The Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road
Edinburgh
06 April 2009
‘From Here To Before,’ a documentary about influential UK singer songwriter Vashti Bunyan is to be screened at The Filmhouse in Edinburgh this April as part of the Oxjam Music Festival. Oxjam raises money and awareness for Oxfam through music.
The film’s subject, Vashti Bunyan, will headline Oxjam Music Festival’s 2009 swan song at Roxy Art House on March 27. The rare appearance from the godmother of freak-folk, her first ever Edinburgh date, comes eight years after the re-issue and widespread discovery of her debut album–35 years after she had “abandoned music forever”.
’From Here To Before’ is a feature documentary directed by acclaimed UK filmmaker Kieran Evans (Finisterre). It received its world premiere at The Times 52nd London International Film Festival at the BFI Southbank.
For many cult artists, rediscovery comes too late, they never live to know their art has been reappraised, is being loved by generations not even born when they were at work. In the case of Vashti Bunyan, the “Godmother of Freak Folk” (New York Press), 30 years of obscurity ended with the rediscovery in 2000 of her lost classic album ‘Just Another Diamond Day’ and her subsequent reintroduction into a mainstream she was never part of in the first place. The fact the record was inspired by a very British road trip–an end to end journey across the country by horse and carriage–has only helped mythologise Vashti’s life and career.
A lyrical, modern day road movie, this wonderfully evocative film retraces Vashti’s extraordinary journey across the British Isles and sets it against the backdrop of her first high profile London concert. It also features rare interviews with music luminaries Andrew Loog Oldham, Joe Boyd and Robert Kirby who provide an honest and informative insight into Vashti’s place in the most creative period of twentieth century popular music. There are also contributions from musicians such as Devendra Banhart, Max Richter and Adem Ilhan who discuss the huge influence her music has had on their own work and in Devendra Banhart’s case, the effect it had on his life.
Vashti Bunyan will be present for a Q&A after the screening.
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