The ninefivers at the Festival - but only a poster of 'Nessie'!
The ninefivers at the Festival - but only a poster of
'Nessie'!
The 24th 9.5 International Festival was held from Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th May 1999, in Bonnie Scotland, at the Harp Hotel in the Costorphine area of Edinburgh. The 13th was an important day - the start of the 9.5mm International Festival and of the Scottish First Parliament!
Whilst it theoretically was the turn of the UK Group 9.5 club to host this event, our Scottish representative John Ferrari had taken on the enormous task of organising the event, and what a good job he made of it!
There were about sixty ninefivers attending; having come by train, boat and plane; or speeding up the motorway. Many from the UK, seventeen from France, and others from the Nederlands, and Spain.
A panorama of the city of Edinburgh from the Castle
(French Club magazine cover (above) and inside page - No.262
dated Jul/Aug/Sep 1999)
The Events
3 - Organiser &
Projectionist John Ferrari / 2 The projection set-up
4 - Film Competition Judges - Gerald Tanner (UK), M. Lecocq (Fr),
Harry Bruno (NL)
5 & 6 Edinburgh Castle / 7 The Forth Bridge / 9 The Whisky
distillery / 8 Sea World
10 Loch Ness - but no sign of the famous 'Nessie' monster!
During the Festival there was an open topped bus tour around Edinburgh, including the Castle, a crossing of the Forth Bridge, a visit to Sea World, a guided visit to a Whisky distillery (with tastings!) and a bus tour round Loch Ness. we didn't see the real monster but sales of 'blow-up' rubber ones did well! Something for everyone, includimg time for shopping! One of the 'highlights' was a 'taste of Scotland' lunch, when John Ferrari's family joined us, making it a lovely occasion.
The Films
On the Thursday evening, Iam Rintoul gave a talk and showed films illustrating his animation techniques, which was very well received. Then came the film competition, the main reason for the excellent attendance.
The competition judges were Monsieur LeCoque (France), Harry Bruno (Nederlands) and Gerald Tanner (UK). There were seventeen films entered for the 9.5mm competition.
The 9.5mm films entered for the competition were:-
"Appas
Et Appats, Pas A Pas" - Jean Claude
Ditte (France)
"A Story Of Pompeii"
- Ian Rintoul (UK)
"Avril En Sicille"
('April In Scicily') - Bernard Casstella (France)
"Charles Dickens Country"
- Graham Murray (UK)
"Cine Retro Technic"
- Jean Sevin (France)
"De La Vigne Au Vin"
('From the Vine To the Wine') - Jean Penavayre (France)
"Des Avions Dans La Ville"
('Aeroplanes In the Town') - Bernard Trembloy (Frasnce)
"Durch Die Mitte"
- Paul Goy (Switzerland)
"In The Steppes Of The Tsars"
- Mavis Spence" (UK)
"La Fruite Enservante"
- Marc Boucher (France)
"No Tram City"
and "Rothsay and Bute"
- Jim Hamilton (UK)
"Reins In The Plains"
- Roger Spence (UK)
"Shetland Sketches"
- Mark Grey (UK)
"Trio" - Don
Barnes (UK)
"Vannes 1998"
- Jean Sevin (France)
"West Yorkshire Steam"
- Peter Clayton (UK)
The winning film was "In The Steppes Of The Tsars" by Mavis Spence, filmed on a train trip across Russia. The prize was an extremely attractive wall clock. Second prize was awarded to Jean Penavayre of France for his film "De La Vigne Au Vin" which showed wine making in the past, then contrasted it with today's mechanisation of the industry. His prize for this film was a magnificent barometer.
The Audience Award went to Bernard Trembloy for his film "Des Avions Dans La Ville" showing the difficulty pilots faced when attemting to land at Hong Kong airport, prior to its move away from the city. He was awarded a stylish clock. The 'Best Five Minute Film' award was won by Ian Rintoul for "A Story Of Pompeii". His prize was a pair of Laurel & Hardy bookends. Announced as a consolation prize, an additional award was given to Jean Savin of France for his film "Cine Retro Technic". All the prize winners also received a bottle of French red wine courtesy of Grahame Newnham (Presto Films).
Conclusion
Projection throughout was by John Ferrai and Roger Spence, with Peter Clayton doing the lights. As can be expected, presentation was peerless! Exceptionally attractive and appropriate programmes and certificates were produced by Peter and Sylvia Foreman. Goodie bags with tots of Scottish Whisky and 9.5 Festival mugs to drink it out of, added to the serendipity.
The Festival 'mug' - yes I
still have mine! (gln)
John is to be congratulated in tackling an event of such magnitude on his own. Scotland was scintillating, and gave pleasure and iuspiration to many. This is the fourth International held in the North in the last ten years. (The fifth held in the UK, for who can forget the brilliance of Bognor in 1983). We hope other regions will be encouraged to stage the next International when it becomes the turn of the British Isles again - if it still holds that appellation by then! Ascension Day 2000 is June 1st, and the Bruno family are hoping to host it in the town of Ehkhuizen. There is sure to be a touch of 'Millenium Magic'.
The next year's 9.5mm International is to be held in the Nederlands, organised by the Dutch 9.5 Club.
(I have precised (or is it 'cobbled together'?) this material from a report by Mavis Spence, originally published in the UK Group 9.5 magazine number 99, dated Autumn 1999, added by pieces and illustrations from the French 9.5mm club magazine No.262 dated Jul/Aug/Sep 1999)
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