FDA’s Summer of Cinema Film Quiz Report

Last Thursday saw the UK Film Distributor’s Association reveal the line-up for this summer’s film releases through the medium of a film quiz and what seemed suspiciously like a rather large piss-up. As everyone knows, the film industry historically does inversely well in times of recession; well, we must really be screwed financially if the statistics in the FDA’s press release are to be believed: the UK box office is at the time of writing 4% ahead of its takings from this time last year and has passed the £300m barrier faster than ever.

After finding myself the only representative from B3K at the event and being disinclined to go solo on the quiz, I was readying myself to make my apologies and do one, however, a kindly attendee sought out an equally accommodating team from the excellent Find Any Film website who were willing to take on a Billy-no-mates straggler. Inside scoop: they want to make an app and are looking at their options. We made a good team and made a decent attempt at the quiz (hosted by Russell Brand tribute act, Alex Zane); however we made a stronger show of polishing off canapés and endeavouring to empty seemingly bottomless wine glasses.

The FDA – whose member companies are responsible for the distribution of 97% of the UK’s cinema releases – are promoting their summer line-up with a teaser trailer featuring fifty-one of the new releases, a series of vod and podcasts and this rather nice website.

Highlights of the coming months include superhero shindigs The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man, sci-fi shenanigans from Prometheus and Total Recall and Jason Segel-‘em ups Jeff Who Lives at Home and The Five Year Engagement. Other notable releases include Pixar’s latest, Brave, which features the wonderful Kelly Macdonald, Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom and Step Up 4: Miami Heat. Classic films such as Jaws, Beauty and the Beast and Chariots of Fireare all being rereleased.

So in short: FDA organise nice big party, cinema singlehandedly saving UK economy (maybe) and lots of exciting sounding films are being released. For me, it’s difficult to get beyond anything other than The Dark Knight Rises in terms of anticipation, but what are you looking forward to this summer? Voice your thoughts in the comments below.

You can check out pictures from the event on the official Facebook page.