The world's largest festival of funny cinema is back! LOCO has been going strong for over a decade and with this year sees new Festival Director and Artistic Director, Anna Wetherell and Benedict Morrison taking up the reins, the festival promise to deliver something special. With new and classic comedies, features and shorts all to be screened in the heart of East London, Hackney Picturehouse.
Kicking off the festival will be the highly anticipated A Gaza Weekend, directed by Oscar nominated Basil Khalil. Centring around a couple trying to find refuge after the outbreak of deadly virus. The British journalist, Michael, played by Stephen Mangan and his Israeli girlfriend, Keren played by Mouna Hawa, end up getting stuck in a basement in Gaza. With Hamas on their trail, their lives are left in the hands of hapless but well-meaning Palestinian market traders. Fitting in perfectly within the LOCO programme, A Gaza Weekend is thrilling comedy that is afraid to delve deeper into more serious subjects.
In collaboration with StudioCanal, the classic Ealing comedy, named on the list of the 100 Best British Films of 20th Century, The Lavender Hill Mob will be screened. When the shy bank transfer agent, Holland meets the souvenir maker Pendlebury, and makes a harmless remark about smelting gold into souvenir Eiffel Towers to smuggle it into France, a famous comedy is born. Starring Alec Guiness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James and a very early supporting performance from Audrey Hepburn, this film really does stand the test of time.
LOCO also celebrates Hackney director, Wendy Toye, who was a rare voice in post-war British filmmaking, with a screening of the amusing, We Joined the Navy and her short, The Stranger Left No Card.
As well as feature films, the festival will be screening the three programmes of shorts, showcasing new and upcoming comedic talent followed by an awards ceremony on the closing day of the festival.
The LOCO team have delivered an exciting and enticing programme, bringing us all some much-needed comedy back to London. Tickets are available now from the LOCO website.
London Comedy Film Festival 2023 (LOCO) will take place at Hackney Picturehouse from 11-14 May 2023
