22.10.23 Maria Bregman is a journalist, writer and contemporary art researcher.
The Cambridge Film Festival (CFF) is one of the oldest and most prestigious film festivals in the UK, with a rich history of showcasing the best of international cinema, from classics to contemporary, documentaries to shorts, and everything in between. The 42nd edition of the festival, which runs from October 19 to 26, promises to be a diverse and exciting event, with over 200 films from more than 50 countries, as well as special guests, workshops, panels, awards, and more. Here are some of the highlights and reasons why you should not miss this year’s CFF.
Opening and Closing Films
The festival will kick off with the UK premiere of Typist Artist Pirate King, a biopic of the legendary British filmmaker Michael Powell, directed by his grandson Kevin Macdonald. The film explores Powell’s life and career, from his early days as a typist at Warner Bros. to his collaborations with Emeric Pressburger on masterpieces such as The Red Shoes and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. The film features interviews with Powell’s family, friends, and colleagues, as well as archival footage and clips from his films. The film is a tribute to one of the most influential and visionary directors in cinema history, who was also a mentor and inspiration for many contemporary filmmakers, such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg.
The closing film of the festival is HUMAN ONE, the first feature-length NFT (non-fungible token) film by celebrated digital artist Beeple. The film is a dystopian sci-fi thriller that follows a young woman who discovers that she is the last human being on Earth after a cataclysmic event wipes out humanity. She embarks on a journey to find out what happened and who is behind it, while being hunted by mysterious forces. The film is a groundbreaking experiment in filmmaking and technology, as it is entirely created using digital tools and distributed as an NFT, a unique digital asset that can be owned and traded on a blockchain platform2. The film is also a commentary on the environmental and social issues facing humanity today.
Powell + Pressburger’s Dreamweaving Cinema
One of the main strands of the festival is dedicated to the works of Powell and Pressburger, the duo behind some of the most innovative and imaginative films ever made. The strand will feature screenings of their classics, such as The Tales of Hoffmann, Black Narcissus, A Matter of Life and Death, I Know Where I’m Going!, and A Canterbury Tale, as well as rare gems, such as The Spy in Black, Contraband, The Small Back Room, and Gone to Earth. The strand will also include talks and Q&A sessions with experts and enthusiasts of their films, such as Ian Christie, Thelma Schoonmaker, Mark Kermode, and Kevin Macdonald3. The strand is a celebration of Powell and Pressburger’s unique vision and style, which combined elements of fantasy, romance, comedy, drama, music, dance, art, history, and culture in dazzling ways.
International Festival Highlights
The festival will also showcase some of the best films from around the world, representing a variety of genres, themes, and perspectives. Some of the films that have already generated buzz and acclaim at other festivals include:
Roving Woman, a biopic by Jane Campion that chronicles the life and career of folk singer Joan Baez.
Non-Aligned: Scenes from the Labudović Reels, a documentary by Mila Turajlić that uses the footage shot by Yugoslav cameraman Stevan Labudović during his travels across Africa and Asia in the 1960s and 1970s to capture the movements for independence and liberation.
Environment and Community
Another important strand of the festival is focused on the issues of environment and community, and how films can raise awareness and inspire action. The strand will feature films that deal with topics such as climate change, biodiversity, social justice, human rights, and activism. Some of the films in this strand include:
The Partition Project, a documentary by Manisha Gera Baswani that uses postcards from home to tell the stories of people who were affected by the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.
Extinction Rebellion, a documentary by Steve McQueen that follows the protests and actions of the global environmental movement that demands urgent action to tackle the climate crisis.
Underwater Art Museum, a documentary by Jason deCaires Taylor that showcases his sculptures and installations that are submerged in the ocean to create artificial reefs and habitats for marine life.
As Much As I Can, a play by Tarrell Alvin McCraney that explores the experiences and challenges of black gay men living with HIV/AIDS in America.
Family Film Festival
The festival will also cater to the younger audiences and families, with a selection of films that are suitable for all ages and tastes. The Family Film Festival will include animations, live-action, shorts, and classics, as well as workshops, games, and activities. Some of the films in this strand include:
The Mitchells vs. The Machines, an animated comedy by Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe that follows a dysfunctional family who have to save the world from a robot uprising.
Luca, an animated adventure by Enrico Casarosa that tells the story of a young sea monster who experiences life on land with his human friend.
Wolfwalkers, an animated fantasy by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart that depicts the friendship between a hunter’s daughter and a girl who can turn into a wolf.
The Secret Garden, a live-action adaptation of the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, directed by Marc Munden and starring Colin Firth and Julie Walters.
Industry Day and Youth Lab
The festival will also offer opportunities for aspiring and emerging filmmakers to learn from the professionals and network with their peers. The Industry Day will feature panels, workshops, presentations, and pitches on various aspects of filmmaking, such as production, distribution, marketing, funding, diversity, and sustainability. The Industry Day will also include the CFF’s Annual State of the Industry Panel, which will discuss the current trends and challenges facing the film industry in the UK and beyond.
The Youth Lab is an initiative that aims to foster film evaluation and criticism skills among young people aged 16 to 25. The Youth Lab will run regular workshops, networking events, and presentations by industry experts, such as Mark Kermode, Beth Webb, Simon Mayo, and Simran Hans. The Youth Lab will also award the Youth Lab Jury Award to one of the films in the festival.
Awards
The festival will also honor some of the best films and filmmakers in the festival with various awards. The awards are:
Golden Punt Audience Award for Best Feature
Golden Punt Audience Award for Best Documentary
Crystal Punt Audience Award for Best Short Film
Youth Lab Jury Award
Asif Kapadia Outstanding Achievement Award (presented to Asif Kapadia himself for his remarkable career as a director of documentaries such as Senna, Amy, Diego Maradona, and Talk to Me)
How to Attend
The festival will take place at various venues across Cambridge, such as Cambridge Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge Junction, Cambridge University Library, Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge Guildhall, Cambridge Leisure Park, and others. The festival will also offer online screenings for some of the films via its website. The tickets for the festival are available online or at the box office of each venue. The prices vary depending on the film, venue, date, and time. The festival also offers discounts for students, seniors, children, disabled people, carers, NHS staff, key workers, CFF Friends, CFF Patrons Circle members, CFF Corporate Partners, Picturehouse members, Junction members, BFI members, BAFTA members, BIFA members.
The Cambridge Film Festival is a must-attend event for film lovers of all kinds. It is a chance to discover new films from around the world, revisit old favorites, meet filmmakers and stars, learn new skills and insights, support local culture and community, and celebrate cinema as an art form and a force for change. Don’t miss it!
