The Colchester Film Festival showcases a selection of the new feature-length and short films by some of the best filmmakers from different countries. Its program includes world, European and United Kingdom premieres. The organizers pride themselves on creating an eclectic yet accessible program that has something for everyone to enjoy.
Alongside film screenings, the Colchester Film Festival hosts a program of master classes and workshops conducted by leading film industry professionals, including BAFTA and Academy Award winning directors, producers, screenwriters, and actors. The festival’s workshop program is designed to inspire the next generation of promising filmmakers and to give audience an insight into the creative process behind film production.
The 60 Hour Film Challenge (formerly the 48 Hour Film Challenge) is one of the main highlights of the Colchester Film Festival. It is open to filmmakers from across the globe and is free for anyone to enter. Participants have just 60 hours to write, shoot and edit a short film under 5 minutes, based on a title, line of dialog and an action/prop which must be included in the film. The shortlisted films are screened at the festival.
The CFF is a fully competitive film festival that presents awards in a number of categories, such as Best Film, Best Feature Film, Best Regional Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Screenplay, and Rising Star Award. The winners are selected by a professional jury comprising directors, screenwriters, editors, cinematographers, and other industry professionals. Some of the CFF winners and nominees have gone on to receive Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.
The main venue of the Colchester Film Festival is Firstsite, a contemporary art gallery located in the city’s “Cultural Quarter”. Other venues included the Minories and St Botolphs Waiting Room.
Photo: colchesterfilmfestival.com
