the BBC sitcom ‘Dinnerladies’, Channel 4’s comedy drama ‘Shameless’ and the BBC legal drama ‘Silk’.
“Maxine was interested as soon as we contacted her”. said Adrian.
A number of other actors have also shown an interest in becoming involved with the Bolton Film Festival now and in the future. Organisations already involved in supporting and funding the project are: Bolton at Home; University of Bolton; Bolton College; Holiday Inn, Bolton; Bolton Arts Forum and the Light Cinema Experience.
The Light Cinema was seen as an ideal venue for a festival because of its community ethos and its variety of offerings, not just cinematic experiences, but also ballet, theatre and opera.
The 2017 Bolton Film Festival will take place at the Light Cinema on 20thand 21st September. For further details see www.boltonfilmfestival.com
In follow up to the interview the following attendees will be at BFF:
The Lord Mayor of Bolton
Steven Young
Dan Clark (Comedian / Director)
Kelly Wenham (Actress)
Rachel Shenton (Actress)
George Newton (Actor)
2017 BAFTA winning animator Anushka Naanayakkara
BAFTA nominated writer Chris Lunt
Jon Lord (Bolton at Home)
and many more to be confirmed including the possibility of our patron Maxine Peake attending.
and the following celebrities on screen include:
Peter Mullen (Trainspotting, War Horse)
Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones, Harry Potter)
Rob James-Collier (Downton Abbey)
Isy Suttie (Peep Show)
Patrick Baladi (The Office, Stella).
Daniel Rigby (Eric and Ernie, Black Mirror, Flowers),
Kelly Wenham (Merlin, Double Date)