About
The Racing Lotus Film Festival 2009 is organised by Legends Film Festivals, the same team that organised the Legends of Le Mans and Jim Clark Film Festivals in 2009 and 2008 respectively.
The event has become an annual fixture, with a different theme each year but always the same focus on an informal, friendly, relaxed atmosphere which enables enthusiasts to get close to their heroes and talk to them.
What happens at the Festival?
The festival has three distinct elements:
· The film programme
· The guest speaker panel session
· The gala dinner
The film programme
The film programme is split into two sessions, each of one-and-a-half hours' duration. Each session will contain a number of different film extracts, of varying lengths, relating to the theme of Racing Lotus and focusing particularly on three key anniversaries:
- 40 years since
Jochen Rindt's 1970 World Championship victory
- 40 years since the introduction of the Lotus 72
- 50 years of Lotus 18
victories.
With our film programme, we try to focus on rare (in some cases never seen before) footage, although there may also be some commercially available footage if we think it is sufficiently relevant to our themes.
In summary, we feel that many of you will not have seen any of it, concede that some of you may have seen some of it but believe that none of you will have seen all of it!
The guest speaker panel session
Each year we invite a number of special guests with a deep and detailed knowledge of the subject of the Festival to share their recollections and anecdotes with the audience. This session is scheduled to last for one and a half hours - although it often runs over...
The panel usually includes a mix of drivers, designers and mechanics. Some of the panel may stand up and speak on their own, while others are happier fielding questions from the MC or the audience.
At the end of the session, the members of the guest speaker panel will be available to sign autographs, books, photographs and other memorabilia.
Guest speakers confirmed* as attending the event include:
Dick Scammell, Team Lotus chief mechanic and racing manager, 1960-71
John Miles, Gold Leaf Team Lotus Formula 1 driver and team-mate to Jochen Rindt, 1970
Bob Dance, former Gold Leaf Team Lotus chief mechanic who worked for the team 1960-69 and 1977-94, still working with Classic Team Lotus
Tony Robinson, former chief mechanic, technical director and team manager of the British Racing Partnership.
Gordon Huckle, Formula 1 chief mechanic in 1970 and Jim Clark's mechanic in 1967 on the Lotus 49s.
Erich Walitsch, the world's leading authority on Jochen Rindt, who has recently collaborated on a documentary about Rindt which used Nina Rindt's own home movie footage and has an unrivalled collection of Rindt images.
* please note that we cannot be held liable for the failure of any of our guest speakers to appear at the event. We have negotiated with them in good faith but sometimes unavoidable circumstances such as illness or a last-minute change of plans means they are unable to attend 'on the day'.
The Gala Dinner
The Gala Dinner is the grand finale of proceedings on Saturday and the highlight of the weekend.
It consists of a delicious three-course meal followed by an after-dinner speech by one of our guest panel. This year we are delighted that Bob Dance has agreed to talk about his incredible 50 years in racing.
Our guest speakers will be sharing the tables with other diners, giving enthusiasts a chance to talk to them during the evening.
Diners are invited to gather in the Library for pre-dinner drinks before proceeding to their tables, providing what for many will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to mingle with and engage our special guests in conversation.
Dress code: black tie optional, so some people may choose to wear a dinner jacket, while others may opt for a lounge suit.
Event timetable
Please aim to arrive at least half an hour before the start of the first film session so that you have time to register and collect your name badge. So by 10am on Saturday and 9am on Sunday. Many thanks!
Saturday 13th
Film session 1: 10.30am-12noon
Lunch: 12noon-2pm
Film session 2: 2pm-3.30pm
Tea/coffee break 3.30pm-4pm
Guest speaker panel: 4pm-5.30pm
Sunday 14th
Film session 1: 9.30am-11am
Tea/coffee break 11am-11.30am
Guest speaker panel: 11.30-1pm
Lunch: 1pm-3pm
Film session 2: 3pm-4.30pm