Cornwall Film Festival 'at risk' as it welcomes worldwide directing legend

Cornwall Film Festival is making a welcome return this weekend - and bringing a legendary director with it. Now in its 23rd year, the much-loved annual event opens on Saturday (November 16) at Falmouth Poly, bringing a line up of 50 films, immersive experiences, and exclusive Q&A sessions.

But within the excitement and build up, fears have been aired over future events. In an open letter, festival director Louise Fox has said: "Without immediate, robust support, we risk losing this unique event that not only amplifies Cornish voices and supports local talent but enhances Cornwall’s reputation as a creative hub.

"It also plays a crucial economic role, attracting attendees from across the globe, which directly benefits local businesses. The Cornwall Film Festival is a cultural and economic asset - but immediate investment is essential to safeguard its future and expand on the key work already taking place.”

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All screenings are ‘pay what you can’. Accessible afternoon screenings, free to carers.

Cornwall Film Festival 2024 line up

• Director Mike Leigh attends a gala screening of Hard Truths - Saturday, November 24, plus Q&A with radio and television presenter Mark Kermode

• Jesse Eisenberg’s second feature A Real Pain, starring Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg opens the festival on Saturday

• Premiere of Cornwall Climate Care’s #Climatescam to coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29

• Premiere of thriller The Severed Sun with Director Q&A Dean Puckett

• Wim Wenders classic Paris Texas featuring an introductory talk

• Directorial debuts from the Palestinian-Israeli, collective resistance in the documentary No Other Land

• Mia Bays, director of BFI Filmmaking Fund presents British filmmaker Andrea Arnold's latest drama Bird staring Barry Keoghan

• Mike Leigh returns to the Cornwall Film Festival with this uncompromising yet heartfelt portrait of contemporary family life, Hard Truths, with a stellar performance from BAFTA award-winner Marianne Jean-Baptiste

• Opening the festival: Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin star as mismatched cousins who take a tour through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother in the comedy A Real Pain

• Hugh Grant gives a career-defining performance as the deliciously evil and diabolical Mr. Reed in Heretic, a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home

• Nightbitch, a darkly comedic exploration of motherhood, with a fearless performance from Amy Adams and a sharp script adapted from Rachel Yoder's acclaimed novel

• #Climatescam? investigates climate change scepticism and unmasks the motivations behind the spread of online misinformation - plus Q&A with Director, Producer and team

• Documentary Feature Competition - No Other Land follows Basel Adra as he documents the destruction of his Palestinian community under Israeli occupation, forging a poignant friendship and collaboration with Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham

• Writer/director Dean Puckett makes his feature debut with The Severed Sun, a classic folk horror tale with whispers of a mysterious "Beast" lurking in the nearby forest

• Winner of the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or Anora from Sean Baker - an erotic dancer marries a Russian oligarch - set to be a standout in his already illustrious career

• La Cocina is where life in a bustling kitchen, dreams, and desperation collide as the staff chase the elusive American dream, starring Rooney Mara

• Director Alice Lowe presents a karmic journey that sees the hapless heroine reincarnated every time she makes the same mistake in her ambitious and genre-defying Timestalker

• On a long summer's day in Iceland, Una, a young art student encounters love, friendship, sorrow and beauty in Rúnar Rúnarsson's compelling drama When the Light Breaks

• Artist and creator Theo Jansen makes strandbeests, sculptural forms that walk unaided across the beach using wind power in Pipe Dream - plus Q&A with Theo & directors

• Local filmmaking talent in Best of West and Cornwall My Home, a collection of short films celebrating the unique spirit, culture, and landscapes of Cornwall

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