Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

2019 marks major anniversaries for two key SF movies – Ridley Scott’s Alien, and The Wachowskis’ The Matrix.

The 15th annual Glasgow Film Festival will stage very special celebration screenings of these  two classic blockbusters as well as showcasing some of the finest big screen offerings from Belgium and Hollywood.

Glasgow film fans are invited to adventure underneath Glasgow Central Station and attend the first official 20th Anniversary screening of The Matrix (22 and 23 Feb) in the subterranean caverns of Argyle Street Arches. With thanks to Warner Bros for their support, the event will feature mind-twisting immersive installations and after-party. Audiences are encouraged to don black sunglasses and dark leather as they explore the deconstructed world of the ground-breaking film.

In a vast warehouse in North Glasgow no-one will hear you scream as audiences brave an encounter with the Xenomorph itself at a large-scale pop-up event showing of Alien (28 February). Featuring laser-tag adventures, comic books and themed cocktails, this is a must for all wannabe Ripleys. With thanks to Park Circus for their support, the 4K 40th anniversary restoration print of Alien will be released on 1 March 2019 across the UK.

1969: End of Innocence is a retrospective devoted to American cinema while Belgium Cinemas: Both Sides Now is a timely look at the richness and diversity of contemporary Belgian filmmaking.

“For GFF19 the team have pulled together a brilliant series of events and both The Matrix and Alien will be the pop-up events of the year!” Allison Gardner, Festival Co-director said. “As ever it’s our audiences who add the fun and frivolities to our immersive events and they have never let us down and always exceed our expectations and ensure the events are fun. There are more events to be revealed and we are looking forward to sharing these on 23rd January”.

Tickets for Alien and The Matrix go on sale 12pm on Monday 26 November from glasgowfilm.org. The full programme for Glasgow Film Festival 2019 will be announced on 23 January. Tickets go on sale to GFF members and GFT CineCard holders from 12 noon on 24 January and then on general sale from 10am on 28 January.