8 MARCH 2017, 5.30pm
Cinema A, 24 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9UB
Sneak Preview of 'BUTTERFLY KISSES' (2017)
&
Q&A with Director and LFS Tutor Rafael Kapelinski
Hosted by Richard Kwietniowski
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** WINNER OF GENERATION 14PLUS - CRYSTAL BEAR FOR BEST FILM 2017 **
' Beautifully Produced ’ JoHN MALKOVICH
‘ Unforgettable ’ STEPHEN FRY
BUTTERFLY KISSES (2017), 1hr 29min, Drama
Storyline: We follow Jake and his two best friends. They all have their own demons, but Jake's secret is one that he can't tell anyone.
First screened on the 11th February, was directed by LFS Tutor Rafael Kapelinksi and follows Jake and his two best friends through a world distorted by sex and porn. Each struggles with their own demons, but Jake’s secret is one that he can’t even divulge to anyone. "The question of paedophilia is hidden away in a dark corner, a dirty spot on an otherwise polished floor, hidden under carpets of superficial righteousness. The line between freedom of speech and ideals of objective truth are quickly drawn,” states Rafael Kapelinski on the Film London website. “BUTTERFLY KISSES is not about this line, it holds no stance except to portray the very real feelings of a teenage boy. The catch? He cannot under any circumstances reveal his feelings to anybody, not parent, doctor or friend.”
BUTTERFLY KISSES was developed under the Film London’s Microwave project and produced by Merlin Merton, who established Blue Shadows Films in 2013. “BUTTERFLY KISSES is a deliberately provocative subject which most filmmakers would not wish to address,” states Merton in the producer’s statement. “But testament to its success is both Greer (writer) - writing a raw, heartfelt story; and Rafael’s subtle and beautiful handling as director. He made it very personal to him, which was important for this type of story.”
Click here to watch the trailer for BUTTERFLY KISSES, which screened on the 11th, 13th and 16th February at various locations around Berlin.
Production company: Blue Shadows Films, Grump Films, Rocha World Films, Solopan, #BUTTERFLYXX, @BLUESHADOWSFILMS
International sales: m-appeal/Raspberry & Cream, films@m-appeal.com
Producers: Merlin Merton, Jacek Szumlas
Screenplay: Greer Taylor Ellison
Cinematography: Nick Cooke
Production design: Fleur Whitlock
Editor: Andrew Walton
Music: Nathan Klein
Main cast Theo Stevenson, Liam Whiting, Byron Lyons, Rosie Day, Thomas Turgoose
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Director Rafael Kapelinski's IMDB
Rafael is a London-based, award-winning freelance writer/director. A former banker, he took a sharp turn into writing and directing.
He is an NFTS/LFS/Wajda film school-trained writer/director, and has since created some of the most distinctive short films that have won over thirty international awards at top-tier festivals such as Cannes, Oberhausen, Austin, New Horizons and Brest.
His short EMILY CRIES was awarded Best European Film at Brest, and was subsequently shortlisted for a shorts Oscar nomination. It led to his being listed in Variety's Young Directors to Watch.
SELECTION OF REVIEWS FOR REFERENCE FOR BUTTERFLY KISSES:
http://www.indiewire.com/2017/02/butterfly-kisses-trailer-berlinale-2017-1201782354/
http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/2017/02/15/butterfly-kisses-review/
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/232987/
http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/butterfly-kisses-berlin-review/5114732.article
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/berlinale-generation-14plus-auf-der-dunklen-seite/19396336.html
http://www.cineuropa.org/nw.aspx?t=newsdetail&l=en&did=323522