Early Bird passes are now on sale for the 9th annual edition of Cinema Rediscovered - the UK’s leading celebration of newly-restored films, forgotten gems and classic revivals – taking place in and around Bristol UNESCO City of Film from 23 - 27 July 2025.
From now until early June, film fans can get discounts of up to £30 on passes giving access to a 50+ event line-up of screenings, talks, walks, talent Q&As and a multitude of other starting parts points for interesting conversations.
The full programme is still being finalised, but among the highlights unveiled to coincide with the launch of Early Bird pass sales are that the opening address will be by the BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated producer Stephen Woolley ahead of a screening of one of his productions: ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS, Julien Temple’s ambitiously maverick 1986 musical starring David Bowie, Sade, Ray Davies, Patsy Kensit and Eddie O’Connell (screening on 35mmm, courtesy of the British Film Institute National Archive).
The musical’s screening will be the first in the festival’s Against The Grain strand, spotlighting more than a half-dozen 1980s independent British films and personal appearances by the award-winning director Sir Stephen Frears (MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, 1985) and the influential programmer, producer and author Lynda Myles (DEFENCE OF THE REALM, 1985).
Other confirmed elements of the festival include:
- A centenary tribute to the creation of the world’s first film society (London, 1925) and its lasting impacts, co-curated by Bryony Dixon (BFI National Archive) and film historian Henry K. Miller.
- Acclaimed conductor Charles Hazlewood introducing the UK premiere of a new restoration of Miloš Forman’s Oscars-laden AMADEUS (1984) ahead of its re-release by Curzon Film.
- A pair of newly restored Anglo/German silents, SONG (1928) and PAVEMENT BUTTERFLY (1929), both directed by Richard Eichberg and starring style icon Anna May Wong.
A rare chance of a big screen viewing of Larry Peece’s ground-breaking ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO (USA 1964), about interracial marriage set at the height of the Civil Rights movement; KALAMITA (Calamity), a biting social satire from prominent Czechoslovak New Wave director Věra Chytilová (1982) and YEELEN (1987) showing as an homage to pioneering Malian filmmaker Souleymane Cissé.
Festival founder Mark Cosgrove says: “We already have a fantastic line-up of some of the finest restorations and newly discovered film gems in this year’s festival with more announcements to come. Cinema Rediscovered is the ideal place to see some great cinema back on the big screen, meet like-minded film lovers and hear from some of the specialists and professionals working in the archival and restoration world. And with the popularity of the festival growing year on year, we’re anticipating record new demand for seats so early booking is a sensible choice for all film aficionados.”
Early Bird festival passes are on sale now from the Watershed box office, 1 Canons Road, Bristol, BS1 5TX; telephone 0117 927 5100 or via www.watershed.co.uk priced at £90 (£70 concessions, £50 aged 24 and under) – a saving of £30 each on full prices.
Cinema Rediscovered 2025 is a Watershed presentation, made possible thanks to the support of the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, and principal sponsors Park Circus and STUDIOCANAL.
To stay up to date with festival news, find Cinema Rediscovered on Facebook, Instagram, Letterboxd or Bluesky; keep a watch on watershed.co.uk/cinema-rediscovered or sign-up for the free e-newsletter.
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