Save The Date for 2024

We are pleased to announce that KFF24 will be taking place from Thursday 29th February to Sunday 3rd March 2024, at the Alhambra, the Theatre by the Lake and at Rheged.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Keswick next year.

Osprey Short Film Award Winners

Congratulations to all of the short films that were screened at the Theatre By The Lake on Saturday afternoon. The Judges Prize was awarded to MOVING WITH by Jonny Randall, a short film which captures the precious moment in time between mother and son and their local landscape. Featuring dance artist Lucy Nicholson and her son Benji in their home village of Staveley. Jonny and Lucy collected the award from Winners' director Hassan Nazer.

The audience selected THE CHAMELEON WOLF for the Audience Award which was announced by Sarah Beddington the director of Fadia's Tree. This charming animation about a flatulent wolf cub who gets lost in the forest was made by 8-11 year olds at a Signal Starters Film-in-a-week workshop. The work of Jorgie, Byron, Jon Joe, Ruby, Benjamin, Imogen, Isla, Darcy, Laila & Mila filled the theatre with laughter.

Sunday at the Festival

Seven more films to choose from on the final day of the festival including three different representations of the LGBTQIA+ community for LGBT+ History Month in All The Beauty and the Bloodshed, Joyland and The Blue Caftan.

• All The Beauty and the Bloodshed - 11am, Alhambra
• Alcarras -11am, Rheged
• Joyland - 2pm, Alhambra
• The Blue Caftan - 2pm, Rheged
• Boy From Heaven - 5pm, Alhambra
• Rodeo - 5pm, Rheged
• Broker - 8:30pm, Alhambra

Saturday at the Festival

Today we head out to Rheged for EO ("Bizarre, beautiful, moving and playful" - Robbie Collin) and Lunana, A Yak in the Classroom sponsored by KE Adventure Travel. There's plenty to see in Keswick with the Osprey Short Film Awards and feature length films such as the powerful Blue Jean and The Dardennes' latest Tori and Lokita.

• Chile '76 - 11am, Alhambra
• Fadia's Tree + Q&A with with the director Sarah Beddington
• EO - 11:15am, Rheged
• What Do We See When We Look At The Sky - 2pm, Alhambra
• Osprey Short Film Awards - 2pm, Theatre By The Lake (FREE ENTRY)
• Lunana, A Yak in the Classroom - 2:15pm, Rheged
• Full Time - 5pm, Alhambra
• Blue Jean - 5pm, Theatre By The Lake
• Pacifiction - 8pm, Alhambra
• Tori and Lokita - 8pm, Theatre By The Lake

Friday at the Festival

It's the first full day of the festival and there's plenty to see:

• Godland - 10am, Alhambra EXTRA SCREENING
• Enys Men - 1:00pm, Alhambra
• In Front of Your Face - 1:00pm, Theatre By The Lake
• More Than Ever - 3:30pm, Alhambra
• Return To Dust - 3:15pm, Theatre By The Lake
• Sick Of Myself - 6:30pm, Alhambra
• A Bird Flew In -  6:30pm, Theatre By The Lake
• Rimini - 9:00pm, Theatre By The Lake
• Gala Screening: Winners with director Hassan Nazer - 9:00pm, Alhambra

The 23rd Keswick Film Festival Starts Tonight

Our opening film GODLAND is now sold out but it's just one of 25 feature films showing over the next 4 days at the Alhambra, Theatre by the Lake and Rheged. The Alhambra will be open from 5:30pm for passholders to collect lanyards and ticket holders can join us for a glass of wine between 6.30pm and 7.00pm before the film.

There will be more wine on offer before Friday's gala screening of WINNERS with the director Hassan Nazer. Drinks will be available between 8.15pm and 8.45pm leaving plenty of time for those of you wanting to see RIMINI, to get down to the Theatre.

On Saturday, director Sarah Beddington will be doing a Q&A after her film FADIA'S TREE (Theatre 11am). Sarah and Hassan will also be joining us at the Osprey Short Film Awards (Theatre 2pm) to announce the winners from the selection of 10 short films all with a Cumbrian connection. 

Sunday starts with the Oscar nominated documentary ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED (Alhambra 11am) and chances to see brand new critically acclaimed films such as JOYLAND (Alhambra 2pm) and BROKER (Alhambra 8:30pm).

Please see the full programme or download the flyer or planner for full details of all the films.

Please Book Your Place for Godland

The Film Festival is almost upon us and we look forward to welcoming you to Keswick.

Our opening film, Godland, is proving really popular and there are very few seats left. Passholders who have not reserved a seat are urged to do so – they will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Update: The screening is now sold out. 

As with any festival, we will start with the time-consuming admin of issuing lanyards. We will be issuing them from 5.30pm from the Alhambra. Please arrive in good time and then join us for a glass of wine between 6.30pm and 7.00pm.

Talking of wine, there will be more on offer before the gala screening of Winners on Friday, between 8.15pm and 8.45pm – still plenty of time for those of you wanting to see Rimini, to get down to the Theatre.

There are still a few places left on Sunday's shuttle bus to Rheged, please see the travel page for information on how to book.

All that remains to say is Enjoy the Festival and...

See you on Thursday!

Osprey Short Film Awards 2023

Our judges have selected 10 films for the 2023 Osprey Short Film Awards which will be screened at the Theatre By The Lake on Saturday 25th February from 2pm. There'll be a chance to vote for the audience award on the day and we hope to be joined by directors Sarah Beddington (Fadia's Tree, showing before the Ospreys at 11am) and Hassan Nazer (Winners, Friday 24th at 9pm) to announce the winners.

The films all have a link to Cumbria and the selection includes animations, documentaries, dramas and comedies. Expect to see a flatulent wolf cub, mysterious strangers, explorations of memory through sound, running a Wainwright, dancing in nature, life contemplations, memories from artist Kurt Schwitters, an important look at virtue signalling and the work of the Wild Ennerdale partnership.

More details on all of the films can be found on our Shorts page.

Director's introduction and Q&A for Fadia's Tree

Sarah Beddington, Director of Fadia’s Tree (winner of the Amnesty International Award at San Sebastian) will be joining us at the Festival, to introduce her film and to present the Osprey Short Film Awards, alongside Hassan Nazer.

Sarah’s film is a remarkable piece of work, filmed over 15 years, taking a birds-eye perspective to highlight the problems of Palestine and the Palestinians

Our Gala Screening is an outright Winner!

Our principal guest this year will be Hassan Nazer, director of Winners, described as Slumdog Millionaire meets Cinema Paradiso. Winners will be the Festival’s Gala Screening on Friday 24th February at the Alhambra, preceded, of course, by a glass of wine.

Winners is an apt name, as the film won the Audience Award at the Edinburgh Film Festival, plus Best Film at the British Independent Film Awards. It is now the Official UK entry for the 2023 Oscars.