FORMAT09

FORMAT09 is an international photography festival, which will take place between 6 March and 5 April 2009 across Derby with QUAD, the city’s new £11.2 million arts centre, as its hub.

The theme for 2009 is photocinema. Oscar nominated director David Lynch will take part together with some of the world’s foremost photographers and cinematographers including FORMAT09 patrons Martin Parr and Brian Griffin. Amateur photographers from across the world can also have their work displayed via MobFORMAT, the Festival’s unique online gallery.

FORMAT09 celebrates the diversity of photocinema from darkroom to digital embracing a broad range of visual culture represented through photography. Established international names will exhibit alongside the best emerging talent from the UK and beyond. The festival will feature over 200 practitioners, 40 exhibitions in 20 sites, conferences, workshops, events, mass participation, master classes, talks, new commissions and more. Participating artists include: Gregory Crewdson, Jonas Mekas, Hannah Starkey, Wim Wenders, Cindy Sherman, Zhang Xiao, Eric Baudelaire and William Eggleston.

Photocinema explores the interface between the narratives of cinema and photography and its technical elements, colliding fact with fiction, history with fantasy. Works included in the festival will make reference to what has become known as cinematic. From Film Noir to Spaghetti Westerns there is no limit to the opportunity for artists to parody or play out the cinematic in their work. Likewise, photography is employed in cinema and directors can be inspired by photography when seeking locations or wide-shots. An entire film can even be based on the story told by a single photograph.

For further information visit: www.formatfestival.com