This weekend will possibly be the saddest in London – ever. That’s because London SadFest will be taking over the Genesis Cinema. If you enjoy crying into a bowl of ice cream while watching sad and heart breaking films, then I suggest you wrap yourself up and make the trip to Mile End. Along with films like The Elephant Man, the festival also boasts a line-up of guest speakers, live spoken word and poetry.
Festival founder Steve Todd says: “this is for anybody that loves really sad and heart-breaking films. We’ve got a great line up of beautiful films and some really interesting speakers, live music performances and some sad poetry too. But above all, it is a place where you can come and cry your heart in out in great company!”
Guest speakers include:
Dr Åsa Jansson who is an associate member of the Centre for the History of the Emotions at Queen Mary, University of London. Her research explores the history of “disordered” or “pathological” emotions since the 1800s, and the different ways in which modern medicine has tried to label and categorise our emotions as normal or deviant in different contexts.
Jennifer Wallace, who teaches English Literature and Comparative Drama, specialising in Tragedy, at the University of Cambridge. She is the author of The Cambridge Introduction to Tragedy (2007), as well as of books on archaeology (Digging the Dirt: The Archaeological Imagination) and Romantic Hellenism (Shelley and Greece).
There will also be live performances from: Ana Zed and Lou Welby, Emmanuel Speaks, David Callahan (solo performance), Robert Paul, Joseph Paice, Chris Hodgkinson, David Cialfi Talks: “The Tyranny of Happiness and the Medicalisation of Misery”, Dr Angela Byrne; “Mad, Bad, Sad and Dangerous”, Raza Griffiths.
The event kicks off this Friday 3rd March and runs through till Sunday 5th.
Tickets can only be bought on-line: http://buytickets.at/completegeniusltd/82160
- £10 per film.
- £16 day ticket (for Saturday or Sunday)
- £40 whole festival ticket (includes a free drink at the launch event + festival tote bag)
Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Rd, London E1 4UJ
