Great event in the collateral section of the Rome Film Festival 2011, Focus Uk, the retrospective “Punks vs Patriots” is an huge study, through cinema, on british society and culture over the last decays, thanks to a selection of movies chosen by today’s well-known artists, from Terence Davies to David Hare, Douglas Gordon and Michael Nyman.

Provided by british critic Jonathan Romney, “Punks and Patriots” gives to the audience the total composition of cultural and social spects in past ant contemporary world, from the punks’ works to the more conservative, patriots, visions.
Twelve films to be shown in the retrospective entitled “Punks and

Patriots”, produced in collaboration with the BFI London Film Festival. The selected films will shed light on the juxtaposition between the subversive culture and the British “mainstream” cultural production of the time.

In addition to the films included in the retrospective and the meetings with the artists, the Focus program will host a showcase of 7 films, an exhibition and an artist’s installation on the red carpet.

A unique touch to the red carpet for this sixth edition of the Festival will be provided by an installation prepared by artist Simon J. Lycett, who has collaborated for many years with the British Royal Family and was responsible for some of the flower arrangements for the wedding of Prince William and Kate and for the flower displays in films such as Four weddings and a funeral. The auteur red carpet created in collaboration with London’s

Chelsea Flower Show, will feature an abstract rendition of the Union Jack: three large panels entirely made out of metal, fruit and vegetable elements, will ideally combine urban Punk culture with traditional British wit.

The Focus’ film showcase will feature seven films, including works by historical figures of the British film scene such as Page Eight by David Hare, which sees amongst its leading actors none other than Bill Nighy, known to world audiences thanks to his role as Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and who will be attending the Festival in person; The Deep Blue Sea by Terence Davies; and Trishna by Michael Winterbottom,

also to appear on this year’s red carpet. The showcase can also boast some of the best 2011 productions by up-and-coming directors such asTyrannosaur by Paddy Considine and Wild Bill by Dexter Fletcher, British actors trying their hand for the first time behind the camera.

The big-one event of the RFF 2011!

by Ilaria Rebecchi