Dave Benson Philips, Liam Neeson and Walter Presents join 2017 Pilot Light TV Festival line-up
David Farnor | On 01, Apr 2017
Manchester’s Pilot Light TV Festival returns this May, with a line-up that boasts everything from Dave Benson Philips and Liam Neeson web series to the latest new show from Walter Presents.
The festival, which now in its sophomore season, runs from 4th to 7th May and celebrates the past, present and future of the small screen.
The past includes a 20th anniversary screening of Brass Eye (including a Q&A with director Michael Cumming) and a Sugar Rush retrospective, with actress Olivia Hallinan in attendance, plus a big screen showing of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, the pilot episode of Mad Men, to mark its 10th birthday.
The present is represented by none other than Walter Iuzzolino, curator of Channel 4’s foreign language drama platform Walter Presents, who will be premiering Belgian crime drama Professor T and dramedy Young & Promising (Norway’s answer to Lena Dunham’s Girls) and hosting Q&As.
And, looking forward to the future of TV, the festival also features an eclectic mix of web seres and indie TV from around the world. New Comedy Heroes looks at emerging future comedy icons on the web and includes shows such as cult hit I Am Tim Helsing and the world premiere of mockumentary Getting Back with Dave Benson Phillips. Best of the Fests features a selection of award winners from Web Fests around the world, such as Berlin, Vancouver, Sicily, Toulouse and Dublin. Life on Film features web series that give us a glimpse into the everyday lives of people around the world, ranging from a Newcastle Chinese Takeaway in Jade Dragon to an Israeli hairdresser in Hani’s Barber Shop. Web Series Shuffle represents the diverse world of web series content with shows such as hard hitting Lebanese documentary Zyara to craft ale comedy Brewstars. And the Independent TV Pilot Showcase will feature the world premiere of comedy Life in Black starring Liam Neeson, as well as German supernatural thriller The Hum, tellofilms’ Skirtchasers, plus the world premiere of Luca Vecchi’s Hooked from Italy.
Season 2 will also have panels for those looking to get into serialised storytelling on the screen, with sessions on audience building for web series, writers room events and a panel on soap writing featuring writing staff from Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.
The whole thing takes place at HOME Cinema, Gorilla and Manchester Central Library. Tickets will be on sale very shortly. Until then, you can see the full schedule breakdown at www.pilotlightfestival.co.uk.
