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Festival coverage

Sci-Fi-London

2008

La Antena was a festival highlight
La Antena was a festival highlight

The 7th Sci-Fi London Film Festival ran from April 30 to May 4 at Apollo West End cinema, Regent Street, London.

The festival opened with the UK premiere of Marc Caro's Dante 01, from the co-creator of The City Of Lost Children and Delicatessen. The action wrapped up with the World Premiere of Chemical Wedding (written by Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson and Julian Doyle (who also directs).

Other highlights included Argentinian dystopian fairytale The Aerial and the UK premieres of anime Appleseed: Ex Machina and French sci-fi thriller Chrysalis.

View complete schedule

Other years (5)

Box office and information

Latest reviews

  • The Thing
    Review preview for The Thing

    A classic white-knuckle ride.

    Jeff Robson · 4 out of 5
    A group of scientists at an Antarctic research station discover a killer alien that can mutate into any life-form it touches. See it in all its glory in big-screen re-release.
  • Dante 01
    Review preview for Dante 01

    The film sets up an interesting situation, like the pilot of a TV series, and then leaves you, as it were, at the beginning.

    Angus Wolfe Murray · 3 out of 5
    A new arrival with alien powers upsets the equilibrium amongst prisoners in a deep space psychiatric detention centre.
  • Chrysalis
    Review preview for Chrysalis

    If the film fails to connect the dots, it is never less than intriguing.

    Angus Wolfe Murray · 3.5 out of 5
    Futuristic French thriller erases memories and fights a serial killer.
  • Chemical Wedding
    Review preview for Chemical Wedding

    One of the key plot developments in the film is a process by which you can reverse time and live a day all over again, sadly an option not available to filmgoers yet.

    Jeff Robson · 1 out of 5
    A mild-mannered academic takes part in a virtual reality experiment and is possessed by the spirit of notorious British occultist Aleister Crowley.
  • Appleseed: Ex Machina
    Review preview for Appleseed: Ex Machina

    A quest for the human beyond (or at least within) the machine.

    Anton Bitel · 3.5 out of 5
    Eyeball-scorching post-apocalyptic anime sequel
  • La Antena
    Review preview for La Antena

    Sometimes cinema tickles the senses, sometimes it tugs at the heartstrings, sometimes it exercises the intellect – but La Antena transmits to all three at once.

    Anton Bitel · 4.5 out of 5
    Dystopian fairytale about a 'city without a voice'.
  • Vexille
    Review preview for Vexille

    This might be familiar fare, but Fumihiko Sori and his team pull it off with sufficient visual aplomb to keep things highly entertaining.

    Paul Griffiths · 3.5 out of 5
    In 2077, Japan’s secretive, advanced bio-technology could pose an unimaginable threat.
  • Tekkonkinkreet
    Review preview for Tekkonkinkreet

    Tekkonkinkreet is beautiful, and ably uses its visual appeal in service of an exciting fable.

    Andrew Robertson · 4.5 out of 5
    Two young boys try to stop gangsters taking over their city.
  • Solaris
    Review preview for Solaris

    Soderbergh's use of real time, old time, dream and memory is orchestrated with such delicacy that the meaning of truth dissolves into pure sensation.

    Angus Wolfe Murray · 4 out of 5
    A bereaved man is sent to investigate a mysterious planet and the disaffected crew in orbit around it.
  • Alien
    Review preview for Alien

    Scott wrings out every last drop of suspense from the film.

    Scott Macdonald · 5 out of 5
    Ridley Scott's fabulously frightening grimy spaceship classic.

A–Z of Sci-Fi-London 2008 reviews