Comedy film festival opens

The first Ealing Film Festival has kicked off with a preview screening of The Importance Of Being Earnest.

Oscar Wilde's classic comedy was chosen as it also marks the first comedy from the revived Ealing Studios.

Producer Barnaby Thompson, whose consortium now owns the West London production centre, and director Oliver Parker were on hand to open the festival.

Over the next three weeks, the borough's UGC Cinema will be screening some all-time classic British comedies, from restored versions of Ealing classics to Monty Python's big-screen adventures.

Thompson said he was honoured his film was chosen to open the inaugural festival.

And Parker drew parallels with the reliable qualities associated with the name Earnest in the 107-year-old farce, and the name Ealing when it comes to British movie comedies.

Of Wilde's script, he added: "The humour really hasn't dimmed in any way - a century on and the wit still has the same spark. Oscar Wilde must be one of the funniest writers of all time."

The Importance Of Being Earnest, starring Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Judi Dench, opens nationwide today (Friday).

For more detail about the Ealing Film Festival, visit the official website.

Published: 5 Sep 2002