Die Hard Director John McTiernan to headline inaugural London Action Festival with Matthew Vaughn’s UK powerhouse MARV screening exclusive footage from their latest production School Fight
Proof Inc. will also take you behind the scenes of Jurassic World Dominion with Director Colin Trevorrow as their guide
Monday 20th June London, UK: John McTiernan, the legendary filmmaker and Director of Die Hard, is the headline guest at the inaugural London Action Festival.
The London Action Festival will open on July 28th with a very special screening of what is widely considered the greatest Action movie of all time – Die Hard, with a Q & A with the film’s legendary director John McTiernan, as well as other surprise guests for the evening.
On July 28th, at the height of the British Summer, the Festival sets out to settle once and for all the global debate as to whether John McClane’s first adventure is a “Christmas Movie”.
The festival will also celebrate another masterpiece from John McTiernan, the original Predator which has its 35th anniversary this year. Arnold Schwarzenegger takes on an extra-terrestrial hunter in the first classic installment of the ongoing franchise.
The London Action Festival, which runs from July 28-31, is a first-of-its-kind celebration of one of the most globally produced and commercially successful genres of Film and TV will launch in London with a major 4-day celebration this Summer. Ticketing and full information can be found at: www.londonactionfestival.com
Den of Geek, the world’s leading information news service dedicated to all things genre, will be the Senior Media Sponsor for the event.
Picturehouse Central, right in the heart of London’s West End, will be home for the festival over its main weekend with additional events taking place at other major venues in Central London..
With the support of UK production powerhouse MARV – The London Action Festival will be hosting exclusive footage from their new action movie School Fight marking the debut of Damien Walters as Director. Damien has a long association with Director Matthew Vaughn as his Stunt Coordinator. A world-renowned free runner, Damien will deliver a masterclass on making the leap from Stunt Professional to Director. Cast members Greg Townley and Bobby Holland Hanton, highly regarded stunt professionals in their own right, also join the panel.
Visitors will also be able to take a look at the world of visual effects in Jurassic World Dominion with a masterclass from some of the leading experts in the field of Visualization and VFX including Pawl Fulker (Partner + Creative Director, Proof London Ltd. / Senior Visualization Supervisor), Dave Vickery (ILM, Visual Effects Supervisor) and with the involvement of Director Colin Trevorrow. his panel event is presented by Proof Inc. who celebrate their 20th anniversary this year as well as the 10th Anniversary of their London operation.
The film and television world has hundreds of established festivals, yet Action seldom gets the focus the genre truly deserves. With that in mind, a dedicated and passionate team of industry professionals have set out to create a world class Action Festival.
Featuring a host of thrilling events, premieres and exclusive screenings, panels and workshops, the festival will bring together great filmmakers from around the world in a one-of-a-kind event.
“We will be celebrating the skills and talent of those who bring Action Movies and TV to life. We see the festival as a way of showing far greater appreciation for those whose incredible work and achievements are rarely recognized come awards season, particularly in the areas of stunts and action design”, said Julian Alcantara (Festival Co-Director and Founder).
“This is going to be an exciting, fun and inspiring experience for audiences who love all things Action. The very filmmaking that powers global entertainment deserves this level of attention and respect”, added Ron Fogelman (Festival Co-Director and Founder).
“Our ethos at Den of Geek is ‘By Experts, For Fans’ and that’s shared with the London Action Festival team. We’re looking forward to being associated with this long overdue celebration of the skills, creativity, talent, and bravery required to create the world’s most exciting content across Film and TV”, Jennifer Bartner-Indeck (Den of Geek , CEO).
The festival is proud to be working with broadcaster, Film & TV critic and Film Programmer Ashanti Omkar as our Cultural Curator.
“I love what the festival is doing in their embrace of Action cinema from around the world. I’m excited to work with them on this inaugural event as a fixture for both industry and audiences to celebrate the most watched genre of cinema globally and allow fans to take a deep dive into what goes on behind the scenes”, he said.
The line-up of other events announced so far includes;
- On July 29th, the festival’s Friday Night Showdown – a two-hour show takes place combining very special panel events, comedy, music, and guests of honour. This will be a not-to-be-missed – one night only – celebration of all things “Action”. The event takes place at the Royal Geographical Society located in the heart of South Kensington’s arts and science district. As one of London’s most charming and iconic venues, it has long been associated with many historic real life action heroes such as Scott, Shackleton and Sir Edmund Hillary.
- Write Club assembles some of the leading writers in the industry who lay the blueprint for any action movie or TV show in the form of the script. We look at the process by which an action set piece is conceived on the page with case studies that highlight how important character is to making such key moments deliver on the screen.
- If you’ve dreamed of making high octane action movies on a low budget – find out just what that’s like from the experts in “Punch Above Your Weight – How To Make Your First Action Masterpiece” with special guests to be announced.
- Saturday night offers the London Action Festival Quiz. How much do you really know about the movies and TV shows you love? Here’s the chance to test your knowledge against our Grand In-Quiz-itor.
Further details on special panels, screenings, guests, and surprise events will be announced in the coming days.