Cinema for me is…
United Kingdom – Steven Armour from Europa Cinemas on Vimeo.
Steven in 25 frames
1. Describe yourself in ten words.
Open, ambitious, patient, enthusiastic, curious, conscientious, assertive, reliable, compassionate and sociable! (I hope)
2. What are your 3 best qualities and your 3 worst habits?
I’d (humbly) say my 3 best qualities are my attention to detail, ability to talk to pretty much anyone with ease, and my Irish humour! I guess my 3 worst habits would be that I can over-think things a lot, I rely on my phone too much, and I bite my nails when I’m stressed!
3. What is your dream job?
Film programmer for a festival I love.
4. What do you like most about your country?
Our idiosyncratic colloquialisms, particularly in Northern Ireland.
5. What is your favorite dish in your country?
Nothing beats a hearty Sunday roast!
6. What is the word or the expression in your native language that you like the most and what does it mean?
I like the English expression to “take something with a grain of salt”, meaning not to take something someone has said too seriously.
7. What European capital have you visited lately?
Aside from London, I visited Amsterdam last summer.
8. Other than your own, which European country would you love to live in?
Italy – good food, fine wine, beautiful scenery, and a rich cultural history.
9. What does Europe mean to you?
Now more than ever I recognise and appreciate the importance of a united Europe – a collection of nations with shared principles, beautiful cultures, and passionate people.
10. What are the European values that you share?
The core European values I share are that of loyalty and togetherness, in relation to teamwork and listening to others to formulate ideas and bring them to fruition together.
11. What film made you fall in love with cinema?
Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
12. What is your favourite cinema theatre and what do you like about it?
Having experienced a number of cinema theatres throughout the various countries I’ve visited, I would have to say that Belfast’s Queens Film Theatre is still my favourite. It holds a special place in my heart – somewhere familiar, friendly, intimate, and where I first had the opportunity to watch independent, art-house and foreign language films on the big screen.
13. Where do you like to watch movies and on which platform (DVD, online, cinema, mobile phone, etc.)?
I will always prefer to watch films with an audience, on the big screen in a cinema setting. There is no other film viewing experience like it.
14. Who is your movie hero?
Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) from Heathers.
15. If you were a movie director which one would you like to be?
Jonathan Glazer, for his mesmerising, visionary, and uncompromising style of filmmaking.
16. Briefly describe your favorite scene.
My all-time favourite film scene is from Mike Nichols’ The Graduate, when the deliciously predatory Mrs. Robinson insists Benjamin Braddock join her for a drink back at her home, then proceeds to get him hot under the collar until he utters the now iconic line, “Mrs. Robinson you’re trying to seduce me.”
17. What are the 5 best European films you have seen in the last year?
45 Years (Andrew Haigh, 2015) GB
The Commune (Kollektivet) (Thomas Vinterberg, 2016) DK
The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015) GR
Mustang (Deniz Gamze Ergüven, 2015) FR
Son of Saul (Laslo Nemes, 2015) HU
18. Which is the film character that you most identify with?
Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) from Her by Spike Jonze.
19. Your favourite soundtrack or song?
Cat’s Eyes’ dreamily eerie score for The Duke of Burgundy by Peter Strickland.
20. If you had to live in a movie, which one would you like it to be?
The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
21. Your life becomes a bio-pic. Who plays the role of you?
Ben Whishaw (or Cate Blanchett, because she can play anyone).
22. Which talent would you most like to have?
To be a good singer (at least good enough for karaoke).
23. What is your most treasured possession?
A photograph of Nicole Kidman and myself.
24. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Completing my master’s degree in Film, Exhibition and Curation.
25. What is your motto?
What’s for you won’t go by you.
