In case you didn’t hear, Gate Cinema hit the ripe age of 101 last week so happy birthday to them. Here’s hoping for another successful 101 years!

Greetings aside, April has been quite a busy – and wet – month with the Easter holidays arriving early. So what does May have in store for Gate Cinema? Probing questions, sneak-peaks behind the scenes, peering into history and, of course, an depth look at the lives of extraordinary people – yup, Gate Cinema will be screening a fantastic variety of documentaries to unravel the mysteries and worlds of, well, see for yourself!

Revenge of the Electric Car

A quick look at the title and you might mistake it for a parody of the Transformers movies (terrible franchise by the way). Thankfully it’s not. This documentary takes a look at the companies that killed off their brand of electric cars. But now, in 2012, their cars have come back fighting. Here we look at their latest line of electric cars to take to the roads, ready to race into the hearts of motorists after years of stuttering starts in the industry.

Director Chris Paine says: “Tesla CEO Elon Musk puts his personal fortune on the line. Bob Lutz, GM’s Vice Chair, stakes the entire brand on the very technology it once tried to kill. Nissan’s CEO, Carlos Ghosn, bets the farm on a car almost no one believes can happen. And my neighbor, Greg ‘Gadget’ Abbott, like thousands of other car converters around the world, sets out to prove you can do it yourself. The challenges they face are as tough as capitalism can be cagey.

“But the prize if they succeed is really for all of us: the reinvention of the car without gasoline, and potentially without fossil fuel at all.”

Book here | IMdB

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Town of Runners + Q&A with director Jerry Rothwell at Gate Cinema

With the London Marathon already across the finishing line and London 2012 warming up for the next race, Town of Runners is the perfect documentary to keep your running fix topped up. Director Jerry Rothwell heads to Ethiopia, where some of the world’s best runners are bred and born despite the poverty the usually dominate the headlines.

For three years, cameras follow the lives of aspiring runners all hoping to get a chance to get on the world stage and achieve the same success as their heroes.

Book here | IMdB

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Being Elmo

‘Elmo would like to know, who plays Elmo?!’ It’s a question that has been circling in my head since I was a little kid.

Oh hello, documentary that answers that very question!This docu is a great follow up for those who were tickled and chortled at the latest Muppets movie shown at Gate Cinema. Being Elmo follows Kevin Clash, otherwise known as the man behind Sesame Street’s favourite red muppet, Elmo. Ever since he was a teenager, Clash aspired to be a puppeteer and his dreams finally came true after joining Jim Henson’s and his legendary team.

This heart warming story won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011.

Book here | IMdB

For a full list of films, visit the Gate Cinema website.

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All films supported by Dogwoof:

Dogwoof is the UK’s leading independent documentary film distributor, responsible for the highly successful distribution of films such as THE AGE OF STUPID, THE END OF THE LINE, BURMA VJ, RESTREPO, and most recently DREAMS OF A LIFE. Dogwoof is a great supporter of independent, innovative filmmaking that challenges audiences and brings important stories into the public eye. For further information, visit www.dogwoof.com. 

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So it’s finally Easter and I’m guessing many of you are procrastinating to escape from exams and assessments, ‘revising’, finished uni like I have or well, procrastinating some more. Nevertheless, it is still a good idea to take a breather from academic or work life and refresh your head.

For me, trips to the cinema is an obvious move. A good ol’ Hollywood blockbuster or mainstream British film can do the job in getting our movie fixes. However, sometimes we need to step back from the bombast and dive into the world of independent films. Gate Cinema is just one of many independent cinemas in London.  Its facade and interior feels as if you stepped back in time to watch a play, offering a refreshing feel to those used to the modern venues (and wallet busting prices) such as Vue and Odeon.

As for the films they’re showing this Easter, they’ve got a variety of genres that’ll attract film goers of all ages:

A Cat In Paris

The French animated  A Cat In Paris follows Dino, a mischievous  cat who leaves his house and owner, Zoé, during the night to help and carry out daring burglaries with a burglar named Nico.  Of course, Zoé begins to notice Dino’s nightly exploits and soon tails her beloved pet to unveil a shocking discovery.

Book here | IMdB

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Damsels In Distress

Don’t be fooled by the title. This comedy stars three woman hoping to help students at a local college who are on the brink of suicide and swimming in depression through dance and healthy living. Of course, not everything goes as planned as romances spring that threatens their friendship. As an added bonus, director Whit Stillman will be at Gate Cinema for a Q&A session so it’ll be definitely worth booking for!

Book here | IMdB

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This Must the Place

We turn things up to 11 with drama This Must Be the Place,  tells the story of a down-and-out rock star forced to hunt down a Nazi after an unexpected turn of events. Rock ‘n’ roll trainspotters will notice the references embedded in the film and even co-stars Bono’s (U2) daughter, Eve Hewson.

Book here | IMdB

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