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Many people saw it as a bit of fun as we explored a mock haul from the Louvre , inspired by the quirky escapades of a fictional art heist! But while our playful nod to jewel-thieving mischief might have sparked smiles, Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind —screening at The Poly, Falmouth on Sunday 23 November, 5.15–7.15pm —offers a far more reflective take on crime, consequence, and chaos. Reichardt, the acclaimed filmmaker behind First Cow  and Showing Up , turns the heist genre inside out in this quietly riveting new drama. The Mastermind  follows JB Mooney (played by Josh O’Connor ), a down-on-his-luck carpenter and failed art historian who persuades his mates to steal a series of Arthur Dove paintings from their local museum. The plan is doomed from the start—spotted by schoolgirls, bungled in a scuffle, and undone within days—but the director’s lens transforms their failure into something strangely beautiful. Set in 1970s America , at the crossroads between the fading dreams of the 60s and the disillusionment of the new decade, Reichardt’s film pulses with quiet tension and political undercurrent. While Mooney stumbles from one mistake to the next, the background hums with anti-war protests, Nixon broadcasts, and the creeping rise of individualism. It’s a heist film stripped of glamour, where every choice reverberates through the people left behind—most heartbreakingly Mooney’s wife Terry (played by Alana Haim ) and their two young sons. Scored to a restless jazz soundtrack by Rob Mazurek  and Chad Taylor , The Mastermind  is both melancholy and mischievous, an examination of how one man’s search for freedom ripples across others’ lives. In contrast to the real-life efficiency of those seven-minute Louvre thieves, Reichardt’s misfits remind us that freedom often comes at someone else’s cost—and that, sometimes, the greatest heist is simply getting away with ourselves. 🎟️ Screening Tickets The Mastermind The Mastermind is included in our Pay What You Can initiative 📅 Sunday 23 November, 5.15–7.15 pm 📍 The Poly, Falmouth 🎬 Director:  Kelly Reichardt

At the tail end of 2024, online film and pop-culture communities were shaken right to the core by the revelation that pop superstar Charli xcx had a public Letterboxd account, containing a seemingly exhaustive record of every film the Guess hitmaker has watched. As of September 2025, her page boasts an astonishing 1,250 different films viewed, as well as 499 direct diary entries recording the precise date of viewing - plus the occasional one-liner review in her trademark nonchalant snark. (via @itscharlibb ) Some might dismiss the account's contents as an inane collection of parasocial detritus, but fans certainly didn't think so - and neither did cinephiles. In fact, the account was a topic of fascination and even press attention over the the following days, with many taking the eclecticism of her viewing habits as just further credentials for her status as one of today's cutting-edge artists. Among her highest-rated films are beloved dramas ( Phantom Thread ), art-house classics ( Persona ), notorious exploitation films ( Funny Games ) and even the occasional family favourite ( Babe: Pig in the City ) thrown in as, presumably, a much-needed palate cleanser from the previous. The breadth of genres, languages and cultures represented on her page is considerable, and it's highly likely that some of her 284k followers on the platform have discovered entirely new favourite directors and movements simply because she happened to log a certain film on her diary one evening. A tap of a finger on Charli xcx's phone, and the 97-year-old silent classic The Passion of Joan of Arc enjoys yet another wave of cultural relevance. Launched in 2011, Letterboxd's popularity has soared over the past five years - due in no small part to the pandemic and the sudden abundance of idle time in its wake. The website's impressive 17-million-strong userbase includes rising stars Rachel Sennott , Jaeden Martell and Millie Gibson, as well as beloved directors Francis Ford Coppola, Sean Baker and Martin Scorsese. (via @mscorsese ) The brand has also become a much welcomed presence on red carpets, with industry titans chomping at the bit to declare their "Four Favorites". One particularly memorable interaction came early this year courtesy of Nicole Kidman, whose striking endorsement of the brand at Palm Springs International Film Festival cemented its exceptional cultural capital. "Letterboxd?! We LOVE Letterboxd!" - Nicole Kidman at Palm Springs International Film Festival (via @LetterboxdHQ ) A stroke of marketing genius, the Four Favorites gimmick simply asks Letterboxd users (and more recently, interviewees) to select any four films that encapsulate their taste – showcased in a neat little row via their posters. Some choose to exhibit their all-time top four, while others make a point of representing a different genre with each one. Some even select their top four less for the merit of the films themselves, and more for the immediate aesthetic value of their posters. While it may seem reductive to compress complex cinematic experiences into little more than digital trading cards – there's no denying that the Four Favorites is a hugely appealing shorthand for cinephiles to express their identity, especially if they can boast that they've sat through all 7 hours of Sátántangó . Another perk of the format is how easily it translates to short-form video content. Letterboxd's official channels regularly post clips of high-profile actors, directors and other industry professionals unveiling their own top fours – which are often met with fascination (and scrutiny) from cinephiles on social media. An especially intriguing top four came from none other than Murder on the Dancefloor hitmaker Sophie Ellis-Bextor who – in spite of the sunny family-oriented image she usually projects – selected two of the most harrowing parental horrors in existence: Don't Look Now and Rosemary's Baby . It certainly makes for an attention-grabbing and shareable clip – but more than that, it reveals another layer to Ellis-Bextor's star persona and, possibly, a new perspective for fans to interpret her music from. Sophie Ellis-Bextor declares her top four (via @LetterboxdHQ ) The past few years have seen mainstream social media platforms become, bewilderingly, increasingly hostile (and in many cases outright dangerous) to minority groups, and creative voices have seen our platforms shrink at a startling rate. In stark contrast to X (Twitter) and Facebook, Letterboxd still uplifts racial minorities , feminist perspectives and the queer community through its own newsletter - and while the site's userbase is certainly not immune to cyclical squabbles or petty oneupmanship, the likelihood of an individual's Letterboxd review being inundated with calls for their lynching remains, mercifully, low. If cinema is, as legendary film critic Roger Ebert said, " a machine that generates empathy ", the vast majority of the Letterboxd community appear to have picked up the message. In that case, choosing a "top four" becomes not a frivolous self indulgence – but a declaration of identity, values and connection to fellow human beings. It's little wonder that every progressive-leaning celebrity is vying to announce down Letterboxd's tricolour microphone that their Four Favorites happen to include Portrait of a Lady on Fire , Tangerine or Happy Together . As much as Charli xcx's sudden Letterboxd fame appeared to have come as a shock to her, she has since embraced fate and springboarded straight into the role of accidental film critic. On TikTok, she has begun posting roundups and off-the-cuff reviews of the films she has recently logged on her page – many of which are niche auteurist works from a range of time periods and cultural backgrounds. Charli xcx reviews Joachim Trier's upcoming film Sentimental Value (via @charlixcx ) Sure, these films would still exist if Letterboxd did not. However, what Letterboxd provides is a kind of connective tissue between films, creatives and viewers that has never really existed before. What may at first appear to be little more than an aesthetically-pleasing database is in fact a remarkably effective mechanism that encourages cinematic exploration and gives underappreciated films and filmmakers their moment in the sun. Whether the site will remain on the side of artists or veer irrevocably into to capitalistic greed remains to be seen – but for the moment, Letterboxd feels like the jolt of life that the cinematic art form desperately needs. Follow Mor Media on Letterboxd to discover our exclusive film reviews, curated lists, and the latest updates on Cornwall Film Festival 2025. Leon Hill is a BA Film student at Falmouth University and currently interning with Mor Media. You can follow their creative misadventures on Instagram ( @leonbeckerhill ) and read their film reviews on Letterboxd ( inlandecho ). #NicoleKidman #Letterboxd #CharliXCX #PalmSpringsInternationalFilmFestival #PhantomThread #Persona #FunnyGames #BabePigInTheCity #ThePassionOfJoanOfArc #RachelSennott #JaedenMartell #MillieGibson #FrancisFordCoppola #SeanBaker #MartinScorsese #SophieEllisBextor #DontLookNow #RosemarysBaby #PortraitOfALadyOnFire #Tangerine #HappyTogether #JoachimTrier #SentimentalValue #RogerEbert #MorMedia #CornwallFilmFestival #Cinephile #MovieLovers #FilmCommunity #IndieFilm #FilmCriticism #PopCulture #FilmFestival #QueerCinema #FeministFilm #CultCinema #CinemaLovers #FilmReview #TikTokFilm #SocialMediaCulture #FourFavorites #FilmDiary #MovieRecommendations

By Lola Milroy-Tompkins Recently online, a clip of Hayao Miyazaki, creator and animator of Studio Ghibli, has gone viral everywhere. In the clip, Miyazaki watches a demonstration of an AI-created figure, potentially used for zombie-like movements in films or videogames, and calls it ‘an insult to life itself’. This quote has become the slogan of a movement against AI’s presence in the arts and film, especially in animation. But what does AI have to do with Miyazaki, why are people so angry, and what could the future of use of AI in the arts look like? AI has only recently become relevant to the conversation around art, and other creative disciplines such as animation, film, and photography. GPT-4o, which is an AI similar to ChatGPT, has been released with the ability to generate original art pieces and animations, or to transform an uploaded photos into an art style. In response, hashtags such as #noai, #supporthumanartists, #standwithanimation have become viral on social media and making major UK newspaper’s headlines. But why are people so enraged? One main line of debate against AI’s presence in the arts is due to the methods used to train AI to output answers. In order to teach an AI how to “draw” or “write” or “compose”, thousands of examples of artwork and writing are scraped from the internet, without the consent of the creator, which infringes copyright. However, there are many holes within this argument. For example, don’t humans also copy other artists’ style in order to learn how to draw? Is art that is publicly available allowed to be used as learning material, and can AI actually learn ? In addition to this, AI can have real, negative implications for artists and producers. Being used to draw animated backgrounds, design characters, create marketing, and more, threatens the livelihoods of creative professionals across industries. At KQED news, it has been reported that arts students have reported being deterred from entering creative professions because of the employment instability that AI has created. Here, a second argument has been gaining traction, one which centres the sanctity of the artist that Hayao Miyazaki represents. Miyazaki’s iconic animation style holds nostalgia for millions of people. His films are famous for utilising hand-drawn animation techniques to create the beautiful and detailed scenes of Studio Ghibli. Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Studio Ghibli This animation style has been adapted by GPT-4o into an AI art filter, allowing users to upload photos and have them transformed into a Ghibli style piece. But when ‘Ghiblified’ images began to spread on social media, Miyazaki’s own words were used to fight back. At the core of Miyazaki's viral quote, ‘an insult to life itself’, is the belief that the core of art is the lives of humans, not the calculations of a machine. Where creators have spent lifetimes perfecting their craft, AI can only replicate its soulless corpse. The goal of the anti-AI movement is to centre the work of the human over their creation, in this case represented by Miyazaki’s commitment to traditional artistry in animation over Studio Ghibli’s superficial aesthetic. In the age where human efforts are quickly being replaced with technology, this calls into question, should the efficiency of a machine be prioritised over a person’s passion? One of the most important discussions of the debate will be where we go from here. If the answer is to stop AI entirely then we’re already too late. In the film industry especially, AI has been utilised by some of the biggest projects to release these past few years. Multiple Marvel films, Deadpool and Wolverine (2024), The Brutalist (2024) are just a few examples of major film successes which have employed AI to create special effects, facial animation and even making alteration to actor’s voices. For The Brutalist, AI was intended to cut down the 18-month post-production process, releasing the film in time to be nominated for 10 Academy Awards in 2025. What’s more, actors warn that AI will only get better and spread further. Although some producers, especially in animation, are consciously steering away from AI, the chance to stop its reach into film has passed. Furthermore, should we be stopping AI? Looking deeper into AI use in The Brutalist, the production team suggested that an ‘open discussion’ on what AI can offer would be beneficial, especially for producers on a tight time or budget scale. The visual effects of some iconic Marvel battle scenes and characters could not be achieved with traditional methods. However, the inclusion of AI is still very taboo in the film industry; Vanity Fair reported The Brutalist received significant backlash that endangered its Oscar nominations. But given the possibilities of AI, should this be the case? The benefits of AI don’t necessarily mean that it should be welcomed freely. Filmmakers, especially animators, have found its contributions unoriginal and have acknowledged the value of artists in their work by deliberately steering away from AI use. Many simply take joy in the screenwriting or animating process rather than outsourcing this to a machine. What most people agree on is the importance of balance in the use of AI. While it can obviously be amazing tool for to create new visuals, make the making and watching of film more accessible, it has the potential to cause catastrophic damage. Some have suggested the use of content filters, in which an AI can be programmed to refuse to create art or text in certain styles. Artist compensation schemes, similar to how musicians are compensated, is another way in which artists could receive credit for their work. While Miyazaki’s words are extreme, so is the significance of the arts to humanity. If my opinion isn’t already clear, freedom given to AI should be controlled, if anything to protect the next generation of filmmakers, artists and creators with a passion for their craft.

Cornwall Film Festival 2025 Best Narrative and Non-Narrative International Short Films STEP INTO THE FRAME AND EXPERIENCE STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE Cornwall Film Festival is a global platform inviting filmmakers from every corner of the world to showcase bold, captivating and innovative stories. BOOK TICKETS Press Blog Merch Store TOO MUCH: MELODRAMA ON FILM Talks CFF 25 Industry 2025 FAQ's & Access 2025 Diary & Tickets 2025 Black Tide In Focus 2025 Selected films 2025 Short Films home 2025 SHORTS HOME FRESH 12:30 PM | THURSDAY 20.11.25 | THE POLY A brand new showcase of the freshest filmmakers from around the globe, screening at this year's edition of the Cornwall Film Festival, with a focus on queer film See all the films in this programme Dir. Various | 2025 | International | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS BEST UK SHORTS 2:30 PM | WEDNESDAY 19.11.25 | THE POLY The best Narrative and non-narrative films from professional filmmakers from the UK See all the films in this programme Dir. Various | 2025 | Drama, Docs | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS BEST OF THE WEST 8:00 PM | WEDNESDAY 20.11.25 | THE POLY Celebrating the very best short films from across the South West made by professional filmmakers See all the films in this programme Dir. various | 2025 | English | Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Animation | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS BEST INTERNATIONAL 3 PM | SUNDAY 23.11.25 | THE POLY Films from around the globe, screening at this years edition of Cornwall Film Festival See all the films in this programme § Dir. various | 2025 | International | Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Docs, Animation | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS BEST EXPERIMENTAL 2:15 PM | FRIDAY 21.11.25 | THE POLY Experimental Films from around the globe, screening at this year's edition of Cornwall Film Festival See all the films in this programme Dir. various | 2025 | Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Docs, Animation | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS OTHER REALMS TBC XR, VR & Immersive projects from around the globe, screening at this years edition of Cornwall Film Festival See all the films in this programme Dir. various | 2025 | International | Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Docs, Animation | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS BLACK TIDE ENVIRONMENTAL 7:45 | SUNDAY 23.11.25 | THE POLY Special Ocean Screening at the Cornwall Film Festival Black Tide is an evening of elemental cinema — a powerful collection of films that delve into our deep and complex relationship with the ocean. Presented as part of the Cornwall Film Festival, this special programme invites audiences to surrender to the sea’s mysteries: its beauty, its resilience, and its fragility in the face of human ambition. Dir Various | 2h | Regional | 2025 | CFF15 See all the films in this programme BOOK TICKETS WHAT'S ON Lifelong Learning week 3–7th November 2025 Creative Careers Month November Community week 10-16th November 2025 2025 IntoFilm Schools Festival 11-28th November BFI Blockbuster season Too Much A Season Of Melodrama Previews week at The Poly Falmouth 17th - 22nd November 2025 INDUSTRY FOCUS 2025: PRODUCING EXPLORING THE ART AND BUSINESS OF SCREEN PRODUCTION At Cornwall Film Festival 2025, our annual Industry Focus shines a spotlight on the vital and often misunderstood role of the Producer. Whether you're working in short films, feature narratives, factual TV, or digital platforms, producing sits at the heart of the screen industry. This year’s focus explores all facets of producing—from development and financing, to production logistics, distribution strategy, and creative leadership. Through talks, panels, roundtables, and networking, we’ll be lifting the curtain on what it really takes to get a story from script to screen. READ MORE STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD - OUR FUNDERS & PARTNERS

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Enriching public and professional talks with leading industry voices at Cornwall Film Festival 2025. STEP INTO THE FRAME AND EXPERIENCE STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE Cornwall Film Festival is a global platform inviting filmmakers from every corner of the world to showcase bold, captivating and innovative stories. BOOK TICKETS Press Blog Merch Store TOO MUCH: MELODRAMA ON FILM Talks CFF 25 Industry 2025 FAQ's & Access 2025 Diary & Tickets 2025 Black Tide In Focus 2025 Selected films 2025 Short Films home 2025 DIRECTOR TALKS LUCILE HADŽIHALILOVIĆ 7:30 PM | MONDAY 17.11.25 | THE POLY Lucile Hadžihalilović is a French filmmaker known for her visually poetic and unsettling explorations of childhood, transformation, and the boundaries between innocence and menace. Born in Lyon and raised in Morocco, she studied at La Fémis in Paris, where she met long-time collaborator Gaspar Noé. Her feature debut, Innocence (2004), adapted from Frank Wedekind’s Mine-Haha, won the Best New Director award at San Sebastián and established her as a singular voice in European cinema. Subsequent films Evolution (2015) and Earwig (2021) continued her fascination with dreamlike imagery and mysterious rituals, blending surrealism, body horror, and emotional depth. Hadžihalilović’s work is acclaimed for its meticulous visual composition and its capacity to evoke the uncanny beauty of transformation. Dir. Lucile Hadžihalilović | 2025 | 1h 58m | French (with English subtitles) | Fantasy | CFF 18 BOOK TICKETS ASHER ROSEN 5PM | 17.12. 25 | THE POLY Asher Rosen is a British filmmaker and screenwriter based between London and Kisoro, Uganda. He began his career developing projects with The Forge Entertainment, Range Media Partners, and Gaumont UK. His debut short film MEAT (2021), won multiple awards featuring in the César Académie’s ‘Golden Nights’ programme. His second short, The Rabbi’s Son (2022) continued his exploration of identity and belonging. Rosen’s latest film, Small Gods (2025), produced by Sovereign Films, expands his practice into docufiction — blending the real and the imagined to tell stories rooted in lived experience and community. Dir Asher Rosen | 2025 | 1h 36 mins | Drama, International | CFF12A + LIVE Q&A BOOK TICKETS MIA BAYS 7:45 PM | SATURDAY 22.11.25 | THE POLY Mia Bays is the Director of the BFI Film Fund, a position she took up to reshape the future of UK cinema by supporting new talent, diverse voices, and innovative storytelling. With over 30 years of experience, Mia has been an Oscar-winning producer, distributor, and passionate advocate for inclusivity and artistic vision in filmmaking. Known for her commitment to championing underrepresented voices, Mia aims to make the BFI Film Fund a more dynamic, responsive space for filmmakers to flourish The Thing With Feathers | Dir Dylan Southern | 2025 | 1h 44 mins | Drama | 12A BOOK TICKETS GREG CRUTTWELL 5 PM | TUESDAY 18.11.25 | THE POLY Greg Cruttwell is a British writer, director, and actor known for his incisive, character-driven storytelling and darkly comic view of contemporary life. He first came to prominence as an actor in Mike Leigh’s Naked (1993) and Secrets & Lies (1996), before moving behind the camera to write and direct his own films. His latest feature, Going to the Dogs, follows his acclaimed In the Middle and turns his observational eye to the world of greyhound racing — exploring class, culture, community, and our relationship with animals. Through candid interviews and access to both critics and supporters, Cruttwell’s documentary asks whether greyhound racing still has a place in the modern world — offering a nuanced, human portrait of a sport and subculture in transition. Dir Greg Cruttwell | 2024 | 1h 35m | Documentary | CFF12A BOOK TICKETS ORBAN WALLACE 5:15pm | THURSDAY 20.11.25 | THE POLY Orban Wallace is a British documentary filmmaker known for his visually striking, socially conscious storytelling that often explores human resilience in the face of global and personal upheaval. His debut feature Another News Story (2017), which premiered at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, reframed the European refugee crisis by turning the camera on the journalists covering it — a bold, meta-documentary approach that earned widespread acclaim. Wallace’s subsequent work continues to blend poetic imagery with incisive observation, revealing the complexities of contemporary life through a deeply human lens. His latest projects further his reputation as one of the UK’s most distinctive voices in non-fiction filmmaking, combining craft, empathy, and a commitment to stories that challenge and illuminate. OUR LAND | Dir Orban Wallace | 2025 | 1h 29 mins | English | Doc | 12A BOOK TICKETS CHRIS NELSON DEMI TAYLOR 7:30pm | THURSDAY 27.11.25 | WTW LIGHTHOUSE NEWQUAY Surfing is killing it. This $10 billion global industry – built on the dream of carefree spirits, crystal clear waters and an even clearer connection to the natural world – has never been more popular. Surfing has set out its stall as the champion of environmental issues. But surfing has a dirty secret… and people are dying. From award winning filmmaker Lewis Arnold and critically acclaimed writer Chris Nelson comes this groundbreaking and compelling documentary. The Big Sea | Dir Lewis Arnold | 2025 | 1h 15 mins | English | Doc | 12A BOOK TICKETS Q&A HOSTS DAVINA QUINLIVAN 7:30 PM | MONDAY 17.11.25 | THE POLY Davina Quinlivan is an author, educator and journalist. For many years, she taught Film at Kingston School of Art and her books include The Spirit of the Beehive (BFI Film Classics, forthcoming), Filming the Body in Crisis and The Place of Breath in Cinema. Her film criticism has appeared in Little White Lies, Sight and Sound, Dazed, Garageland, Another Mag and, for over a decade, she was a regular contributor to the Times Higher Education culture section. Her creative non-fiction, inspired by mythology and her own experience of migration, includes Possessions: A Memoir of Transformation in an Era of Precarity (2026) and Shalimar: A Story of Place and Migration (2022). THE ICE TOWER | Dir. Lucile Hadžihalilović | 2025 | 1h 58m | French (with English subtitles) | Fantasy | CFF 18 BOOK TICKETS BERYL RICHARDS 5PM | 17.12. 25 | THE POLY Beryl Richards is an award-winning British director, writer and producer whose work spans drama, comedy and factual storytelling. She has directed multiple BAFTA-winning series, including My Life as a Popat and The Secret Life of Boys, and received international Emmy nominations for her work in children’s and youth television. A graduate of the MA Screenwriting course at London College of Communication, she was recognised by ITV Studios for her contribution to female representation in directing. Based between Cornwall and Northern Ireland, Beryl runs Strangford Pictures and Derryboye Films, developing new feature and documentary projects. SMALL GODS | Dir Asher Rosen | 2025 | 1h 36 mins | Drama, International | CFF12A + LIVE Q&A BOOK TICKETS MIA BAYS 7:45 PM | SATURDAY 22.11.25 | THE POLY Mia Bays is the Director of the BFI Film Fund, a position she took up to reshape the future of UK cinema by supporting new talent, diverse voices, and innovative storytelling. With over 30 years of experience, Mia has been an Oscar-winning producer, distributor, and passionate advocate for inclusivity and artistic vision in filmmaking. Known for her commitment to championing underrepresented voices, Mia aims to make the BFI Film Fund a more dynamic, responsive space for filmmakers to flourish The Thing With Feathers | Dir Dylan Southern | 2025 | 1h 44 mins | Drama | 12A BOOK TICKETS CLARE TAVERNOR 5 PM | TUESDAY 18.11.25 | THE POLY Clare Tavernor is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores music, art and identity through a bold, cinematic lens. Her directing credits include Metallica Saved My Life, My Life as a Rolling Stone, and most recently, Aldeas — A New Story alongside Martin Scorsese. Through her production company Phono Films, Clare creates visually distinctive and emotionally resonant films spanning global subcultures and local communities. Based in Cornwall, she continues to develop innovative projects that fuse documentary craft with immersive storytelling. GOING TO THE DOGS | Dir Greg Cruttwell | 2024 | 1h 35m | Documentary | CFF12A BOOK TICKETS RECBECCA WOLFF 5:15pm | THURSDAY 20.11.25 | THE POLY Rebecca Wolff is an acclaimed British producer and founder of Grasp The Nettle Films, a CE50-recognised company specialising in genre and documentary cinema. Formerly Head of Development at a BAFTA-winning UK production company, she has supported an international slate of shorts and documentaries that have premiered at major festivals including SXSW and the BFI London Film Festival. Grand Theft Hamlet won the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW. THE SEVERED SUN written and directed by Dean Puckett Played in CFF24. Rebecca continues to develop a dynamic pipeline of feature and documentary projects while mentoring emerging talent across the UK screen sector. OUR LAND | Dir Orban Wallace | 2025 | 1h 29 mins | English | Doc | 12A BOOK TICKETS PROFESSOR JUDITH NOBLE 12:00 | SUNDAY 23.11.25 | THE POLY Judith Noble is a Professor of Film and the Occult at Arts University Plymouth (UK). She began her career as an artist-filmmaker, exhibiting work internationally and worked for over twenty years as a production executive in the film industry, working with directors including Peter Greenaway and Amma Asante. Her current research centres on artists’ moving image, Surrealism, the occult, and work by women artists, and she has published on filmmakers including Maya Deren, Derek Jarman, and Kenneth Anger. Her most recent publication (as editor) is The Dance of Moon and Sun – Ithell Colquhoun, British Women and Surrealism (2023, Fulgur). She continues to practice as an artist and filmmaker; her most recent film is Fire Spells (2022), a collaboration with director Tom Chick. BRIEF ENCOUNTER | Dir. David Lean | 1945 | 1h 26 mins | UK | Drama, Melodrama | PG + LIVE Intro BOOK TICKETS SHORTS Our programme of shorts features the most innovative and adventurous ideas from filmmakers whose short films manifest stylistic boldness, strength of form, and the ambition to use the medium in a way that resists cliché. Shorts to feature films, the Cornwall Film Festival is a British Independent Film Awards Qualifing festival. ENTER NOW WHAT'S ON Lifelong Learning week 3–7th November 2025 Creative Careers Month November Community week 10-16th November 2025 2025 IntoFilm Schools Festival 11-28th November BFI Blockbuster season Too Much A Season Of Melodrama Previews week at The Poly Falmouth 17th - 22nd November 2025 INDUSTRY FOCUS 2025: PRODUCING EXPLORING THE ART AND BUSINESS OF SCREEN PRODUCTION At Cornwall Film Festival 2025, our annual Industry Focus shines a spotlight on the vital and often misunderstood role of the Producer. Whether you're working in short films, feature narratives, factual TV, or digital platforms, producing sits at the heart of the screen industry. This year’s focus explores all facets of producing—from development and financing, to production logistics, distribution strategy, and creative leadership. Through talks, panels, roundtables, and networking, we’ll be lifting the curtain on what it really takes to get a story from script to screen. READ MORE STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD - OUR FUNDERS & PARTNERS