C.M-S.: What are your screening policies, for the lesbian and gay film festival?
BR.: It's a personal choice by the festival directors Bryonie Hanson, and Robin Baker and what they aim for is to get films which haven't been screened in this country before which represent the lesbian and gay experience. We aim to show quality cinema that is new and will interest audiences. We don't show every thing that is submitted to us by any means.

C.M-S.: In a few sentences what would be your assessment of the 11th LGFF?
BR.: It's been a staggering success. We sold over 16,000 tickets last year which was a leap of about 2,000 from the previous year's total. Really the festival has been getting more and more popular. We didn't expect to have a 25% increase in ticket sales. We were hoping to be better than last year, but we are really very pleased. The festival pavilion has also worked very well. as a meeting place for film makers and delegates, but also where the general public can mix and meet filmmakers and delegates after 8 pm. It has been useful as a business centre and as a meeting place for professionals and the general public alike.

C.M-S.: Since you mention professionals who has been here?
BR.: We've had over sixty filmmakers here, and almost every director represented with a film seems to have come. So we've had John Greyson, and Alex Sichel for example.

C.M-S.: This tour which you make around Britain with a selection of the films can you say something about that?
BR.: Well, It's a core of about six to eight films and two shorts programmes that travels to about thirty regional film theatres, around the UK and to Ireland between April and August this year. That is sponsored by Channel Four.

C.M-S.: Does that mean that there are no local gay and lesbian film festivals?
BR.: No there aren't.

C.M-S.: Aren't you perhaps "suppressing" them, since you fulfil a need which otherwise people might meet locally?
BR.: I think London is in a unique position in terms of the number of gay people that there are here who are a ready and willing audience for a festival. The only other gay film festival that I know of is a general arts festival called "It's Queer" in Manchester that has programmed filmed and had different strands. If we as the British Film Institute didn't support a tour with the sponsorship of Channel Four, then it is unlikely that anything like as many venues would have the ability to mount a lesbian and gay film festival of whatever size.

Colin de la Motte-Sherman