Open City Docs Fest 2013

It’s fair to say the world we live in is a wonderful, bizarre and horrifying place – something we are all too often reminded of with a quick viewing of the news, a glance outside our window or a look back into our history. But it is these inspiring, touching and perhaps even harrowing moments that define our society and document our place in this world – an ethos that Open City Docs Fest champions as London’s global documentary festival returns this summer.

Admittedly, this is a rather profound way to contextualise a film festival but nonetheless, any celebration of the innovation, and at times abject bravery, of filmmakers committed to the unseen and unheard stories of the world is worthy of such elevation in our eyes.

Returning for its third year, Open City Docs Fest takes place 20-23 June, based at UCL’s Bloomsbury Theatre with screenings also taking place at the ICA and Hackney Picturehouse. Boasting a hearty programme of more than 100 films from across the globe, including 30 UK premieres, expert masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions, comedy, documentary walks and a Grand Jury chaired by Jeremy Irons – Open City Docs Fest 2013 is bigger than ever. Add all this to the fact that tickets start at just £6 and you’ve got yourself a pretty packed weekend of film.

Opening this year’s festival is the UK premiere of Lofty Nathan’s The 12 O’Clock Boys (pictured), a perilous coming of age tale from the streets of Baltimore following one boy’s mission to join the notorious eponymous dirt-bike gang.

Closer to home, Caroline Bacle’s urban explorer’s dream, Lost Rivers, traces the ancient river networks that flow beneath our cities in Montreal, New York and London’s River Tyburn while Dean Puckett’s Grasp the Nettle documents the activist exploits of London’s alternative societies.

Forget Me Not is an affectionate family chronicle of the affects of Alzheimer’s, shifting focus from the illness to the human as director David Sieveking shares his own family’s story. Exploring our ongoing addiction to the white stuff, Dan Reed meets the mathematician Godfather of Mephedrone to learn more about the so-called legal highs in the world premiere of Legally Wasted.

One of the most controversial, but hotly anticipated, films on this year’s programme is undoubtedly Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing, as the directorial control of a film documenting one of the most horrific massacres in Indonesian history is handed over to the very people who orchestrated it – starring those who survived it.

Another guaranteed festival highlight is Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, already highly documented in the press for their controversial performance against Russian regime, now we ask who should really be on trial, the three young women or the society they live in?

Closing the festival, Cannes award-winning Sofia’s Last Ambulance tells the story of a broken system and the inspiring, unlikely heroes who work to piece its people back together.

From science to politics, extraordinary characters to extraordinary truths, armchair travelling to front row seats to cutting edge music to how far art can stretch the notion of ‘documentary’, Open City Docs Fest promises to be an eye opening and mind expanding weekend, whatever your filmic tastes.

The London Word is an official media partner for Open City Docs Festival 2013; stay tuned for exclusive reviews and interviews throughout the festival.

Open City Docs Fest takes place 20-23 June 2013. Explore the full Open City Docs Fest programme online at: www.opencitydocsfest.com

Join the conversation on Twitter @OpenCityDocs #opencitydocs and on Facebook.

Watch the official Open City Docs Fest trailer.