See the world through a new lens at FilmBath Festival 2024

The FilmBath Festival returns this October for its 34th festival, taking place over 10 days and screening over 50 films across Bath. FilmBath will be showcasing a wonderfully diverse selection of cinema from around the world and screening movies in some of Bath’s most unexpected buildings.

As always, FilmBath Festival offers you a chance to see upcoming films before anyone else. This year’s programme includes bold new films such as Conclave with Ralph Fiennes, Nightbitch with Amy Adams, Small Things Like These with Cillian Murphy and Bird with Barry Keoghan.

From quiet dramas like Radical and My Favourite Cake to ground-breaking comedies like Babes and A Real Pain, this curated schedule has the best of what cinema has to offer. FilmBath is dedicated to a diverse and exciting festival, with international features making up almost 50% of the programme.

Image: FilmBath Festival 2024

FilmBath will welcome filmmakers to the city to discuss their films after the screenings of Close to You, The Teacher, Otto Baxter: Not a F***king Horror Story, Mountain Queen and Polite Society. Through post-film Q&A’s and panel discussions, audiences will get a fascinating insight into the filmmaker's work and process.

Joined by community partners and local experts, many FilmBath festival events dive deeper into the subject matter of the programme. Highlights include discussions around the possibility of an AI afterlife from TechSpark following a screening of Eternal You, and discussions surrounding accessibility and inclusion accompany new release Close to You, the latest film starring Elliot Page. We will investigate the gaming world with Grand Theft Hamlet and engage with thought provoking conversations around cultural repatriation in our screening of Dahomey.

This year, FilmBath are venturing out of their cinema venues The Little Theatre Cinema and Everyman to a host of Bath venues and spaces to house their various strands and special events where they have teamed up with fellow film festivals and local organisations to offer even more flavour:

• As part of BFI’s Art of Action season (celebrating the art of action), they will be championing women in action films with screenings of Run Lola Run, Polite Society and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
• Silent action film evenings in iconic settings, featuring Sherlock Jr. with live piano accompaniment from Neil Brand at Bath’s Pump Room, and Beggars of Life with grassroots trio Sonic Silents at Green Park Station.
• Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights will host the heartwarming documentary Hello, Bookstore about a town's effort to save its beloved bookstore. Afterward, Nic Bottomley (Mr B) will discuss the joys and challenges of running his beloved independent bookshop.
• As part of Holburne’s Up-Late to celebrate Chila Kumari-Burman’s exhibition Neon Dreams, FilmBath has hand-picked the film Joyland for the evening which follows the Rana family’s journey of sexual rebellion as the youngest son takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque and falls in love with a trans starlet.
• Experience Mary Shelley's classic as never before with Frankenstein Unchained, a stage experience with narration by Madeline Smith, original live soundtrack by Jason Frederick, and a unique film presentation. Join us for this interactive event in collaboration with Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein.
• Discover the groundbreaking female pioneers of electronic music in Sisters With Transistors, then groove to a dynamic DJ and live coding set at Burdall’s Yard. Celebrate electronic music's evolution in style, presented with Polymathic!
• In partnership with Bristol’s Queer Vision they have multiple screenings showcasing LGBTQ+ stories including Sebastian about a 25-year-old aspiring writer who begins a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel and The Queen of My Dreams which sits against the backdrop of a shared obsession with Bollywood fantasy, Mariam, a Pakistani Muslim woman, and her Canadian-born daughter Azra come of age in two different eras.
• Watch the heartwarming and critically acclaimed film The Angel’s Share (2012) in a whole new way.  The charming and uplifting story of redemption set against the backdrop of Scotland’s vibrant whiskey industry will be brought to life with a dram of whiskey from Independent Spirit and an exclusive Q&A session with local legendary director Ken Loach.
• To celebrate the anniversary of Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic, FilmBath have teamed up with Bath Archaeo- Heritage Film to host a screening at local design studio Matter.
• Think you know film? Put your film knowledge to the test with festival special film quizzes at Bath Cider House, Bath Brew House and The Cork. The three pubs will also be offering film festival brews of cider and ale.
• Fred Mawer Tours are offering an entertaining guided walking tour around Bath, revealing the locations of lots of movies and TV shows shot in the city, and some of the practicalities involved in the filming.

Image: FilmBath Festival 2024

FilmBath prides itself on its very own ‘F-Rating’ status, which guarantees that a minimum of 50% of the films shown have been directed and/or written by women. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, they are pleased to announce that they will be showing daily lunchtime screenings at 12.30 at Everyman Cinema including The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) from director Lotte Reiniger, Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962) from director Agnès Varda and Point Break (1991) from director Kathryn Bigelow. There will also be an F-rated Birthday Brunch at Forum Coffee House where film lovers can join the founder of F-rated for breakfast and a discussion around the history of women in film, the impact of F-rated and its future.

FilmBath have got even more for filmmakers this year with a Filmmakers Day on Tuesday 23 October featuring panels and discussions with local filmmakers and industry professionals on the art of regional film production and Exhibitors Day on Wednesday 24 October where film exhibitors and curators will share insights on the latest films and the keys to creating successful film festivals and public screenings. Finally, don't miss the IMDb Awards, where fresh new talent will be showcased as film fans and industry judges come together to watch finalist short films and live script readings, casting their votes for the winner.

Image: FilmBath Festival 2024

FilmBath Festival runs from 18-27 October across the city. The festival will continue their 'Pay What You Can' model to ensure as many people as possible can come. Tickets are on sale from 10am on Friday 13 September via bathboxoffice.org.uk. 

FilmBath would like to acknowledge all the hard work of the volunteers, board members and freelancers who ensure the festival happens, as well as giving a special thank you to our partners and sponsors: IMDb, BFI FAN Audience Network, MUBI GO, Visual Impact, Mechanical Mouse, Freestyle Designs, Loop Studio, The Norie Trust, TSL Consulting, Mallory, Mayden, GWR, Apex Hotels, Bath Box Office.