The Lake - A Short Film Made at KFF15

Last year, at the festival, students from Carlisle College collaborated with our guests Charlie Cattrall and Dame Janet Suzman to make a short film called The Lake which can be viewed online:

Alhambra Centenary Film

Lights, Camera.... Alhambra! was commissioned to mark the centenary of Keswick’s Alhambra Cinema and made by Cockermouth film-maker, Joel Baker. Research for the film discovered a host of local people with memories of the cinema, dating back to the days of silent films and the first talkie – Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer.

Joel met and filmed those who had worked there, courted on the back row there and those who had misbehaved there, usually during the Saturday morning matinees.

The film also featured an interview with Nick Simpson, son of Jack who owned the cinema during the 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s. Nick, who effectively grew up in and around the Alhambra, gave an insight into the way in which his father ran the cinema and created programmes around local bus timetables and a sure knowledge of what played well in the town. One of his perks was to choose the film to be screened on his birthday – it was always a cowboy movie!

The Film is available to view on vimeo: https://vimeo.com/98131753

To obtain the password contact info@keswickfilmclub.org or try the name of the cinema where Keswick Film Club holds its Sunday Screenings.

10 Second Film Workshop - The Films

At the 15th Keswick Film Festival our friends Carl Hunter and Clare Heney from Edge Hill University joined forces with Channel 4 to host a 10 Second Film Workshop. Armed only with phones and iPads, budding film-makers shot and edited 10 second films inspired by the poetry of the Romantics in the grand setting of Greta Hall, an 18th century mansion which was home to the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

All the films they produced can now be seen here on our website.

Watch The Osprey Short Films Online

Most of the films shortlisted for this year's Osprey Short Film Awards are now available to watch online. So, if you didn't make it to the event, or would just like to see the films again, now is your chance to see the great work from local filmmakers and see if you agree with our judges.

Audience Award Winner

Lad: A Yorkshire Story

We've counted up your responses and can now announce that the 2014 Audience Award goes to...

Lad: A Yorkshire Story

It was very close with The Crash Reel, The Rocket, 5 Broken Cameras, The Forgotten Kingdom and Circles all scoring highly. All of the scores are available to view on the website.

We can also announce the dates for next year's festival, Thursday 26th February to Sunday 1st March 2015, put it in your diaries now.

Osprey 2014 Winners

On Saturday eight short films were shown at The Alhambra as part of the Osprey Short Film Awards. All eight films were Highly Commended by the judges but three films were selected for the main prizes. The winner in the 18 and Under Category was Animals, directed by Matthew Edwards. The Open Category prize went to Little Chamonix, directed by Dom Bush. The Audience Award voted for by the audience on the day went to Maybe by John Grey.

18 and Under Winner - Animals

Open Category Winner - Little Chamonix

Audience Award - Maybe

Sunday at the Festival

Today we'll be joined by the filmmakers of Lad: A Yorkshire Story, The Raven On The Jetty and A Story of Children and Film. Our final film We Are The Best is a joyous way to being the festival weekend to a close but the centenary films continue at The Alhambra through the week.

• 5 Broken Cameras + discussion 10:30 AM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• Casablanca 11:00 AM ~ Alhambra
• Lad: A Yorkshire Story + Q&A 11:00 AM ~ Studio
• Circles 1:30 PM ~ Studio
• The Raven On The Jetty + Q&A 1:30 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• Television 1:30 PM ~ Alhambra
• A Story of Children and Film + Q&A 4:00 PM ~ Studio
• The Rocket 4:00 PM ~ Alhambra
• A Magnificent Haunting 6:15 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• The Clay Bird 6:30 PM ~ Studio
• Heli 6:30 PM ~ Alhambra
• We Are The Best 8:30 PM ~ Alhambra

Saturday at the Festival

There are long (Gone With The Wind) and short (Ospreys) films today at The Alhambra. Dame Janet Suzman will be talking about her career in film and theatre (12:30pm Theatre) followed by a screening of Nicholas and Alexandra. Over at Rheged there are two great documentaries (Vivan las Antipodas! and Blackfish) and then lots to choose from back in Keswick for the evening.

• They Call It Myanmar: Lifting the Curtain 10:00 AM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• Gone With The Wind 10:30 AM ~ Alhambra
• ¡Vivan las Antipodas! 11:15 AM ~ Rheged
• Blackfish 1:30 PM ~ Rheged
• Dame Janet Suzman In Conversation - 12:30pm &#126 Theatre By The Lake
• Nicholas and Alexandra 2:00 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• Osprey Short Film Competition 3:30pm ~ Alhambra
• The Forgotten Kingdom 5:45 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• Runway 6:00 PM ~ Studio
• Wakolda 6:00 PM ~ Alhambra
• Blue is the Warmest Colour 8:00 PM ~ Alhambra
• The Crash Reel 8:00 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• Like Father, Like Son 8:00 PM ~ Studio

Friday at the Festival

10 films to choose from today including the multi-award winning The Act Of Killing, the Chaplin classic The Gold Rush and director Charlie Cattrall talking about his film Titus.

• Quo Vadis 12:15 PM ~ Alhambra
• Third Person Singular Number 1:00 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• The Act of Killing 3:30 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• We Are The Best 3:30 PM ~ Studio
• The Gold Rush 4:00 PM ~ Alhambra
• The Draughtsman's Contract 6:00 PM ~ Studio
• Titus + Q&A 6:00 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• Fill The Void 6:30 PM ~ Alhambra
• A Touch of Sin 8:30 PM ~ Theatre By The Lake
• The Golden Dream 8:30 PM ~ Alhambra

15th Keswick Film Festival Starts Tonight

Pass holders are invited to our opening party at 6:30pm at The Theatre By The Lake. Our first film is Felix at 8:00pm featuring our star guest Dame Janet Suzman. Over the rest of the weekend there are more than 30 films in 7 different themes so we really hope there is something for everybody.

Festival favourite The Rocket added to the programme.

The Rocket

As our brochure went to press we were waiting for confirmation of one more addition to the programme. We're delighted to be able to show The Rocket on Sunday 2nd March, 4pm at The Alhambra. The Rocket has won the audience award at Leeds Film Festival last November and is part of the inaugural Ilkley Film Festival this weekend. The Australian film, but set in rural Laos, has also won the audience award at Sydney Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival and the American Film Institute Festival.

Set against the lush backdrop of rural Laos, this spirited drama tells the story of scrappy ten-year-old Ahlo, who yearns to break free from his ill-fated destiny. After his village is displaced to make way for a massive dam, Ahlo escapes with his father and grandmother through the Laotian outback in search of a new home. Along the way, they come across a rocket festival that offers Ahlo a lucrative but dangerous chance to prove his worth.

Stagecoach Bus Offer

We're pleased to be working with Stagecoach to offer cheaper bus travel throughout the Festival. From Thursday to Sunday of the Festival leave the car behind and come on the bus. They are offering reduced tickets on production of a valid Keswick Film Festival ticket or pass.

•  Adult Explorer- £6 (normally £10.30)
•  Family Explorer - £15 (£23) 
•  Group Explorer - £17 (normally £30) 
•  Honister Rambler ticket for £5 (normally £7)

Click here for a map of winter services operating throughout the Lake District. 

Border TV Celebrates The Alhambra's Centenary

The Alhambra Cinema in Keswick Credit: ITV News

On Thursday 23rd January 1914, the Keswick Alhambra Cinema opened its doors for the first time and this week the centenary celebrations began. Border TV came along to talk to Tom Rennie who saved the cinema from closure two years ago. There was a screening of The Clouded Yellow, filmed in The Lake District, the Festival brochure was released and we announced which films from each decade will be shown during the Festival and the following week.

You can see Border TV's interviews and coverage on their website.

Trailers for 15th Keswick Film Festival