London Film Festival 2011

[tarantinoed]

I used my priority booking to try for 13 films and in particular am really hoping I get The Descendants gala (it has fantastic reviews & is not being released here until January), the closing gala, We have a Pope and Snowtown.

A few years ago you could get the top galas easily (not even a ballot) but now..When I was at the National Film Theatre yesterday a member of staff was telling someone they had already had staff bookings in and he had only got a couple of the screenings he wanted. Can you book tickets to the opening and closing galas with Championship membership (not that it's an option for me!)? If so doesn't look like there will be many tickets left with all the sponsors getting priority etc. The NFT is only going the way all arts organisations have already gone, I suppose, with differing levels of membership and booking priority. I had to take out priority membership with the National Theatre this year (£65) to get even a chance of booking Mike Leigh's latest play (and the new production "Collaborators") since they are in the smallest theatre & there were no tickets available for the public after priority booking last time. The NFT is still much fairer, however, since the National Theatre has several levels of membership with the top one being about £1000!

[superhero]

I just tried calling the box office to check what tickets I got or didn't get and they are still closed, even though the message said we are open from 09:30...
Probably nice to know what I got before the telephone and online bookings open...
Didn't apply for a lot though, tickets are so expensive

[superhero]

Yay, I've got almost everything I applied for. Don't think I got The Deep Blue Sea, but I am not too bothered.
I really wasn't keen on the Descendants. I wasn't too impressed with Alexander Payne's Sideways when I saw it a few years ago at the Surprise film, but everyone's been recommending it, so I thought I better check it out

[tarantinoed]

Got all my films via postal booking except Wuthering Heights but after nearly 2 hours of non-stop trying online & by phone this morning I eventually managed to get an alternative screening for this. I was told this morning that I managed to get the closing Gala, The Deep Blue Sea - whoopee! I also tried to get Shame today but it was totally sold out.

[tarantinoed]

There are tickets for a number of Gala films available this morning which were previously sold out (including The Ides of March). I've just booked 2 for Shame.

[superhero]

Oh I should call them about the closing night tickets, as they should have done the ballot on the 18th.

[tarantinoed]

I rang them this Monday & they'd already done the ballot that morning.

[superhero]

Phoned them tonight, I got the closing night tickets too. Are tickets not popular this year? I thought most of the Galas are sold out?

[Celini]

Anybody going to see The Ides of March?

[Ms Thrifty]

Anybody going to see The Ides of March?

I'd have loved to go and used to manage an LFF film or two each year, but the prices are just ridiculous now especially when you bear in mind that some festival films turn out to have free previews around the same time - or even slightly earlier, I think, in one case.

I know the atmosphere is different and there are extras at the LFF such as special events, but when you think how many films you could normally see or rent for the same amount... imho it doesn't make sense.