Dustin Hoffman Q&A at the Phoenix Cinema, East Finchley

There are many very cool things about living in North London - but one of my favourites is how easily I can get to one of my favourite cinemas - the Phoenix. It's a one-screen cinema that puts on arty films, foreign films, theatre recordings and plays host to film festivals. What the Phoenix knows how to do well, though, is put on a Q&A. 

With lots of celebrities from the film world only too happy to support the cinema, they have managed to pull in people in the past from the hilarious cast of League of Gentleman to Olivia Colman and Paddy Considine from Tyrannosaur and Deep Blue Sea director Terence Davies. Last Friday evening, however, the cinema celebrated one of the most distinguished guests throughout their long history - acting legend and first-time director Dustin Hoffman, who was there to talk about Quartet.

I was one of the fortunate ones who managed to get a ticket before the event sold out in record time and was inspired by Hoffman's love of cinema and respect for his cast and all the incredible people he has met and worked with throughout his life. For the man who claims to have got into acting because he failed at everything else, he has certainly proven himself a success. I went expecting to hear some brilliant anecdotes that found fame decades ago with The Graduate but was surprised and moved by his humble and emotional stories of life in showbusiness.

Check out my report from the Q&A at Filmoria and enjoy my pictures below (please link back to this post if you wish to use the images).

Quartet is out now.

 

Hoffman is moved by his standing ovation.