Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

The last year was one of huge personal and professional changes for me, and although change can be painful, it was also necessary and has set me on a new course in many ways.

I started a new job at the Stratford Picturehouse in London, as Business Development Manager, working on consolidating the Picturehouses' position in Stratford in light of the new competition and huge developments happening in East London (Olympics, Westfield, etc). The job has been challenging but hugely educational.

My job at the Dukes continued, and we experienced one of our most succesful years ever, with growing audiences and amazing events, like the Brighton Rock Premiere, the Steve Coogan/Rob Brydon Q&A, and great gigs from artists like 65daysofstatic and WHY?.

I also spent a lot of the year travelling to festivals, including the Berlinale in February, the Toulouse Latin American festival, I served on the CICAE jury at the Sarajevo Film Festival, attended the Venice Mostra, and finally the San Sebastian festival. I've become a real festival addict, and in 2012 I'll be re-visiting Berlin, Toulouse, and also reprising my CICAE Jury role, this time at the Vilnius Film Festival in Lithuania. Where else the year will take me is yet unknown.

This blog has taken a back seat in my life, due to lack of time, and also a re-definition of what it's for. The podcast I record with Robert Beames almost every week is the more regular outlet for opinions and rants, and after two years recording it, I think we've actually gotten good at it.

I'll post festival updates and reviews through here, and ocassional pieces if I feel the need. My twitter feed @splendorcinema is pretty active too.

Have a great year!