This weekend sees the much-anticipated return of Cardiff’s International Film Festival, with an impressive jury of local and global faces set to crown the winners from ten different categories. Judges include British actresses Kimberley Nixon and Maria Pride, Sci-fi author and screenwriter Marc Zicree, director, writer and producer Anurag Kashyap, script consultant and video conceptualist Keith Williams and award-winning documentary filmmaker, Florence Ayisi.
The main event will again be hosted in the historical Pierhead Building in the heart of Cardiff Bay, taking place Friday 19th – Sunday 21st October, with additional events at the Senedd and the Atrium of the University of South Wales film school, which is a new partner in the Festival.
Commenting on the line up, Cardiff based festival director Rahil Abbas Sayed said:
“Despite our youth, Cardiff International Film Festival is already gaining strength and recognition and we are delighted that we have attracted such an array of talent for our judging panel. These people are a great mix of Wales and the world, which is exactly what Cardiff International Film Festival aims to be.
“Wales is rapidly becoming a Mecca for filmmakers with the advent of new film studios and an ever-growing popularity of film locations in unique areas of outstanding natural beauty. This is coupled with a fertile and highly skilled cinematic and TV workforce brings real drive and professionalism.”
Three days of screenings and celebration will culminate in a gala dinner hosted by Lucy Owen on the Sunday evening at which Dame Sian Phillips will receive a lifetime achievement award for her contribution to cinema in Wales. The gala dinner will also announce this year’s winners building on the success of last year.
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, said of the event:
“I’m delighted that the Welsh Government is able to support the growth of the Cardiff International Film Festival which is a celebration of the creative sector in Wales; [the festival] gives opportunities for further development and is an excellent opportunity for us to welcome international film makers to Wales.”
Judge and award-winning filmmaker Florence Ayisi encourages people to come along and enjoy the sense of community cinema can provide:
“{It is} such a wonderful platform for promoting the nation, for inviting people in. It can only get bigger and better. Hopefully, one day, the Cardiff International Film Festival will become an institution.”
The festival is open to the public, although certain events will require tickets. Full information on accessing events can be found here: https://www.theciff.co.uk/friday-oct-19-pierhead
