The May Fair Hotel (see Video), London, has cemented its pivotal role in the film industry with a series of announcements in the run-up to October’s 54th BFI London Film Festival, in partnership with American Express.An agreement with the BFI sees the hotel playing host to the 16-day festival for the next two years after a successful inaugural event last year. One of the world’s leading independent film festivals – Raindance – is also to be based at the hotel in September. Finally the hotel has announced that it has created the post of Film Maker in Residence supporting independents to create a suite of films about life in London as well as a series of shorts based around celebrity guests at the iconic hotel.
“The May Fair Hotel has become increasingly synonymous with the film and entertainment industry, it was therefore an obvious choice to extend the partnership this year,” said Sandra Hebron, Artistic Director of the BFI Festivals. “Once again we will have excellent venues for our parties, first class suites and rooms for our VIPs and access to one of London’s largest and best-equipped private cinemas.”
The May Fair Hotel’s history has been based around the film industry for over half a century. In the 1950s it was owned by the American Danziger brothers, film impresarios who founded the New Elstree Studios and made a succession of smash hit films. Then as now the May Fair was the preferred haunt of celebrities, film and rock stars when they stayed in London.
The Raindance Film Festival was founded in 1993 and described by Spike Lee as “exactly what Independent Films need.” Notable launches include films such as Pulp Fiction, the Blair Witch Project and Ghost World. Raindance also founded the prestigious British Independent Film Awards and runs a major film training programme. It runs from September 29th until October 10th. The 54th BFI London Film Festival, in partnership with American Express runs from October 13th – 28th.
Speaking of the new agreement with the hotel, owner and creator of the festival Elliot Grove said, “We are thrilled to be working with the May Fair, a natural home for the film industry. Our Filmaker in Residence will also be from the Raindance stable and we envisage some entertaining and stand out shorts from his tenure.”
Global Marketing Director Linda Plant who put the partnership together said: “Extending our relationship with the BFI to become a Gala Sponsor and hosting one of the 54th BFI London Film Festival’s prestigious film premieres, coupled with the new-found relationship with Raindance, is very exciting and paths a future for the hotel as THE film hotel in London. We want to be seen by the industry as a natural partner for new works, film launches, press junkets, screenings and general entertainment. We also have the technical abilities to screen including 3D and look forward to announcing some Premieres in the near future.”
