The St Albans Film Festival mascot
When: 5th – 9th July 2017
Where: St Albans, Hertfordshire
£: Ticket prices vary, depending on the event. Some events are free
What is it?
From Wednesday 5th to Sunday 9th July, the 4th International St Albans Film Festival will take place in Hertfordshire, with an open air cinema and special events. The theme for this year’s festival is ‘the mind’.
The film festival will see events taking place throughout the city, including workshops, speakers, and discussions; many of them free of charge.
This year St Albans will have an Open Air Cinema in Abbey Orchard, for the first time in its 1,000 year history, as part of the festival. The open air cinema will screen family films, blockbusters and iconic films, including Kong: Skull Island. A range of food and drink stalls, and a Prosecco and popcorn marquee, will provide refreshments, as well as Ye Olde Fighting Cocks pub.
The open air screenings will include The Man with Two Brains, Thelma and Louise, Inside Out, Kong: Skull Island, Lion, and the Blues Brothers, where there will be a prize for the best fancy dress.
Dress up and watch The Blues Brothers at the festival
Other highlights at this year’s festival will include Virtual Reality at the Clocktower, a drop-in ‘Mind Cafe’, and an International Short Film Competition.
There will also be an all-day screening, featuring all of the finalists in the short film competition, at the beautiful Odyssey cinema. The Odyssey is one of the world’s first cinemas as we know them today, and has been recently restored to its former glory. The beautiful Art Deco building will also be hosting the awards ceremony at the end of the festival.
In the past four years, the St Albans Film Festival has earned its place alongside the bigger international film festivals, gaining credibility by attracting over 1,500 entries from filmmakers from 40 countries into its short film competition, and securing Christiane Kubrick, widow of film directing legend Stanley Kubrick, as its Patron.
The city of St Albans has an impressive filmmaking history. It was the birthplace of Arthur Melbourne-Cooper; the pioneer of moving pictures, as well as being a second home to Stanley Kubrick. And it is this authentic film heritage that has made the festival a success over the past few years.
More info: www.stalbansfilmfestival.com