Branchage: Opera House and a tug boat

Every year the Branchage festival gets bigger and better, this year there were over 60 events taking place over the fours days including live music, soundtracks, parties, short films, documentaries, feature films and more.

Over four days I've seen a range of events including live soundtracks in a church, a couple of Q&As, documentaries and comedies.

So the final day and most of it is spent in the Jersey Opera House with a couple of hours between each film.

My first film of the day was Out On His Own: The Gilbert O'Sullivan story - a film made from Irish television telling the story - some in the past but most over the last twelve months, of this dedicated and ambitious 60 something singer songwriter.

Before the film started there were two short films with a music feel, the first the final scene in a relationship that saw a couple share out their CDs, discuss the merits of electronic music and move apart.

The second a more animated production about muso boyfriends and the thinks to watch out for.

Both were brilliant - the first in a endearing, been there, heartbreak kind of way and the second was just funny and true.

After the short film there was a song by Jersey group Bubblebrain - a sort of hip hop collective. They performed a mash-up of Alone Again (Naturally) and rapper Biz Markies Alone Again.

That was the song O'Sullivan sued Warner Bros records over - a sample of Alone Again (Naturally) was used in Alone Again.

To the film.

Raymond (aka Gilbert) was followed for a year by the crew, from his home in Jersey to Tel Aviv in Isreal, to Nashville and back to Jersey.

It shows someone who still loves music, still loves writing music and has a driving thirst for both commercial success and critical acceptance - something he has struggled to achieve in later life.

There are hints of envy at other similarly aged stars like Elton John and a frustration at his lack of chart success.

It was a funny, uncomfortable , engaging and in parts irritating film about a strange, funny, uncomfortable, engaging and in parts irritating man.

It was then time for the question and answer session, hosted by Rod Bryans and with Gilbert O'Sullivan and the films director Adrian McCarthy.

After we got a deeper insight into the thinking behind the film and behind Gilbert himself from Rod's spot on questioning it was time to ask the audience.

The first question was from someone who came across as a bit 'stalkerish' talking about going to his house, knowing where he lives and working at his house - she asked when he was going to play a concert in Jersey.

True to the theme of 'need for acceptance' established in the film - the answer was basically 'I want to but need to become critically accepted myself first'.

I met up with Billy Jam again after the Gilbert O'Sullivan performance and, as we only had an hour before the next film we decided to go back to the BBC where I was able to give him a brief tour.

After a quick chat we headed back to the Opera House to watch the Doors film, When You're Strange - telling the rise, rise, collapse, rise and fall of the late great Jim Morrison.

Unusually for a biopic of this type it doesn't include any modern footage of the people seen in the film - at least the ones still alive - instead relying on footage and interviews from the time they were active.

No Q&A for this film but there were three great performances from local acts before the film started - Giles Robson with a storming harmonica solo, Jersey Bob Vincent playing Light my fire and a group who's name I didn't catch paying tribute to the Doors.

So, time for a bite to eat and a break before heading back to the Opera House for the penultimate event of the Branchage film festival.

This years festival has been an amazing success, so many varied, unusual, sometimes surreal but always brilliantly challenging events - something everyone can sink their teeth into and enjoy.

A cultural experience that would still be seen as impressive in a major city - but in Jersey is a defining moment of the year.

he final film, fittingly, was one with a Jersey connection called Out of the Ashes. It was the tale of the rise and rise of the Afghanistan cricket team.

Before the film started there was a group of Jersey jazz musicians in front of the stage, they performed a number of cricket related songs including, to much applause Soul Limbo" by the American soul band Booker T. & the M.G.'s (aka the Test Match Special Theme).

The film is a real tale of human determination and struggle, it's a film that somebody who really doesn't get cricket, like me, can still enjoy, cry at, laugh at and leave you wanting to follow more from the team.

There was a Q&A after the film with the films producer, Leslie Knott and cricketing legend Geoff Boycott - hosted by BBC Jersey's own sporting legend - Roger Bara.

Then it was time to head out into the cold for a walk down to Albert Pier to watch an 85 year old Russian propaganda film projected on a screen sat in the middle of the water on top of the Duke of Normandy tug boat.

The film, a genre defining moment in cinema history, was brought to life by the brilliant Zombie Zombie, a French free form electro-jazz duo playing acoustic synths and drums.

This wasn't supposed to be the final moment of the festival, it had to be moved relatively late in the day - but that was to its benefit as it was a great farewell to an amazing weekend.

Bring on Branchage 2011 but it's going to be tough for them to top 2010.