Film festivals to celebrate Amnesty gigs

Two film festivals in Los Angeles and New York are to be held to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Secret Policeman\'s Balls.

John Cleese organised the first event to use the title in 1979 to raise cash for Amnesty International, and there have since been another six massive benefit gigs for the human rights organisation.

Original films of all the shows – including American premieres of the uncut 2001, 2006 and 2008 shows organised by Eddie Izzard – will feature in the two month-long film festivals, as well as rare documentaries and TV specials about the mammoth shows.

Films of other Amnesty music and comedy fundraisers held in the UK, US and in Paris will also feature in the event, running from June 11 in LA and June 26 in New York. These include footage of 1976 Ball forerunner A Poke in the Eye (With a Sharp Stick) – released theatrically as Pleasure At Her Majesties, and 1977’s An Evening Without Sir Bernard Miles, aka The Mermaid Frolics.

Comics who have appeared in the Balls include Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Rowan Atkinson, Billy Connolly and Russell Brand.

For full line-ups, visit the official website.

Published: 2 Jun 2009