Brief Encounter (1945), 1946 UK release, directed by David Lean, screenplay Noel Coward, starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard Written by ©Judith Noble, November 2025. Professor Emerita (Film and the Occult) Brief Encounter has classic status; one of the most beloved of British films; the ultimate weepie, British audiences cited it as the film most likely to make them cry. Its reputation has grown in the last forty years; time has changed our appreciation of it. It was moderately successful on release, but out-performed at the box office by The Wicked Lady. It was characterised on its release as a quality film that would attract middle-class audiences. Now here it is in a season of melodramas. Let’s look a little closer at the film’s appeal: why does a black and white 1940s movie that revolves around just two very middle-class characters (with the kind of accents that are only heard in comedies these days) living out gender stereotypical roles that barely exist anymore, and who, by modern standards, do not really get up to very much, still attract audiences eighty years after it was made? The film retains a tremendous emotional power. Some years ago, I had the salutary experience of teaching film narrative to animation students at an arts university by screening examples of classic films. Part of the post cinema generation, these students had never seen any classic films before. My practice was to screen the first half hour of the film (due to time constraints) then discuss what was going on, and leave the students to watch the rest in their own time. When it came to Brief Encounter, the outcome was startling. At the end of half an hour, the students begged me not to stop the screening, so we watched the whole thing. By the end, all the students were weeping. Many of them were very shocked that the film had elicited this response, although I had forewarned them about its power. I spent the lunch hour comforting distraught animators. Brief Encounter is being shown today in the context of a season of melodramas, often a very undervalued genre. A melodrama can be defined as a film where music is a fundamental element of the narrative. It is also usually a film made for female audiences, with a story told from a woman’s point of view, and full of emotional highs and lows. Brief Encounter is certainly all of those things. The music especially is a key: Rachmaninov’s dramatic, romantic Second Piano Concerto played here by Eileen Joyce (a very popular female performer when the film was made). I think the film is also rather more than a melodrama. It may surprise people to learn that in the 1920s and 30s the key textbook for Hollywood screenwriters was Aristotle’s Poetics. How many of them used it to good effect is open to debate, but Brief Encounter fits Aristotle’s definition of tragedy perfectly: the characters try to escape their pre-ordained fates; the audience empathises with them in this; the drama evokes feelings of pity for them, and at the end the audience experiences an emotional cleansing or catharsis. This is a film about two, small ordinary lives, but it is no less tragic for that; the characters cannot escape their fates and we weep for them. It is, of course, perfectly okay to weep when watching Brief Encounter and indulge in catharsis as approved of by Aristotle. There is so much we could say about this film. To some it may seem dated and class ridden, and some of the humour has to be explained to younger audiences. The phrase, “getting a girl into trouble”, for example, has lost its risqué meaning. Eighty years after its making, surely there are no middle- class nuclear families with cut glass English accents, two perfect children and a servant to make dinner anymore? But… surely anyone who has loved “the wrong person” will see something of themselves in this film, and recognise the power and danger in desire that can tear lives and families apart. Perhaps too, the film will appeal most to those who have shared the experience of its main characters: an older audience with more life experience; to those who “do the right thing” and who do not allow illicit desire to disrupt family and relationships, but who will still be changed by it forever. Part of the film’s success lies in the fact that it is incredibly well-crafted and precisely made in a particularly British, tweed jacket kind of a way. Acting, mise-en-scene, camerawork, are all more or less perfect. It has strong links to the theatrical tradition: The confined interiors, the close focus on the two main characters, and the comic working class characters used as foils for the protagonists which date back as far as Shakespeare (think of the ‘rude mechanicals’ in A Midsummer Night’s Dream) but is completely cinematic, for example the close up of Dolly’s mouth as she talks relentlessly, and the tracking shot that opens the first refreshment room sequence and establishes the characters. The spare, matter of fact acting and camerawork and the pace of the film, hurried along by the plot device of the railway timetable, mean it never descends into sentimentality. It has wry moments of comedy, mostly at the expense of the popular culture of its time. Please do look out for the wonderful comic cameo by the ineffable Irene Handl. It is a “woman’s story” and told throughout from Laura’s point of view; she narrates it. But look, she is not just telling us her story; she is telling it in her mind to her husband, Fred, the one person to whom, as she says, she will never really be able to tell this story. It is important to note, though, that there are no women behind the camera here; we have Lean and Coward telling a woman’s story. The role of Celia Johnson is absolutely pivotal, and her performance is extraordinary. She is on screen for almost all of the film. Notice how she has to act silently in several sequences, conveying extreme emotion without speaking on camera, while telling her own story in voice over. She comes across as a much stronger character than Trevor Howard. I find his actions have a difficult coercive undertone; he continually forces Laura to admit more, do more, overcome her scruples, and this makes her moral dilemma all the more frightening and compelling. Just as the protagonists are dominated by their societal roles and rigid convention, so the plot is dominated by time. It is structured through the railway timetable which allows the lovers only brief bites of time together before they must catch their trains home to their families. As well as the narrative, the music, the Rachmaninov concerto, belongs to Laura: we only hear it through her (it stops when the camera focuses on other characters) and it signifies her desire for Alec, so the symbolism of Fred asking her to turn the music down as she sits overwhelmed by emotion, is almost unbearable. The film is often described as “realist”: Its rundown realistic locations and sets are a million miles from Hollywood scenarios, or from other lavish British films of the period (The Wicked Lady, for example), and the characters wear understated everyday clothes; it is trying to look just like the lives of its intended audiences. It has always been recognised that Brief Encounter, written by one of the most well-known gay men of his generation, has a gay subtext, and it remains a favourite with queer audiences. The film is based on Coward’s play, Still Life , and we should note here Kneehigh Theatre’s wonderful live theatre production of Brief Encounter, first performed in 2007 and directed by Emma Rice, that draws heavily on Coward’s original theatre piece. We can read the love affair in Brief Encounter as emblematic of the fleeting unfulfilled desire that was the experience of gay men at a time when homosexuality was a criminal offence. Richard Dyer’s book on the film for the BFI Classic Films series explores in detail the many pleasures of Brief Encounter for queer audiences. In 1990 Richard Kwietniowski (who subsequently directed the feature film Love and Death in Long Island) directed a witty, elegant short film, Flames of Passion; a gay re-imagining of Brief Encounter. Brief Encounter has for me a strong link to the world of fairy tales and archetypal storytelling. In the inciting incident. Laura gets a piece of grit in her eye, and Alec removes it. This is what everyone remembers about the film and it has been used in comic sketches and advertising down the years. This metaphor of “something in the eye”, of fear of blindness, which is specifically referred to here, and of another kind of sight is common in folk tales; think of the splinter of ice in little Kay’s eye in The Snow Queen. Faery ointment confers the ability to see into Faerie and bestows inner vision on mortals and may be dispensed by faeries or by mortals working for the faeries. But this second sight, this inner vision is a precious and secret thing; only meant for mortals if gifted to them by the faeries, and not to be stolen or taken by accident. If you admit to having it without permission, disaster will ensue. In one folk tale which has variants across Wales, Cornwall and other parts of Britain, a mortal nurse hired to look after faerie children accidentally gains the sight through misuse of faerie ointment. She admits to her faerie master that she can see him; he asks her which eye can see him, and immediately blinds her in that eye. This kind of magic vision, gained by Laura when the grit gets in her eye, is a very dangerous thing. She did not ask to be given it but it will change her forever. It enables her to “see” Alec in a new and shocking way; to look and to desire; were she to admit to this, she would lose everything. Notice how, when the flashback sequence starts we see Laura sitting on a chair at home with her workbox, seeing herself in her inner, magic vision, looking into the inner world of the film and her last meeting with Alec. In the café, when Alec starts to explain to her about his medical specialism, she says “I see” repeatedly. There are metaphors for vision throughout the film, not least when we watch the lovers in the cinema watching a film. When we see Laura looking through the window of the railway carriage, she is looking intently, but seeing her new inner worlds and the object of her desire rather than her everyday surroundings. Brief Encounter reminds its audience repeatedly of this archetypal storyteller’s trope of the second sight, the faerie vision which is full of pleasure, danger and tragedy in equal measure. Please remember: Its okay to cry . Watch a clip of Flames of Passion; a gay re-imagining of Brief Encounter.

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

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 Cornwall Film Festival 2026 Cornwall Film Festival is a global platform inviting filmmakers from every corner of the world to showcase bold, captivating and innovative stories. KEY DATES 2026 Festival dates 26th International Cornwall Film Festival 2nd November – 29th November 2026 Previews week: 16-22nd November, The Poly Falmouth Film Festival North tbc Programme launch CFF 2026 First Release: 9th September Programme schedule live: 14th September Ticket sales Early mailing list ticket release: 1st September Public sale: 20th September Festival specials galas: 1st September Industry sale: 14th September Industry dates Pro Days 2026 tbc OtherRealms XR: 16-22nd November, Falmouth Art Gallery Submissions Opening Date: December 1, 2025 Super Early Deadline: January 2, 2026 Earlybird Deadline: February 20, 2026 Regular Deadline: March 20, 2026 Midway Deadline: May 22, 2026 Late Deadline: July 24, 2026 Final Deadline: September 6, 2026 Notification Date: October 12, 2026 Short film screening dates INTERMISSION (EXPERMENTAL SHORTS) Wednesday 18th November 5pm - The Poly BEST OF THE WEST (REGIONAL SHORTS) Tursday 19th November 7.30pm - The Poly BEST INTERNATIONALS NARRITIVE & NON NARRITIVE SHORTS Friday 20th 10.30 am - The Poly BEST UK SHORTS Friday 20th 12.30 pm - The Poly FRESH (STUDENT SHORTS) Friday 20th November 2.30pm - The Poly More regional dates and times will be announced shortly Feature Competition Winner Tursday 19th November 5 pm - The Poly Accreditation Press accreditations open: tbc Student accreditations: tbc Filmmaker accreditations: tbc STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD -

Cornwall Film Festival 2025 Best Narrative and Non-Narrative International Short Films 2026 OPEN Heading 4 SHORT FILM COMPETITION Our Short Film Competition champions bold, distinctive voices from Cornwall, the UK and beyond. We showcase innovative storytelling, stylistic ambition and original ideas across multiple strands, screening around 60 shorts that push form, challenge expectation and celebrate the creative potential of short-form cinema. FEATURE FILM COMPETITION The Feature Film Competition presents a curated selection of standout narrative and non-narrative features from emerging and established filmmakers. From daring debuts to acclaimed international titles, these films celebrate originality, strong authorship and the power of cinema to surprise, provoke and move audiences. SUMIT VIA FILM FREEWAY SUBMIT NOW SHORTS FILMS FRESH VENUE 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 2025 films in this programme Dir. Various | International | CFF18 BEST UK SHORTS VENUE The best Narrative and non-narrative films from professional filmmakers from the UK See all the 2025 films in this programme Dir. Various | Drama, Docs | CFF18 BEST OF THE WEST VENUE Celebrating the very best short films from across the South West made by professional filmmakers See all the 2025 films in this programme Dir. various | English | Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Animation | CFF18 BEST INTERNATIONAL VENUE Films from around the globe, screening at this years edition of Cornwall Film Festival See all the 2025 films in this programme § Dir. various | International | Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Docs, Animation | CFF18 BEST EXPERIMENTAL VENUE Experimental Films from around the globe, screening at this year's edition of Cornwall Film Festival See all the 2025 films in this programme Dir. various | Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Docs, Animation | CFF18 ENVIRONMENTAL VENUE Special Ocean Screening at the Cornwall Film Festival an evening of elemental cinema See all the 2025 films in this programme Dir Various | 2h | Regional, International | CFF15 2025 AWARDS Director's Pick of The Festival - MAGID / ZAFAR directed by Luís Hindman Best of The Festival - PILLION directed by Harry Lighton Best Feature- SMALL GODS directed by Asher Rosen Best Cinematography - JOE directed by Tom Brittney BEST SCREENWRITING - SPARE PART written by Ada Player & Bron Waugh Best Actress - RELIEFS - Actress: Luisa Huertas Best Ensemble Performance - THE SECRET ASSISTANTS directed by Katey Lee Carson Best Sound Production - OLEUM directed by VERSUS Best of The West - SPARE PART directed by Ada Player & Bron Waugh Best of The West Runner-Up- CIRCLE HOOK directed by Maddy Corner Best Cornish - BARE ROOTS directed by Ellen McDougall Best Cornish Runner-Up - POLL PRI (CLAY TIP) directed by Edward Rowe Best Uk - MAGID / ZAFAR directed by Luís Hindman Best Student - MUDDIED directed by Cordelia Angel Clarke Best Fresh - THE BEGINNING OF IDENTIFICATION, AND ITS END directed by Philipp Gufler Best Experimental - A POEM directed by Vasilios Papaioannu Best Animation - GARDENING directed by Sarah Beeby Queer On Screen Award - SOVIET FANTASIA directed by Penn Bálint Screenstar of Tomorrow - EGGS BENEDICT directed by Johnny White Screenstars of Tomorrow Runner-Up - SOUNDS OF OUR LIVES directed by Coco Potter Best Documentary - THE GUIDING LIGHT directed by Cristina Rodríguez Paz Best Environmental - ROCK POOL directed by Dan McKay New Wave Jury Winner - INHERITANCE directed by Anthony Misiano, Tyler A. Wallach New Wave Jury Honourable Mention - THE SECRET ASSISTANTS directed by Katey Lee Carson STORIES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD -

Updates about Mor Media and some of our media highlights and recs. 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 Festival Cornwall Film Festival 2024 Intersection 2025 Press Press Blog Merch Store Talks CFF 25 Industry Day 2026 FAQ's & Access titles Diary & Tickets Black Tide In Focus 2025 Selected films 2025 Enter Short Films QuckCut 90sec FEATURE FILMS THE ICE TOWER 22:00 | 22.11.24 | 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 Q&A with the director. BOOK TICKETS THE MASTERMIND 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY Josh O'Connor portrays a down-on-his-luck art thief in this smouldering heist drama. Dir. Kelly Reichardt | 2025 | 1h 50m | English | Crime | 12A BOOK TICKETS KONTINENTAL ’25 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY A bailiff confronts thorny ethical conflict in this sharp-witted satire from Film Festival favourite Radu Jude Dir. Radu Jude | 2025 | 1h 49m | Drama (with English subtitles) CFF18 BOOK TICKETS PILLION 22:00 | 22.11.24 | 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 | CFF18 BOOK TICKETS HERETIC 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY Hugh Grant stars as the diabolical Mr. Reed in a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home. Dir Scott Beck, Bryan Woods 1h 51m | Horror/Mystery | 2024 BOOK TICKETS HERETIC 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY Hugh Grant stars as the diabolical Mr. Reed in a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home.Hugh Grant stars as the diabolical Mr. Reed in a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home. Dir Scott Beck, Bryan Woods 1h 51m | Horror/Mystery | 2024 Film gala followed by Q&A with the director. BOOK TICKETS HERETIC 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY Hugh Grant stars as the diabolical Mr. Reed in a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home. Dir Scott Beck, Bryan Woods 1h 51m | Horror/Mystery | 2024 BOOK TICKETS HERETIC 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY Hugh Grant stars as the diabolical Mr. Reed in a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home. Dir Scott Beck, Bryan Woods 1h 51m | Horror/Mystery | 2024 BOOK TICKETS HERETIC 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY Hugh Grant stars as the diabolical Mr. Reed in a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home. Dir Scott Beck, Bryan Woods 1h 51m | Horror/Mystery | 2024 BOOK TICKETS HERETIC 22:00 | 22.11.24 | THE POLY Hugh Grant stars as the diabolical Mr. Reed in a horror tale of two young missionaries trapped in his sinister home. Dir Scott Beck, Bryan Woods 1h 51m | Horror/Mystery | 2024 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