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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

Cornwall Film Festival 2025 Programme Feature films from around the globe. See all the screenings at this year's edition of the Cornwall Film Festival. 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 FEATURE FILMS THE ICE TOWER 7:30 PM | MONDAY 17.11.25 | THE POLY A hypnotic new fairytale from Lucile Hadžihalilović (Innocence, Evolution). In her most fantastical feature yet, The Ice Tower follows Jeanne (newcomer Clara Pacini), a teenager who escapes her secluded orphanage and slips onto the set of a lavish Snow Queen adaptation. There she encounters the film’s magnetic star Cristina (Academy Award-winner Marion Cotillard), and together they embark on a spellbinding journey that drifts towards a chilling finale. Dir. Lucile Hadžihalilović | 2025 | 1h 58m | French (with English subtitles) | Fantasy | CFF 18 Film gala followed by a Zoom Q&A with the director. BOOK TICKETS THE MASTERMIND 5.15 PM | SUNDAY 23.11.25 | THE POLY Josh O'Connor portrays a down-on-his-luck art thief in this smouldering heist drama from acclaimed filmmaker Kelly Reichardt (First Cow, Certain Women) Dir. Kelly Reichardt | 2025 | 1h 50m | English | Crime | 12A BOOK TICKETS KONTINENTAL ’25 7:30 PM | TUESDAY 18.11.25 | THE POLY A bailiff confronts thorny ethical conflict in this sharp-witted satire from Film Festival favourite Radu Jude. Winner of the Lux Film Festival Grand Prix Dir. Radu Jude | 2025 | 1h 49m | Drama (with English subtitles) CFF18 BOOK TICKETS PILLION 7:30 PM | FRIDAY 21.11.25 | THE POLY A transgressive romantic drama starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling. Seductive, daring, and unexpectedly tender, this striking debut brims with charm. Dir. Harry Lighton | 2025 | 1h 43m | English | Comedy, Drama, Romance , LGBTQI+ | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS SENTIMENTAL VALUE 7:30 PM | WED 19.11.25 | THE POLY | (CS) A father's seemingly autobiographical script tests his family bonds to breaking point in this sweeping drama, directed by Joachim Trier, starring Stellan Skarsgård. WINNER OF THE CANNES GRAND PRIX 2025 Dir. Joachim Trier | 2025 | 2h 13m | Norwegian (with English subtitles) | Drama | CFF 15 Captioned subtitle screening BOOK TICKETS THE STRANGER 4.15 PM | FRIDAY 21.11.25 | THE POLY François Ozon return to CFF with this beautiful adaptation of Albert Camus’ landmark novel, L'Étranger, a gripping account of human absurdity in 1930s French-colonised Algeria. Dir François Ozon | 2025 | 2hrs | French With English subtitles | CFF15 BOOK TICKETS SIRAT 12:00 | SATURDAY 22.11.25 | THE POLY As music and heat intensify, in the search for a daughter that becomes a reckoning with love, loss and endurance. Oliver Laxe’s film radiates raw, transcendent energy, a vision of devotion and desolation where sound and landscape merge into something sacred. Dir Oliver Laxe | 2025 | 1hr 55 mins Spanish, French, Arabic with English subtitles | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS THE THING WITH FEATHERS 7:45 PM | SATURDAY 22.11.25 | THE POLY After a tragic loss, a grieving father struggles to raise his young sons while confronting an unlikely, unpredictable houseguest — Crow, a chaotic figure who bursts from the pages of a book to peck at open wounds and guide them through grief in his own unsettling way. Director Dylan Southern brings striking visual poetry to this soulful exploration of loss, chaos and redemption. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a mesmerising performance in the highly anticipated screen adaptation of Max Porter’s award-winning novel Grief Is the Thing with Feathers — a haunting meditation on love, mourning and the strange beauty of survival. The Thing With Feathers | Dir Dylan Southern | 2025 | 1h 44 mins | Drama | 12A Film premiere | LIVE Q&A BOOK TICKETS BRIEF ENCOUNTER 12:00 | SUNDAY 23.11.25 | THE POLY Meeting a stranger in a railway station, a woman is tempted to cheat on her husband in David Lean classic. Part of BFI UK wide season of Melodrama Dir. David Lean | 1945 | 1h 26 mins | UK | Drama, Melodrama | PG + LIVE Intro BOOK TICKETS IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU 5 PM | WEDNESDAY 19.11.25 | THE POLY | (RS) Linda (Rose Byrne) tries to navigate her daughter's mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. Dir Mary Bronstein | 2025 | 1h 53m | Comedy/Drama | CFF15 | Relaxed Screening BOOK TICKETS SHELBY OAKS 9:15 PM | FRIDAY 21.11.25 | THE POLY A woman's search for her long-lost sister becomes an obsession when she realizes a demon from their childhood may have been real, not imaginary. Dir. Chris Stuckmann | 2025 | 1h 31m | English | Horror | 15 BOOK TICKETS PETER HUJAR'S DAY 5 PM | SATURDAY 22.11.25 | THE POLY | (CS) A captivating reconstruction of a real conversation between writer Linda Rosenkrantz and celebrated photographer, snap shot in the New York art scene through the life & conversation, staring Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall Dir Ira Sachs | 2025 | 1h 16 mins | Drama | CFF15 Caption Subtitle screening BOOK TICKETS GOING TO THE DOGS 5 PM | TUESDAY 18.11.25 | THE POLY Filmmaker Greg Cruttwell feature documentary about class, culture, community and dogs, dogs, dogs – and which asks questions of a sport beloved by many. Dir Greg Cruttwell | 2024 | 1h 35m | Documentary | CFF12A + LIVE Q&A BOOK TICKETS SMALL GODS 5PM | 17.11. 25 | THE POLY While struggling to provide for her son, an indigenous single mother falls for a charismatic street performer. But when a crisis strikes, it threatens to rip their nascent family apart… Film premiere | LIVE Q&A Dir Asher Rosen | 2025 | 1h 36 mins | Drama, International | CFF12A + LIVE Q&A BOOK TICKETS IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT 2:30 PM | SATURDAY 22.11.25 | THE POLY The incomparable Jafar Panahi returns with his Palme d’Or winner, an uproarious revenge story with a bitter sting. Haunted by his imprisonment by Iranian authorities, Vahid impulsively kidnaps a man he believes was one of his captors. As doubt over the man’s identity grows, he enlists a motley crew of fellow traumatised ex-prisoners. What follows is a darkly comic, extraordinary road trip through Tehran that is equal parts nail-biting thriller and madcap farce. Dir. Jafar Panahi | 2025 | 1h 43h | Persian (with English subtitles) | Drama, Thriller | CFF15 Film premiere | Award Winner | WINNER OF THE PALME D'OR 2025 BOOK TICKETS OUR LAND 5:15 PM | THURSDAY 20.11.25 | THE POLY Through organised ‘mass trespass’ events, the Right to Roam movement seeks to expand public access to nature — but soon finds itself in conflict with England’s powerful landowners. OUR LAND | Dir Orban Wallace | 2025 | 1h 29 mins | English | Doc | 12A + LIVE Director Q&A BOOK TICKETS THE BIG SEA 7:30 PM | THURSDAY 27.11.25 | WTW LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA 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 Dir Lewis Arnold | 2024 | 1 hrs 15 mins | UK | Documentary | CFF12A + Director Q&A BOOK TICKETS H IS FOR HAWK 7:30 PM | FRIDAY 28.11.25 | WTW PLAZA CINEMA TRURO Claire Foy stars alongside Brendan Gleeson in Philippa Lowthorpe’s beautifully realised and emotionally charged adaptation of Helen MacDonald’s award-winning memoir. Dir Philippa Lowthorpe | 2025 | 1 hrs 45 mins | UK | Drama | 15 Preview BOOK TICKETS VOLVER 7:30 PM | TUESDAY 9.12.25 | THE SAVOY PENZANCE After her death, a mother returns to her hometown to heal old wounds. Blending mystery, humour, and warmth, a rich, moving celebration of family, resilience, and the power of love. Volver | Dir Pedro Almodóvar | 2006 | 2 hrs | Spain | Drama (Spanish Subtitles) | 15 + Screen talk | Part of melodrama BOOK TICKETS SHORTS THE BEST SHORT FILMS THE POLY The Short Film Competition comprises the lineup of short films across seven competitive sections from local, national and international filmmaking talent. It features the most innovative and adventurous ideas from filmmakers whose short films demonstrate distinctive and genuine storytelling, stylistic boldness, strength of form, and the ambition to use the medium in a way that resists cliché Dir. Various | 2025 | 20 mins | UK, National, International Film premiere | Award Winners ALL SHORTS PROGRAMMES INDUSTRY FOCUS 2025: PRODUCING INDUSTRY 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. JUMP TO INDUSTRY STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD - OUR FUNDERS & PARTNERS

​Asher Rosen Filmmaker profile Cornwall Film Festival 2025 Filmmaker profile A profile of the selected filmmmaker from our compertition. Feature films from around the globe. See all the screenings at this year's edition of the Cornwall Film Festival. 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 FILMMAKER PROFILE SMALL GODS 5 PM | MONDAY 17.11.25 | THE POLY While struggling to provide for her son, an indigenous single mother falls for a charismatic street performer. But when a crisis strikes, it threatens to rip their nascent family apart… Director Asher Rosen Writers Chimpaye Florence Mariserena , Bizimana Hussain, Luke Eubule Reilly, Asher Rosen Producers Andreas Roald, Dan Wechsler, Ian Prior, Jack Pollington, Cimpaye Florence Key Cast Bizimana Hussain & Turinayo Jotham Dir Asher Rosen | 2025 | 1h 36 mins | Drama, International | CFF12A Film gala followed by a Q&A with the director. BOOK TICKETS DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY ASHER ROSEN Asher Rosen is a filmmaker based in London and Kisoro. Asher began his career as a screenwriter, developing projects with production companies such as The Forge Entertainment, Range Media Partners, and Gaumont UK. In 2021, Asher directed his debut short film, MEAT, produced by Scala Productions. Meat won multiple awards, playing at numerous BAFTA/Oscar qualifying festivals and culminating in a selection for the César Académie's ‘Golden Nights’ Programme. Asher's second short film THE RABBI'S SON (2022) won the Pears Short Film Fund, as well as playing at a number of BAFTA/Oscar qualifying festivals including Athens International Film Festival. In 2023, Asher began production on SMALL GODS, produced by Sovereign Films. Expanding on Meat, Small Gods is a docufiction drama inspired by the lives of its lead actors and wider Batwa community. STATEMENT Flo first mentioned the concept of small gods (ibigirwamana) the very day we met. Like almost all of the indigenous Batwa tribe, Flo has no access to her family’s ancestral lands, which were stolen to make way for conservation and tourism. When asked what the Batwa miss most from their old home in the forest, Flo mentioned animist deities attached to specific trees, caves, or water bodies. She referred to them as small gods. As we began building a narrative around Flo’s experiences, the concept suggested further resonances. The writing process started around the dinner table and continued late each night, as the cast recalled events from their lives. The whole crew was immediately captivated by the rich and epic drama with which the tales were told. From their own perspective, they were heroes fighting for their dignity, but to an uncaring outsider they were no more than street performers. Stylistically, Small Gods aims to depict their lives on a canvas just as mythic as the one they narrated. In doing so, it risks running against the traditions of documentary-infused cinema, in which first-time actors are rarely asked to plumb the same theatrical depths as trained professionals. Fortunately there was no doubt in my mind that they were up to the task. Flo and Bizi have, after all, been acting their whole lives - performing songs, dances, or impressions for the tourists that now flock to see Uganda’s gorillas. In the case of Bizi, this is how we crossed paths. Known among his friends as ‘monkey man’, Bizi will frequently drop to his knees and perform his gorilla impression at the sight of a foreigner. One such foreigner couldn’t get over the mis-match between his deep well of talent and his stature by the roadside. Making the film was a stand against this injustice. By taking the topic of performance as a thematic subject, platforming the casts’ overlooked talent, and anchoring the camera in their perspective, the hope was that we could somehow defy and defeat the view of tourist, he who comes for the gorillas but passed Bizi by… Having worked with the cast since our first short film together in 2021, I have been lucky enough to witness the transformation Small Gods has made in their lives. With the immense help of the production team, we have not only been able to purchase her and Bizi their own plots where they now grow food and graze their new cattle, but also build safe sturdy homes for them to live in for years to come. After three years in school, Tuyi now speaks English better than I speak Rufumbira, and I hope he will get the chance to answer questions about the film directly. I am forever grateful to have been able to enable this process - it all feels like a small miracle. Perhaps we are indebted to the small gods… IN FOCUS EXPLORING THE ART STORY TELLING FOR SCREEN Each year, Cornwall Film Festival celebrates exceptional emerging talent discovered through our competition entries. From hundreds of submissions, one filmmaker is chosen for our In Focus spotlight — recognising outstanding creativity, craft, and originality. This special selection highlights a filmmaker whose work stood out for its distinctive voice and cinematic vision, representing the very best of independent storytelling. The In Focus feature offers a platform for audiences and industry alike to discover new talent making an impact across the UK and beyond. Our 2025 In Focus filmmaker is Asher Rosen, whose film SMALL GODS captivated our jury and affirmed the importance of supporting bold, boundary-pushing voices in contemporary cinema. Enter 2026 Competition now STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD - OUR FUNDERS & PARTNERS

Our industry programmes enhance career prospects, support professional and personal development, and deepen understanding of the media Industry. Get into the Industry Our industry programmes enhance career prospects, support professional and personal development, and deepen understanding of the media Industry. With our wide-reaching networking events, interviews, and masterclasses with industry professionals at a variety of levels and roles, we let you see behind the scenes and learn from the experts. We're dedicated to helping you take the next steps in your media career! Interview with Lizzy Talbot | Intimacy Coordinator Catch up with our LIVE interview with Lizzy Talbot Intimacy Coordinator for TV & Film. Find out what the role includes and how you too can become an intimacy Coordinator. Megan Tremethick | Actor We caught up with actor Megan Tremethick to talk shorts, features, and CFF! Interview with Sylvia Parker | Script Supervisor Catch up on our Interview with Sylvia Parker, Script Supervisor for some of the biggest film out there! Including the upcoming James Bond film No Time to Die. Interview with Nigel Cole | Director Catch up on our Interview with Director Nigel Cole (Doc Martin, Saving Grace, Made in Dagenham, Calendar Girls) which was first streamed live on Facebook as part of our Director series. Watch More Here Networking The key to the film industry Regular, informal events where creative industry professionals from all career levels have the opportunity to chat with one another. Networking with a drink and a snack! Masterclasses Learn from than the experts Our new online programme will enable you to gain knowledge and skills in a highly practical learning environment. Here you can engage in immersive workshops guided by our industry experts. Talks & Interviews With Industry professionals Listen in to industry professionals who work behind the scenes to bring you magic on screen. Free and accessible to everyone - join in live or catch our recordings on Facebook or our Youtube Channel. Hear industry members stories and improve your knowledge. Commissions Our partnership work Throughout the year, we work in partnership with organisation & companies to commission media work. This can range from supporting the interview process, advertising & signposting to full budget commsions. Working With Us Gain industry experience. We offer lots of opportunities to help people get experience. There is always plenty to be done so check our work with us page for open calls and follow us on social media. We are a small and friendly team that supports a volunteer team of 65 people, 4-10 interns per, to work as an intern for Mor Media you need to be proactive, creative and highly motivated. We have an Advisory board of industry professionals and a Trustee board. Often our team is made up of people that have come through our volunteer, intern, and freelance projects into full employment. Learn More

Animate Helston is a festival and celebration of animated film held at the Museum of Cornish Life. ANIMATE Helston Join us over the February half-term 15 – 22 February 2025 The festival focus this year is on hand-drawn animation. Exhibitions | Screenings | Workshops Let your imagination run wild at these free bookable workshops! Exhibition about Early Animator Eddie Radage Come and find out about one of our volunteers Dad Eddie Radage. An early animator he was trained by Disney director David Hand. In the 1960s he worked on the Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’, was a key animator on ‘Watership Down’ (1978) and co-directed ‘The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe’, the first UK animation to win an Emmy. Family Fun Workshops Let your imagination run wild at these free bookable workshops. 2 sessions at 10.30-12noon & 1-2.30pm. Booking through Eventbrite . Monday 17 Feb: Clay model making inspired by Morph 10.30am – 12noon and 1pm – 2.30pm Tuesday 18 Feb: Character Model Sheet with Keith Sparrow 10.30am – 12 and 1pm – 2.30pm Wednesday 19 Feb: Puppets Making 10.30am – 12 and 1pm – 2.30pm Screenings at the Museum Saturday 15 to Saturday 22 February Our FREE Pop-Up cinemas are returning with our giant screen in the Drill Hall and screens in the school room and toy shop. All programmed by our marvellous our team at Mor Media. Book Now! Film Screenings at CAST Helston Screening 2 times a day at 10.30am and 1.30pm FREE This year's film is The Secret World of Arrietty (90 min | Cert U). From the creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award®-nominated* director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, comes a gorgeous and adventure-filled adaptation of The Borrowers, one of the most beloved children’s books of all time. CAST Website NEW ! Pop-up Cinema Saturday 22nd February 7pm Trevow Helston, Helston Old Chapel, Meneage Road, Cornwall, Postcode, TR13 8BH Loving Vincent | Dir Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman | 2017 | Crime/Thriller | 1h 35m | Certificate 12 Loving Vincent is the world's first fully painted feature film, bringing Van Gogh’s art to life in a stunning tribute. Despite his influence on Western art, he struggled with poverty and mental health, dying at just 37. This hand-painted masterpiece features 65,000 oil-painted frames, created by 125 artists in Poland and Greece, capturing his life and legacy in his own iconic style.. Ticket prices: £5/7/10 Book Now Check out animations we love We screen a selection of animated short film work over the half-term at The Museum of Cornish Life . Get excited about animation ! Learn More Check out our Best of Animation List on Letterbox

Our creative workshops offer plenty of exciting opportunities for you to get involved in. We offer flexible prices to suit your budget. Our programme is focused on creativity for health and well-being. Find your voice with Mor Media. Creative Courses Our new workshops will nurture your skills and interests. Using your phone for social media content 8 December 2023 10:00am - 1pm Tremough Innovation Centre, Penryn Find on Google Maps How to write engaging newsletters and blog posts 12 January 2024 10:00am - 1pm Tremough Innovation Centre, Penryn Find on Google Maps Creating eye catching social media posts using online design tools in Canva. 26 January 2024 10:00am - 1pm Tremough Innovation Centre, Penryn Find on Google Maps Calendar View Easily browse all of our workshops. Social media content with phones Create engaging social media content with your phone 55 British pounds £55 Book Now Newsletters and blog posts How to write engaging newsletters and blog posts 55 British pounds £55 Book Now Online design using Canva Creating eye catching social media posts using online design tools in Canva 55 British pounds £55 Book Now Using your phone for social media content 9 February 2024 10:00am - 1pm Tremough Innovation Centre, Penryn Find on Google Maps This session will go through the basics of using your phone to record, edit and upload creative images and film for your social media and web sites. You can use whichever phone you own, and we will go through useful apps and techniques to make appealing content. Book Now Need More Information? Have Some Questions about the training ? Contact Sue

Events | Mor Media Charity | Encouraging Creativity and Culture to Thrive in the Digital Arts through events, education, community and industry projects. Community Our community projects in Cornwall work with hard to reach groups who face social, cultural or economic exclusion from the richness of media culture with a focus on improving the health and wellbeing of communities. Mi Mor We are contracted by community organisations, councils and private organisations to run one-off screenings & monthly film clubs; from securing licences to marketing, we are here to help! Thanks to the Sedel-Collings Fund distributed through the Cornwall Community Foundation for making this happen Kernewek Fylm An opportunity to bring Cornish filmmakers and audiences together to screen independent work make by filmmakers addressing a wide range of cultural, political, and social issues made in the Cornish Language. Animation Projects From the annual animation festival at the Museum of Cornish Life in Helston during February half-term, to exhibitions, stop-motion workshops, short films, and screenings, we proudly celebrate all things animation! Short Film compertition Championing short films We celebrate and showcase the best Local, National and international short filmmaking and discover the most innovative and adventurous talents. Screening programmes, awards, expert judges and prizes. Learn More OtherRealms XR, VR & AR Programmes Experience storytelling like never before with immersive moving images through Experiential, Augmented, and Virtual Reality. We bring cutting-edge creators and their visionary work from around the globe to audiences right here in Cornwall. Learn More Intersection Art, Ideas, and Experience DIY pop-up events , interdisciplinary Exploration of Art, Ideas, and Experience through Lens-Based Media. From non-narrative to artist-moving images and installations, it all happens here. Learn More Our Funders

Cornwall Film Festival 2024 Feature films from around the globe. See all the screenings at this year's edition of Cornwall Film Festival. Home Talks CFF 24 Industy at CFF 24 FAQ's & Access Diary & tickets Press Blog International Short Films 2024 Cornwall My Home Short Films 2024 Student Short Films 2024 UK Short Films 2024 Artist Moving Images 2024 XR AR and VR Best of the West 2024 Merch Store Features When the Light Breaks Dir Rúnar Rúnarsson Mon Nov 18, 2024 5:00 PM @ The Poly (CS) From Europe with Love Tickets Anora Dir Sean Baker Tues Nov 19, 2024 7:30 PM @ The Poly Comedy Drama Tickets Nightbitch Dir Marielle Heller Wed Nov 20, 2024 7:30 PM @ The Poly Preview Tickets Paris, Texas Dir Wim Wenders Sun Nov 24, 2024 1:30 PM @ The Poly (RS) Classic + intro Tickets Bird Dir Andrea Arnold Fri Nov 22, 2024 7:15 PM @ The Poly Drama Premier + Q&A Tickets The Severed Sun Dir Dean Puckett Fri Nov 22, 2024 5:00 PM @ The Poly Thriller Premier + Q&A Tickets #Climatescam? Dir Bryony Stokes Mon Nov 18, 2024 7:30 PM @ The Poly Climate Premier Q&A Tickets Pipe Dream Dir Nikolay Nikolov & Zachary Alfred Sun Nov 24, 2024 4.30 PM @ The Poly Documentary Premier + Q&A Tickets A Real Pain Dir Jesse Eisenberg Sat Nov 16, 2024 8:00 PM @ The Poly Opening Film Tickets Hard Truths Dir Mike Leigh Sat Nov 23, 2024 7:30 PM @ The Poly Gala - Q&A with Director and Mark Kermode Tickets Heretic Dir Scott Beck/ Bryan Woods Fri Nov 22, 2024 10:00 PM @ The Poly Midnight Thriller Tickets Timestalker Dir Alice Lowe Sat Nov 23, 2024 5:00 PM @ The Poly Comedy Premier + Q&A with Director and Mark Kermode Tickets Features films Feature films from around the globe, screening at this years edition of Cornwall Film Festival. Featured Featured events and screenings at this years festival. La Cocina Dir Alonso Ruizpalacios Sat Nov 23, 2024 2:15 PM @ The Poly International Drama Tickets Edge of Summer Dir Lucy Cohen Monday 25th Nov 7pm @ Newlyn Newlyn Filmhouse Director Q&A Tickets No Other Land Dir Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor Sat Nov 23, 2024 12:15 PM @ The Poly (CS) Award winning Tickets Ukraine. Displaced Thurs Nov 21, 2024 2:00 PM @ The Poly Stories from Far Tickets featured Shorts Screening Short Film Screening both regional and international short films. Best Student Short Films Nov 20, 2024 5:00 PM @ The Poly Best Student Films Listing Tickets Best of Cornwall & SW Shorts Films Nov 21, 2024 8:00 PM @ The Poly Best of the West Films Listing Tickets Best UK Short Films Nov 22, 2024 2:30 PM @ The Poly Best Uk Short Films Listing Tickets Best International Short Films Nov 23, 2024 10:00 AM @ The Poly Best International Films Listing Tickets Experimental / artists shorts 24th January, 2025 @ The Fish Factory Penryn Best Experimental Listing Tickets Industry Day Nov 21, 2pm onwards Shorts, Pannel, Networking. @ The Poly Info Cornwall My Home Nov 24, 7:00 PM @ The Poly See all the films > Tickets A New Lens: Co-Motion shorts Nov 30, 2:00 PM @ Kresen Kernow with Co-Motion info Stories of Freedom: Right to Roam Nov 19, 2024, 6:00 PM @ The Fish Factory, Pernyn Tickets Finding the Money Nov 24, 4pm @ The Princess Pavilion Tickets Coming Up The Colour Room Dir Claire McCarthy Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:30 PM @ INTO Bodmin The Colour Room Dir Claire McCarthy Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:30 PM @ INTO Bodmin The Colour Room Dir Claire McCarthy Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:30 PM @ INTO Bodmin Naila and the Uprising Dir Julia Bacha Temperance Hall Nov 2, 7:00 PM The Colour Room Dir Claire McCarthy Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:30 PM @ INTO Bodmin Past Events

The best short films from the South West! < Programme South West Regional Shorts Various The longlist of the best regional short films. The best films from the South-West submitted to this years short film competition! Hunros Jorna Mickey Smith and Allan Wilson 19m 07 | UK An experimental Cornish language film by Allan Wilson & Mickey Smith. Translated & voiced in Kernewek by Gwenno Saunders. Across two decades a clan of curious misfits illuminated the frost bitten frontiers of North Atlantic salt. A pack of strays with a rare eye for heavy water, a halcyon era of exploration & camaraderie in the cold. From the supernatural alchemy of Kernow to the raw majesty of Eire, ‘HUNROS JORNA’ recalls a lifetime of human hearts bewitched by the endless sea. A Woman Walks Into a Bank Tom Brennan 13m 51 | UK Inspired by the wild true story of the Patty Hearst kidnapping, ‘A Woman Walks into a Bank’ is about a young woman’s journey from normality to extremism and back again. Fusing documentary and imagined encounters, the film attempts to raise questions about the flexibility of belief and identity. Placenta Pâté Tia Salisbury 12m 33 | UK New mum Libby has breastfeeding woes, but when her wife, Erin suggests a traditional placenta remedy is the answer, underlying tensions rear their head and it's not just the kitchen getting messy. Confession Day Ben Hooton 18m 43 | UK In the valley of the Black Mountains, Aled must bury his father, and help his mother find peace. An outsider in a tight mining community, Bethan reveals what really happened the night Llewelyn died. The will of a father, broken by the courage of a son. WAKE Rebecca Rose 18m 57 | UK A family comes to terms with tragic loss, exploring the psychological and practical implications. It raises awareness of the under-reported social issue of mental health in rural settings and how conversations about feelings prevent a spiral towards suicide. Seagull Dean Puckett 5m 45 | UK Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night. Boredom Kit Kelsey 13m 26 | UK An artist struggles to create his next painting so he decides to go fishing with a friend. On the trip he ends up learning things about himself that he never expected to encounter. Joe Was 'Ere Ryan Williams Morris 12m 54 | UK This is the story of Joe, an 11 year old boy who dreams of an idyllic relationship with his mother. Set on a council estate, Joe spends his days longingly watching other families and daydreaming of what could be. In reality, Joe’s home is often full of drug pushers and addicts, a real party house. From The River Paul Lee Mulraney 18m | UK From the River tells the story of a unique and fascinating place - Sailor's Creek in Cornwall - exploring what happens when the romantic ideal of living outside of societal norms meets the harsh realities of modern life, and the harsher realities of nature. Funeral of a Marriage Counsellor Ronit Meranda 13m 20 | UK Following the sudden death of their long-term and much-too-depended-upon counsellor, a couple in their 50s take a chaotic stab at rebalancing their relationship, while grappling with their own mortality.

Booking Page for all Cornwall Film Festival 2024 Screenings What's On - booking page for Cornwall Film Festival 2024 We're excited to introduce a new booking page for all our events this year! While you'll need to re-register, It will remember all your details, making checkout simpler and faster, with Fort Knox-level security to keep your information safe!