FilmBath Team help to get Cheltenham International Film Festival online

Earlier this year, old FilmBath hands Chris Baker (pictured above in his happy place – up a ladder setting up a projector) and Alastair Goolden were asked by Cheltenham International Film Festival to help with the programming and technical preparations for the festival’s second edition, set for May 2020. We had helped with the first ever CIFF in 2019, marvelling at the range of wonderful spaces Cheltenham has to offer, the eagerness of the team of volunteers (matched only by FilmBath’s magnificent team) and at the ease with which one can drive a car around the place. We were able to bring our years of experience at FilmBath to help a fledgling film festival successfully mount a programme of some 35 new movies, and all went with a considerable bang. Things were looking good for 2020 – venues were booked, the deals with distributors decided, just about everything was set. Then… well, you can guess.

In late March, inspired by the example of the CPH:DOX festival (which switched from a physical event to an online edition in 10 days), the decision was taken to reconfigure as Cheltenham Online International Film Festival. Sadly, almost all the offers from UK film distributors were withdrawn, as they scratched their heads over what to do with their movies now that Covid-19 had forced closure of the nation’s cinemas. Happily, we got a great response from companies handling films that had not yet picked up UK distribution, and can now announce Cheltenham Online for 8th – 14th June.

The line-up consists almost entirely of films which may have played at London FF last year or at Glasgow FF in January, but will be otherwise unknown to UK audiences. They are all absolute gems, awaiting your discovery, and for the time being available to UK audiences exclusively as part of the festival. You won’t find these films on Netfix or any other streaming platform, so grab your chance to see them while you can. most of them will be available for 7 days once launched on the COIFF streaming platform, at around about the cost of a pint (remember that?) and a packet of crisps.

Highlights of Cheltenham Online International Film Festival

selected by Chris Baker

BEYOND THE HORIZON  Delphine Lehericey, Switzerland / Belgium, 2019.  13-yr-old Gus has to deal with a French summer (1976 – boiling hot!) during which everything goes wrong for his family and the tension palpably rises, while we watch, riveted. A brilliant domestic drama, which captures the spirit of the times (dungarees, The Ramones and emerging feminist rebellion) in impeccable style. Tickets here.

WHITE RIOT  Rubika Shah, UK, 2019  Meanwhile, somewhere in England… Hugely energetic and to-the-point doc about the emergence of Rock Against Racism in 1976, culminating in 1978’s Victoria Park Carnival, featuring X-Ray Spex, Steel Pulse and of course The Clash, whose rock star charisma and gale-force conviction took RAR’s message to the masses. Q+A with director Rubika Shah. Tickets here.

ROUNDS  Stephan Komandarev, Bulgaria / Serbia, 2019  Three pairs of police officers patrol Sofia’s nighttime streets: three different narrative threads (the police rounds of the title) occasionally overlap or cross, adding up to a kind of ‘state of the nation’ snapshot. This is a great watch – shot through with droll humour, the committed performances and convincing dialogue make it all feel true to life. Tickets here.

Buy discounted tickets & support FilmBath

If you would like a 20% discount AND to support FilmBath then click here and use our unique promo code BATH20 when you buy a ticket. Don’t worry if you miss any of the films, most will be available for seven days after their initial screening. 

Happy viewing.