FILM FESTIVAL PROCEEDS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27208, 27 November 1953, Page 13

FILM FESTIVAL PROCEEDS

NOT MORE THAN £lOO FOR AIR RACE

TOTAL ATTENDANCES ONLY 6000 Not more than £lOO is likely to be received by the Canterbury International Air Race Council from the proceeds of the international documentary film festival staged by the Christchurch Film Society to coincide with the finish of the London-Christchurch air race last month, and assist air race funds. The latest bulletin of the society states that the net profit to date is approximately £175, and as there are still a few expences to be deducted, it is unlikely that a profit of more than £lOO will be shown. “Compared with the result of the 1950 festival, when we were able to hand over a donation of £5OO towards the museum extension funds, this is somewhat perplexing,” says the editor of the bulletin. “With enthusiasm running high in 1950 attendances totalled more than 22,000, and hundreds were turned away. This time total attendances were in the vicinity of 6000 only, and the Wednesday night on which the air crews were present saw the only full house. “No effort was spared to make the festival as successful as the first, and the films, if anything, were of a higher over-all standard than before, so the committee is puzzled as to the reason for what, compared with the enthusiasm in 1950, amounted to apathy. It would seem, on the surface, that unless some outstanding draw such as ‘Canterbury is a Hundred’ is available public interest in documentary films is not so great as 1950 led us to believe.”