About

In 1992, with funding from the local authority and other arts bodies, we saw a great expansion of our programme, including participatory workshops and the live music accompaniments to silent cinema which have featured in the programme ever since. Our first foray into this area of programming saw Will Gregory (now of Goldfrapp) and genius percussionist Tony Orrell (now of The Birdman of Alkijazz) devise a new score for the German Expressionist horror classic The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.

Bath-based filmmaker Ken Loach and musician Peter Gabriel became Patrons of the festival in 1993. Ken Loach has since frequently attended to introduce his latest film. In 1994 the festival settled down to occupy an October / November niche.

In 1997 we were registered as a non profit-distributing limited company and in May 2000 we were registered as a charitable organisation by the Charity Commission.

Conscious of the limitations of a once-a-year event, we began exploring ways of extending the festival's activities with an outreach programme. This was launched in September 2001, utilising portable equipment to take the cinema experience out to communities which have no immediate access to film. In 2004 as 'Project!' and in collaboration with MediaArt Bath and Suited + Booted Community Video, we applied successfully to the UK Film Council for funds to provide an integrated digital cinema facility, which has enabled us to greatly expand outreach and partnership working. We have since been instrumental in establishing new film societies in Keynsham and Thornbury. 

2003 saw our first venture into open-air cinema with our presentation, in partnership with the Holburne Museum, of Steven Spielberg's ET - The Extra-Terrestrial. 600 people turned up to enjoy the experience, picnicking on the lawn before the start of the film.We have since mounted many such events, some of them glorious celebrations of the English summer, others virtual wash-outs! This year we are experimenting with an open-air screening in November (the Weather Gods owe us at least one!).

We are now able to show films on a big screen in almost any environment and for just about any audience imaginable. In 20 years we have screened almost 1,000 films, most of which would never have made it to Bath were it not for the festival's work. Though we remain at heart a community oriented event, we still seek to establish Bath as an nationally recognised film festival.

Honorary President
Sir Christopher Frayling

Festival Patrons
Jim Broadbent, Peter Gabriel, Ken Loach, Amanda Nevill, Pawel Pawlikowski, Thelma Schoonmaker, Stephen Woolley

Festival Mentor Group
Ed Fletcher, Stephen Frears, Ken Loach, Simon Relph, Paul Weiland, Stephen Woolley

Trustees
Sophie Arden, Mary Burton, Barbara Carroll, Alastair Goolden, Mike Johnston, Andrew Morgan, Philip Raby

Chair of Trustees
Philip Raby

Programming
Chris Baker, Alastair Goolden, Mel Henry, Lorraine Hughes, Philip Raby, Terry Rodgers

Events Manager
Chris Baker

Co-ordinator, Marketing and Publicity
Holly Tarquini

Technical Manager
Alastair Goolden

Web Co-ordinator
Robin McHugh

Volunteer Managers
Elspeth Hinde, Ed Stevens 

Friends Co-ordinator
Fran Landsman

Intern
Kazia Berkley-Cramer

Advertising Co-ordinator
Emma Heatley-Adams

Brochure Design
TheGroupofSeven.co.uk

Brochure Copy 2011
Chris Baker, Alastair Goolden, Mel Henry, Philip Raby

Registered Office
2nd Floor, Abbey Chambers, Kingston Parade, Bath BA1 1LY
Tel / Fax: 01225 401149

Registered in the UK no. 3400371
Registered Charity no. 1080952