The Final Film Festival (TFFF) announces the addition of POLA X (1999) to its inaugural Repertory Programme as a UK Premiere of the 4K Restoration — the controversial fifth feature from acclaimed filmmaker Leos Carax, is adapted from Herman Melville’s ‘Pierre; or, The Ambiguities’ set in contemporary fin de siècle France; and stars Guillaume Depardieu, Yekaterina Golubeva and Catherine Denueve.
Pierre is a successful young author enjoying a life of bourgeois comfort whilst he works on his latest novel. All of this will change upon the arrival of a young woman claiming to be his long-lost sister. Bewitched by her, the two run away to the city where they will be met with desperation, poverty and nihilistic self-destruction as their relationship blooms.
“Darker and more explicit than earlier works, Pola X failed to gain the same cult reputation as his more broadly acclaimed titles, and as a result, Pola X has languished in obscurity, without even so much as a high definition home entertainment release for now. Fortunately, this screening will be vividly restoring the murky, oblique imagery of this under-appreciated work for the first time in the UK and it’s an honour to be showing it as part of TFFF” – Festival founders Kit Ramsey and Jack Hewitt
POLA X premieres on Sunday 9 August at Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).
www.tfffestival.co.uk/programme/pola-x
TFFF Repertory Strands
The festival’s Repertory strands celebrate rediscovered, underseen and newly reevaluated works; and include an In Focus: programme celebrating maverick filmmaker, the late Albert Pyun (1953-2022); and a selection presented in collaboration with independent distributor Radiance Films; and a selection of Special Screenings and events.
TFFF’s repertory programme celebrates rediscovered, underseen and newly reevaluated works:
- Godmonster of Indian Flats — Frederic Hobbs (USA, 1973)
- The Hereafter — Michael J. Murphy (UK, 1983)
- Pola X — Leos Carax (France, 1999)
- Personal Problems — Bill Gunn (USA, 1980) new restoration
- Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes — Mike Donahue (USA, 2005)
- Hellbreeder — Johannes Roberts & James Eaves (UK, 2004)
- Herostratus — Don Levy (UK, 1967) (hosted by Georgia Hunter of Siren Screen)
- Image of the Beast — Donald W. Thompson (USA, 1981) (preceded by short The
Daylight Zone introduced by screenwriter Maurielle McGarvey)
- In the Dark — Ned Caderni (USA, 2000)
TFFF presents a dedicated strand celebrating the work of filmmaker Albert Pyun
(1953-2022), his singular vision, and the enduring creative power of cinematic spaces that exist defiantly outside the mainstream.
- Alien from L.A. (USA, 1988)
- Nemesis (USA, 1992)
- Radioactive Dreams (USA, 1984)
- Captain America (USA, 1990) director’s cut UK premiere
In collaboration with independent distributor and label Radiance Films, TFFF will present a selection of repertory titles across the festival weekend at Genesis Cinema:
- White God, Black Death — Glauber Rocha (Brazil, 1964)
- Hi, Mom! — Brian De Palma (USA, 1970)
- The Dancing Hawk — Grzegorz Krolikiewicz (Poland, 1978)
The festival will also feature a selection of unique events:
- The Astrologer — Craig Dennehy (USA, 1976) presented with Tarot
- House of the Dead — Uwe Boll (USA, Canada, Germany, 2003) followed by a late-night party in the woods courtesy of Canal Film Club
- Surprise – Pete Hewitt (UK, 2011)
- In Focus: Richard Heslop Shorts
The inaugural edition of TFFF (6-9 August) launches as a multi-venue celebration of independent cinema, repertory discoveries and emerging voices, bringing together new international premieres, overlooked classics, special screenings and experimental works across venues including Curzon Soho, Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), Genesis Cinema, The Nickel Cinema, Picturehouse Finsbury Park, The Castle Cinema, Peckhamplex, and Canal Film Club.
For full programme details and tickets, visit tfffestival.co.uk. And @tff_festival on Instagram.
