Cambridge Film Festival Brochure 2022

20 

27 

OCTOber 

OCTOber 

FILM 

Cambridgewww.camfilmfest.com 

FESTIVAL 2022 

ALCARRÀS

WELCOMe 

TO THE 41ST CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL 

When the curtain came down on the 40th edition in November of 

last year, our small Festival team set to work on bringing you the 

strongest and most vital film programme possible in 2022. 

Our first task was to combine new and existing CFF programmers and put together a 

Programming Panel able to bring you a collection of films that reflect our ever-changing world. 

Returning CFF curator Elle Haywood has taken up the position of Programming Panel Lead. 

She is joined by new Programmers Savina Petkova & Amon Warmann, alongside our Camera 

Catalonia Programmer Ramon Lamarca and new Submissions Coordinator & Short Films 

Programmer Abigail Pollock. In addition, the programming panel is supported by Isabelle 

McNeill and Mike O’Brien from the Cambridge Film Trust and freelance journalist, curator and 

video essayist Leigh Singer who have joined the team as Programme Advisors. 

The Cambridge Film Festival Team 

Now more than ever, cinema worldwide is a rich tapestry of diverse 

works, and a great film festival should reflect that. 

The films we have chosen this year are of the highest quality, 

encompass many genres and are crafted by both veteran directors 

you know and love and up-and-coming artists you will want to 

keep an eye on in future. 

There’s truly something for everyone here, and we hope that 

attendees make the most of the week and seek out all the great 

art on offer. 

Programming CFF has been a hugely collaborative project and a profound journey working 

as a new team of programmers. Across the year, we have been sharing our knowledge about 

different areas of cinema, attending film festivals and markets, and finding exceptional films to 

bring to Cambridge. 

We are proud to be a part of this new era for the festival, curating unique strands, revisiting 

beloved films and ensuring we present a range of voices from around the world. We also want 

to thank our volunteer submission reviewers for their dedication and contribution to the 

reviewing process. 

We have constructed a diverse and vibrant programme with you, the Cambridge audience, in 

mind, lovingly selecting the best of cinematic offerings, which we are incredibly excited to share 

with you. 

Programming and curation are about care, and building a temporary home that we can all 

share for the Festival’s duration is something we don’t take lightly. 

All the films you can see at the Festival have something to say to you personally - whether it’s 

with a shout, a jolt, or a delicate whisper - that cinema is always there for you. 

Welcome to the 41st Cambridge Film Festival. 

The Programming Panel 

#CFF41 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 3

SURPRISE FILM 

Monday 24th, 20:30 

4 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 

Cambridge Film Festival 2022 

Contents 

5 

6 

8 

11 

CFF 

15 

Are you ready to discover something new at the festival this 

year? From joyous cheers to discontented grumbles, the choice 

of CFF Surprise Film always causes a stir. This has been a 

festival tradition since 2001, so make sure to book your tickets 

early so you don’t miss out! 

Follow us at @camfilmfest and join in with the hashtag 

#CFFSurprise. 

OPENING 

& CLOSING FILMS 

GALA 

SCREENINGS 

international 

festival highlights 

FRIENDS 

& PATRONS 

connection 

12 & disconnection 

camerA 

14 catalonia 

IN DREAMS 

16 ARE MONSTERS 

schedule of films 

18 & BOOKING tickets 

short 

28 fusion 

YOUTH 

32 LAB 

20 RESILIENCE 

WILDLY 

22 WONDERFUL 

oustanding 

24 CONTRIBUTION award 

CFF industry 

26 day 

2021 Surprise film: Hit the Road 

CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL STAFF 

Festival Management Team 

Owen Baker, Esperanza Moreno Guerra 

& Cristina Roures 

Marketing Coordinator 

Hannah Hitchin 

Corporate Partnerships & PR Manager 

Becky Mann 

Youth Lab & Young People’s Jury Lead 

Abigail Pollock 

Programming Panel Lead 

Elle Haywood 

Programming Panel 

Ramon Lamarca, Savina Petkova 

& Amon Warmann 

Camera Catalonia Programmer 

Ramon Lamarca 

Programme AdvisorS 

Isabelle McNeill, Mike O’Brien & Leigh Singer 

Short Films Programmer 

& Submissions Coordinator 

Abigail Pollock 

Brochure Editor & Coordinator 

Rhea Finnie 

Brochure Designer 

Dan Taylor 

Friends & Patrons 

Marie Palmer 

Projectionists & Technical Team 

George Agnew, Laurence Anderson, 

Tom Brooks & Hitomi Shinozaki 

Photographers 

Jean-Luc Benazet & David Riley 

Festival assistants 

Camilla Bertoldo, Lauren Powell, 

Maria Perez Martinez & Stuart Wren 

Festival Interns 

Isabel Fane, Zara Saunders 

& Zeynep Salerno 

TAKE ONE FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 

Editor-in-Chief 

Jim Ross 

Editor-AT-LARGE 

Rosy Hunt 

CAMBRIDGE FILM TRUST 

Isabelle McNeill, Simon Jones, Tony Jones, 

Jenny Nelson, Mike O’Brien & Matthew Webb 

ARTS PICTUREHOUSE 

General Manager 

Lorcan O’Neill 

Assistant General Manager 

Victoria Ayre 

Duty Managers 

Pėter Horvath, Thierry Preston 

& Sharna Suggitt 

PICTUREHOUSE CINEMAS 

Clare Binns, Keith Gehlert, Carol McKay 

& Madeleine Mullet 

Plus all the amazing volunteers, venue 

staff and all the hard-working film 

submissions reviewers. 

OPENING FILM 

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN CFF 

15 

Ireland, UK & USA 2022 109 mins 

DIRECTOR Martin McDonagh 

WITH Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan 

THU 

20 

20:30 

Set on the small Irish island of Inisherin in 1923, Martin McDonagh’s latest film asks a simple question: what happens when your 

best friend decides he wants to break up with you? That’s the dilemma facing Pádraic (Colin Farrell), who is left confused and 

heartbroken when Colm (Brendan Gleeson) suddenly announces that he no longer likes his ex-friend and doesn’t want to see 

or talk to him anymore. What follows is by turn darkly funny and deeply empathetic, as their friendship erodes in increasingly 

absurd and brutal ways. Winner of Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, Farrell is especially good as the earnest Pádraic, and 

Kerry Condon is the stealth MVP of the piece as his wiser older sister Siobhán. Add a tender score by Carter Burwell and some 

stunning cinematography by Ben Davis, and you have a McDonagh film you’ll want to befriend at the earliest opportunity. 

PRINT SOURCE Searchlight Pictures 

CLOSING FILM 

THE SILENT TWINS CFF 

15 

UK, Poland & USA 2022 113 mins 

DIRECTOR Agnieszka Smoczyńska 

WITH Letitia Wright, Tamara Lawrance, Jodhi May, Michael Smiley, Jack Bandeira 

This is an often shouldershudderingly 

funny film, 

whose comic dialogue is 

dazzlingly designed and 

performed. 

ROBBIE COLLIN 

THE TELEGRAPH 

Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s (The Lure) English-language debut is a wildly imaginative ride. Based on the 

eponymous bestseller by journalist Marjorie Wallace, The Silent Twins adapts the story of authors June and Jennifer 

Gibbons who, from an early age, refused to communicate with anyone but each other. Between the harsh reality of being 

the only black family in town and the turbulence of teenhood, the sisters – played by Letitia Wright (Black Panther) and 

Tamara Lawrance (Small Axe) – deem separation impossible. Elevating their moments of togetherness, the film treats 

us to neon galore, musical-style interludes, and even puppet animation inspired by the sisters’ diaries and poems. 

GUY LODGE 

A hard‐hitting feast for the senses. 

VARIETY 

print source Universal Pictures 

#CFF41 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 5 

FRI 

21 

18:20 

THU 

27 

20:30 

In Smoczyńska’s curious, 

careering, unshakeable wallop 

of a film, no touch is lightly 

felt, and no hard-fought word 

taken for granted.

GALA 

SCREENINGS 

OPENING 

GALA FILM 

AFTERSUN 

CFF 

15 

United Kingdom & United States 2022 102 mins 

DIRECTOR Charlotte Wells 

WITH Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, Celia Rowlson-Hall 

How do you remember your father? When a young woman looks back at the VHS tapes of the 

last holiday she took with her dad Calum (Paul Mescal), the murky corners of memory suddenly 

light up, thanks to the art of filmmaking. Eleven-year-old Soph (Frankie Corio) is curious and 

valiant, a match for Calum’s taciturn gloom, amidst a seemingly endless summer somewhere in 

Turkey. Charlotte Wells delivers her first feature wrapped in a melancholic glow, as Aftersun is a 

film on the cusp of crisp light in shadowplay and sticky reminiscence. 

print source MUBI 

In a masterful feature debut, 

Scottish director Charlotte 

Wells creates a compelling 

study of how fundamentally 

unknowable our loved 

ones are. 

JENNA MAHALE 

i-D 

FRI 

21 

20:30 

TUE 

25 

18:00 

ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED 

USA 2022 117 MINS 

DIRECTOR Laura Poitras 

WITH Nan Goldin 

You may know Nan Goldin as a stellar name in the canon of contemporary American 

photography – and that she is – but Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras 

(CitizenFour) invites you on an emotional journey through the artist’s life, as narrated by herself. 

Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is always 

guided by Goldin’s voice, unflinching and honest, paired with snapshots and slideshows, such 

as her most famous Nan Goldin: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency and never-before-seen footage 

of the activist group she founded with the aim to confront the Sackler family for funding and 

fuelling the opioid crisis. 

Laura Poitras levels up with a devastating work of shocking intelligence and still greater 

emotional power. 

SOPHIE MONKS KAUFMAN, INDIEWIRE 

PRINT SOURCE 

Altitude Films 

SUN 

23 

20:35 

CFF 

15 

WED 

26 

15:55 

BLUE JEAN 

UK 2022 135 mins 

CFF 

15 

DIRECTOR Georgia Oakley 

WITH Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes, Lydia Page, 

Stacy Abalogun 

WED 

26 

20:30 

THU 

27 

20:25 

Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean takes us to Tyneside in 1980s, as 

the Section 28 bill is passed by Thatcher’s government, which 

instructs schools not to promote homosexuality. Lesbian 

Physical Education teacher Jean (Rosy McEwen) spends her 

time between work at the local school, and evenings at the 

gay club with her mates and girlfriend Viv (Kerrie Hayes). The 

film shifts between the liberal atmosphere of the bar, and 

the claustrophobia of the classroom, where the curiosity of 

students threatens to reveal Jean’s hidden sexuality. 

PRINT SOURCE Altitude Films 

Start off your Cambridge Film 

Festival week in style, with the 

glamour of our Gala screenings! 

Featuring noteworthy performances from 

Vicky Krieps, Paul Mescal, Jim Gaffigan 

and Rosy McEwen, catch these exclusive 

previews before anyone else, and embrace 

the magic of the big screen experience 

once again. 

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS 

Sweden, Germany, France & Denmark 2022 147 Mins 

DIRECTOR Ruben Östlund 

WITH Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Dolly De Leon, Zlatko Burić, Woody Harrelson 

Ruben Östlund delivers his second Palme d’Or-winning film only five years after the devastating 

satire The Square. With Triangle of Sadness, he turns to other creative industries: fashion and 

advertising. A successful catwalk audition results in an invitation for a trip aboard a luxury 

yacht and hilarity ensues as disaster befalls its super rich passengers. Hoping to sail away 

from their mundane relationship troubles Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) 

board a luxurious cruise with their social media capital and tempered hysterics. Östlund never 

shies away from social criticism but he cares enough about people to ensure his audiences 

have a jolly good time. Triangle of Sadness is no exception to the rule: here, we have Woody 

Harrelson as a captain who is fond of a tipple, Nutella being helicoptered in on board and 

golden toilet bowls. 

print source Curzon Film 

CFF 

15 

SAT 

22 

20:30 

TUE 

25 

20:25 

CORSAGE 

6 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 camfilmfest.com #CFF41 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 7 

CFF 

15 

Austria, France, Luxembourg & Germany 2022 112 mins 

French, German, English and Hungarian with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Marie Kreutzer 

WITH Vicky Krieps, Florian Teichtmeister, Katharina Lorenz, Colin Morgan 

MON 

24 

20:25 

Carrying the elegance and wit from her role in Phantom Thread, Vicky Krieps returns as 

the rebellious Empress Elizabeth ‘Sisi’ of Austria in Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage. Set in 1877, 

Elizabeth is adored and admired for her sartorial elegance and beauty. However, she is 

about to turn 40 and the pressure to present as eternally youthful is mounting. Not one to 

bow to orders, she stirs up gossip and scandal throughout the court, taking trips abroad 

away from her loveless marriage and spending many long hours visiting the women at 

the local asylum. Kriep’s phenomenal portrayal of Sisi captures the determination of the 

Empress that made her so iconic and was awarded the Best Performance in this year’s 

Un Certain Regard competition at the Cannes Film Festival. If you enjoyed the daring and 

delightful dramas of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Favourite, 

this is not a film to miss! 

print source Picturehouse Entertainment 

WED 

26 

18:15 

LINOLEUM 

CFF 

12A 

TUE 

25 

20:35 

USA 2022 101 MINS 

DIRECTOR Colin West 

WITH Jim Gaffigan, Rhea Seehorn, Katelyn Nacon 

THU 

27 

18:25 

Colin West’s follow-up to his ghostly Double Walker takes you 

on an existential trip where questions count more than the 

answers you can be given. Jim Gaffigan (Tesla) and Rhea 

Seehorn (Better Call Saul) lead the film as a couple on the 

brink of divorce when something extraordinary happens. 

A bizarre series of events intervene and change their life 

overnight, and what a life that is! Linoleum is a black comedy 

concerned with the big stuff – ageing, regret, and how to 

face yourself in the darkest pits of despair with a sprinkle of 

humorous acceptance. 

print source Blue Fox Entertainment

INTERNATIONAL 

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS 

UK 

P R E M I E R E 

LITTLE NICHOLAS, HAPPY AS CAN BE 

LE PETIT NICOLAS: QU’EST-CE QU’ON ATTEND POUR ÊTRE HEUREUX? 

France & Luxembourg 2022 80 mins 

French with English subtitles 

DIRECTORS Amandine Fredon & Benjamin Massoubre 

WITH Alain Chabat, Laurent Lafitte, Simon Faliu 

Immersing its audience in the playful delights of creativity, Little Nicholas, Happy As Can Be, brings to life one of 

the most iconic figures of French children’s literature, against a nostalgic backdrop of 1950s France. Winner of the 

Cristal Award for a Feature Film at the Annecy Festival, the film tells the story of the invention of cheeky schoolboy 

Nicholas and his classmates by writer René Goscinny and cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé. As their friendship and 

collaboration develop, the boundaries between their lives and their stories’ imaginary world are blurred. We watch 

each sketch take form, transporting us into Nicholas’s adventures. For fans of the original stories, the film perfectly 

captures their humorous atmosphere, cleverly translating Sempé’s drawings into animation. For those discovering 

the characters for the first time, this is the perfect introduction to their offbeat appeal and the chance to spend time 

with both creators and creations in a watercolour version of New Wave Paris. 

PRINT SOURCE 

Charades 

CFF 

U 

SAT 

22 

18:10 

SUN 

23 

10:45 

BOY FROM HEAVEN 

Sweden, France & Finland 2022 125 mins 

Arabic with English subtitles 

CFF 

15 

DIRECTOR Tarik Saleh 

WITH Tawfeek Barhom, Fares Fares, Mehdi Dehbi 

Director Talek Saleh takes us on a riveting journey in his latest 

thriller set in Cairo. From a rural village, fisherman’s son 

Adam (Tawfeek Barhom) is invited to study at the prestigious 

Al-Azhar University, a renowned institution for Sunni Muslims. 

Despite trying to keep focused on his work, the death of the 

university’s Grand Imam and murder of another student, 

drags Adam into a fight for power between the various 

student groups and institute’s leaders, fuelled by government 

interference. The young man unwittingly becomes a spy for 

agent Colonel Ibrahim (Fares Fares) and must navigate the 

moral dilemmas thrown at him and how he feels about his 

faith, in an effort to survive the crossfire. 

PRINT SOURCE Picturehouse Entertainment 

UK 


SAT 

22 

18:00 

THU 

27 

20:45 

CLOSE 

CFF 

15 

Belgium, Netherlands & France 2022 104 Mins 

Dutch, French and Flemish with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Lukas Dhont 

WITH Eden Dambrine, Gustav De Waele, Émilie Dequenne, Léa Drucker 

SUN 

23 

14:00 

TUE 

25 

15:55 

Flemish director Lukas Dhont scooped the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 with his 

heartrending follow-up to his 2018 debut Girl (which won the Caméra d’Or and the Queer Palm). 

Close follows in this promising trajectory for a filmmaker so indebted to exploring the sore 

depths of tenderness. With the new school year starting, pre-teen boys Léo (Eden Dambrine) and 

Rémy (Gustav De Waele) are forced to emotionally reconfigure their closeness under the gaze of 

others. Surveilled and questioned, the two navigate the path towards growing up and growing 

apart with eye-watering impulsivity, as they learn how to articulate a growing feeling. 

PRINT SOURCE MUBI 

Programmed from film festivals 

around the globe including Cannes, 

Sundance, Annecy and the Berlinale, 

don’t miss some of the most exceptional, 

award-winning films from the circuit 

this year. This strand showcases political 

thrillers, heartwarming animations and 

breathtaking dramas, including Lola 

Quivoron’s fiery debut, Lukas Dhont’s 

moving sophomore film and Tarik Saleh’s 

latest gripping feature. 

Check out page 14 for details on our screening of Berlin’s 

Golden Bear Winner Alcarràs, presented as part of our 

Camera Catalonia strand. 

RETURN TO DUST 

隐入尘烟 , YIN RU CHEN YAN 

CHINA 2022 133 mins 

Chinese with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Li Ruijun 

WITH Wu Renlin, Hai Qing 

CFF 

15 

Having reached middle age still single, farmer Ma Youtie (Wu Renlin) and Cao 

Guiying (Hai Qing) must agree to an arranged marriage by their families, in this 

tender story of companionship, shot in the Gansu province of China. Traditional 

farming is a brutal practice, as the pair spend long hours working the land, with 

Ma caring for Cao, who is disabled and suffers with incontinence, and in turn, 

Cao standing up for her husband when he is exploited by the locals. For his sixth 

film, director Li Ruijun explores the impact of urbanisation in rural communites, 

while observing the bond between two lonely people. 

PRINT SOURCE Modern Films 

SAT 

22 

20:10 

WED 

26 

20:40 

A COMPASSIONATE SPY 

UK & USA 2022 101 MINS 

NEPTUNE FROST 


CFF 

12A 

DIRECTOR Steve James 

WITH Ted Hall, Joan Hall, Ruth London, Sarah Hall, 

Sarah Sax, Boria Sax 

In 1944, 18-year-old Harvard undergraduate Ted Hall was 

hired to work on the Manhatttan Project, in a race to create 

a nuclear bomb before Germany did. Concerned about the 

threat the weapon held, the young physicist made the decision 

to secretly pass on information about it’s construction to the 

Soviet Union. This documentary, featuring archival footage 

and new inteviews, explores the impact of Hall’s decision, 

including his marriage to fellow student Joan, who kept his 

secret across their 50-year marriage, while enduring FBI 

surveillance and intimidation. This is a rare insight into a reallife 

spy story. 

PRINT SOURCE Autlook Filmsales 

SAT 

22 

15:05 

WED 

26 

13:40 

CFF 

15 

TUE 

25 

18:15 

Rwanda & USA 2021 109 MINS 

Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Swahili, French and English with 

English subtitles 

THU 

27 

16:15 

DIRECTORS Saul Williams & Anisia Uzeyman 

WITH Cheryl Isheja, Bertrand Ninteretse, Eliane Umuhire 

Sci-fi films are a dime a dozen and musicals have long been 

a cinema mainstay. Neptune Frost is the rare movie that’s 

both, with a hefty helping of Afro-futurism for good measure. 

Co-directed by Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman, its focus is 

on an intersex African hacker and a coltan miner who attempt 

to overthrow a regime that’s bent on exploiting the region’s 

natural resources and its people. With gorgeous, eye-popping 

cinematography, stunning costuming, and catchy music that 

unveils itself organically throughout the narrative, Neptune 

Frost is bursting with creativity and imagination from its very 

first frame that’s impossible to deny. 

print source Anti-Worlds Releasing

INTERNATIONAL 

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS 

RODEO 

CFF 

15 

RODÉO 

France 2022 105 Mins 


DIRECTOR Lola Quivoron 

WITH Julie Ledru, Yannis Lafki, Antonia Buresi 

Rodeo is an electric feature debut from newcomer Lola 

Quivoron. In this French dirt-rider drama lone wolf Julia (Julie 

Ledru) takes off from her hostile housing estate and winds up 

in the midst of an all-male motocross ‘rodeo’ meet. Determined 

to join this wild bunch, a few sympathetic guys teach her some 

tricks and bring her into the group, yet she is unaware of the 

illegal underground operations the crew runs. The world of 

misfit bikers is vibrant and volatile, with Quivoron focusing on 

the pressures of social inequality and Julia’s perseverance to 

prove herself in a masculine-dominated urban community. 

This is a feisty coming-of-age story that weaves in mystery 

and crime, led by a headstrong protagonist and plenty of 

fiery action-packed heists and stunts. 

print source Curzon Film 

MORE THAN EVER 

CFF 

15 

MON 

24 

18:20 

TUE 

25 

18:10 

PLUS QUE JAMAIS 

France, Germany, Luxembourg & Norway 2022 123 Mins 

French, English & Norwegian with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Emily Atef 

WITH Vicky Krieps, Gaspard Ulliel, Bjørn Floberg 

TUE 

25 

16:05 

THU 

27 

18:20 

What do the dying owe the living, and vice versa? This question 

is explored through the story of Hélène and Mathieu, a couple 

with a loving bond who must confront Hélène’s life-threatening 

illness. Feeling constrained by Mathieu’s expectations, Hélène 

makes a journey to a remote Norwegian fjord, offering her 

new perspectives. Somehow both intimate and elusive, 

Vicky Krieps’ performance is quietly extraordinary, while the 

late Gaspard Ulliel is poignantly brilliant as the struggling 

husband. Taking us, with Hélène, out of expected medical 

surroundings into contact with nature, the film opens a space 

for new conversations about death, and life. 

PRINT SOURCE Modern Films 

ARMAGEDDON TIME 

United States & Brazil 2022 115 Mins 

SICK OF MYSELF 

SYK PIKE 

Norway & Sweden 2022 95 mins 

Norwegian with English subtitles 

CFF 

15 

DIRECTOR Kristoffer Borgli 

WITH Kristine Kujath Thorp, Eirik Sæther 

SUN 

23 

18:25 

CFF 

15 

DIRECTOR James Gray 

WITH Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong, Anthony Hopkins, 

Banks Repeta, Jessica Chastain 

Writer/director James Gray is a little more earthbound for 

his follow up to Ad Astra, but Armageddon Time is no less 

immersive. Because this isn’t a sequel to Michael Bay’s 1998 

disaster film Armageddon, but a partially autobiographical 

coming-of-age tale that focuses on a Jewish family growing 

up in the 1980s. It’s got a lot on its mind – themes of family, 

friendship, and the pursuit of the American Dream are all 

satisfyingly explored – and with the likes of Anthony Hopkins, 

Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, and Jeremy Strong, an 

enviable cast to make that journey all the more moving. 

print source Universal Pictures 

FRI 

21 

18:10 

WED 

26 

18:10 

SUN 

23 

16:05 

Twenty-something Signe (Kristine Kujath Thorp, Ninjababy) 

is anything but careful with her wishes and is dead set on 

outperforming her boyfriend Thomas, whose (con)artistic 

career is taking off. In his feature fiction debut, Kristoffer Borgli 

holds nothing back as we follow Signe all the way down her 

rabbit hole, including the dreams, fears and anxious interludes 

of an always online millenial. The film is both brutally funny 

and funnily brutal. Also, keep your eyes peeled for an Anders 

Danielsen Lie (The Worst Person in the World) cameo. Indeed, 

Sick of Myself might be the Norwegian film of the year. 

print source Modern Films 

BECOME OUR FRIEND 

(OR A PATRON!) 

By becoming a Friend of the 

Cambridge Film Festival, you 

support not only the UK’s third 

longest-running film festival but 

also a year-round programme 

of activity and events bringing 

the best British and independent 

international cinema to 

Cambridge and the South 

East region. 

Becoming a Friend of CFF costs £50 per year. All friends 

receive regular friend emails, advanced notifications of 

upcoming festival events, and invitations to special events. 

CFF Friends also get access to discounts with a range of 

Festival partners, including BFI Player & BFI Southbank, 

and several independent Cambridge businesses! 

And, of course, a special Friend of the Festival lanyard 

AND a Film Festival memento! 

Find out more at 

cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/support-us 


or email 

joinus@cambridgefilmtrust.org.uk 

Cambridge 

FILM FESTIVAL

Connection 

& disconnection 

UK 


BEAUTIFUL BEINGS 

BERDREYMI 

Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands & Czech Republic 2022 123 mins 

Icelandic with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson 

WITH Birgir Dagur Bjarkason, Áskell Einar Pálmason, Viktor Benóný Benediktsson 

CFF 

15 

This stunning coming-of-age story from Iceland has a freshness and immediacy that delivers 

an unforgettable cinematic experience. Beautiful Beings takes us away from the familiar rural 

settings of many Icelandic films into the city and the experiences of a group of four teenage boys. 

Coming from often dysfunctional homes, they forge friendships marked by banter and bravado. 

The film doesn’t flinch from the raw brutality they face and instigate, but it also has surprising 

moments of tenderness. Brilliant, nuanced performances from the young leads and beautiful 

photography, which provides a poetic sensibility, make this a powerful, unmissable film. 

print source New Europe Film Sales 

FRI 

21 

18:05 

Beautiful Beings brings up the 

questions: What is true 

friendship? Can boys who 

seem like bad influences 

still be good friends? And 

finally, how do you find your 

own path? What is the 

importance of listening to 

one’s intuition? 

GUÐMUNDUR ARNAR 

GUÐMUNDSSON 

WED 

26 

15:45 

FATHER’S DAY 

CFF 

15 

Rwanda 2022 111 Mins 

Kinyarwanda with English subtitles 

SUN 

23 

12:30 

DIRECTOR Kivu Ruhorahoza 

WITH Mediatrice Kayitesi, Aline Amike, Cedric Ishimwe, 

Yves Kijyana, André Musagara 

TUE 

25 

14:00 

Father’s Day, the fourth feature film from Rwandan director Kivu 

Ruhorahoza, is divided into three storylines. In one, struggling 

masseuse Zaninka (Médiatrice Kayitesi) grieves the loss of 

her son and distances herself from her husband; in another, 

small-time thief Karara (Yves Kijyana) drags his son into his 

life of crime; and one more story focuses on Mukobwa (Aline 

Amike), who grapples with whether or not to be an organ donor 

for her murderous father, who she’s never loved. The theme of 

paternity and its power runs through each of the narratives, as 

clever connections between characters are revealed. 

PRINT SOURCE IYUGI Productions 

IN BALANCHINE’S CLASSROOM 

USA 2021 88 MINS 

DIRECTOR Connie Hochman 

WITH George Balanchine, Edward Villella, Jacques d’Amboise, Merrill Ashley, Heather Watts 

Documentary filmmaker and ex-professional ballerina Connie Hochman spins us into the world 

of George Balanchine, one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th Century, during his 

days at the New York City Ballet company. He was a teacher with many disciples, who eagerly 

followed his teachings, but also had to adjust to his unorthodox methods, intense presence, and 

keep up with a man who pushed the limits of dance. The footage of Balanchine watching over 

his classes feels almost ethereal, his grunts and gestures demanding the direction of movement 

with little explanation. 

Former ballet dancers grasp at words to describe the genius of George Balanchine in this 

charming documentary. 

TEO BUGBEE THE NEW YORK TIMES 

PRINT SOURCE 

The Film Sales Company 

CFF 

12A 

FRI 

21 

16:35 

SUN 

23 

12:15 

UK 


UK 


As the ebb and flow of society 

changes, these films capture the 

fluxuation of time and memory, 

as we seek out new relationships, 

heal past wounds and set out on our 

own journeys. This strand includes 

a coming-of-age tale from Iceland, 

stories of patriarchy and loss from 

Rwanda, a pregnancy dilemma from 

the United States and an almostmurder 

mystery from Slovenia. 

CHERRY 

CFF 

12A 

USA 2022 76 Mins 

DIRECTOR Sophie Galibert 

WITH Alex Trewhitt, Dan Schultz, Joe Sachem, Alice Bang 

FRI 

21 

14:55 

SAT 

22 

16:15 

THU 

27 

16:25 

When 25-year-old Cherry discovers she is 10 weeks pregnant, she has a few urgent decisions 

to make. Drifting between her job at the costume shop, rollerblading dance team, semiserious 

boyfriend and still living with her parents, the young protagonist is caught between a 

curiosity for motherhood and a desire to follow her unfulfilled dreams. Inspired by the likes of 

Agnès Varda, Noah Baumbach and Andrea Arnold, Sophie Galibert’s debut feature is a bold, 

bright love letter to not quite having life figured out yet and is a reminder of the rights and 

empowerment women deserve over their bodies. 

print source Cherry Film LLC 

INVENTORY 

KLOKKENLUIDER 


CFF 

15 

INVENTURA 

SOLVENIA 2022 106 MINS 

Slovenian with English subtitles 

FRI 

21 

12:45 

DIRECTOR Darko Sinko 

WITH Radoš Bolčina, Mirel Knez, Dejan Spasić 

SAT 

22 

11:15 

SUN 

23 

20:20 

Boris Robič (Radoš Bolčina) is an ordinary man, with a good 

job, nice family and simple life. Or so he thought, until someone 

tries to shoot him in his own home. As the police conduct their 

investigation, friends, colleagues and neighbours begin to 

gossip and ask nosy questions, adamant that Boris is hiding 

something or up to no good. Plagued by paranoia, Boris tries to 

keep it together, but who can you trust when suddenly everyone 

you know is a suspect? This slick Slovenian psychological 

drama is an amusing slow burn, with unsuspecting twists and 

turns, and a host of curious characters. 

PRINT SOURCE December 

CFF 

15 

UK 2022 85 MINS 

DIRECTOR Neil Maskell 

WITH Amit Shah, Tom Burke, Jenna Coleman 

SAT 

22 

20:05 

MON 

24 

18:25 

One government whistle-blower, his slightly panicked partner, 

two bumbling bodyguards, and a no-nonsense journalist, 

all sent to a remote Belgian cottage - what on earth is going 

on? Actor-turned-director Neil Maskell, plunges us into this 

strange scenario of high-stakes secrets, with a healthy side of 

humorous British awkwardness, as a group of very different 

individuals are forced to endure each other’s company in an 

overly extravagant house, while occasionally watching armed 

tanks go by. Klokkenluider’s stellar cast includes Amit Shah, 

Tom Burke and Jenna Coleman, who embrace this bizarre 

yet gripping story, which takes some very unexpected twists 

and turns. 

PRINT SOURCE MarVista/Endeavor

Camera 

catalonia 

ALCARRÀS 

CFF 

15 

Spain, Italy 2022 120 mins 

Catalan and Spanish with English subtitles 

SUN 

23 

18:00 

DIRECTOR Carla Simón 

WITH Jordi Pujol Dolcet, Anna Otín, Xènia Roset, Albert Bosch, Ainet Jounou, Josep Abad 

MON 

24 

15:20 

We are very proud to programme this year’s Golden Bear Winner, which confirms director Carla 

Simón as one of the most talented and interesting new young directors to come from Catalonia. 

Alcarràs is an affectionate and realistic portrayal of rural life in Catalonia. The impending 

eviction of a family from the land they have worked on for many decades is the trigger of 

conflicting emotions amongst the several family members. Simón is not so much interested in 

traditional narrative, as providing a naturalistic view of reality through the eyes of the different 

characters and how each of them live and feel the threat to their livelihood (peach farming). The 

meticulous casting of non-professional actors is fundamental in achieving a real and truthful 

portrayal, and the warm photography captures the beauty of the farmland and the emotions in 

the faces of the extended family, young and old. 


UK 


MEN’S COOKING 

CFF 

PG 

LA CUINA DELS HOMES 

SPAIN 2022 93 MINS 


DIRECTOR Sílvia Subirós 

SUN 

23 

18:20 

THU 

27 

14:45 

Although kitchens have always been a domestic territory 

typically associated with women, the professional culinary 

world has been mostly dominated by men. Using the example 

from her own family of famous chefs, Sílvia Subirós reflects on 

patriarchal society and the pernicious influence of Franco’s 

dictatorship in women’s rights. Subirós combines old 8mmfilmed 

family footage with other family objects and memories 

to reflect on family relationships, Catalan gastronomy, and 

the unfairness of patriarchal societies, which render women 

invisible. The director’s detailed and moving examination of 

the filmed snippets of the grandparents she never met are a 

true example of the power of cinema. 

PRINT SOURCE Cornelius Films 

PACIFICTION 

CFF 

15 

France, Spain, Germany & Portugal 2022 162 MINS 


DIRECTOR Albert Serra 

WITH Benoît Magimel, Sergi López, Cécile Guilbert, Pahoa Mahagafanau 

MON 

24 

20:15 

THU 

27 

11:05 

On the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, The High Commissioner of the Republic is an astute 

diplomat with perfect manners and oratory. A rumour suggests that French nuclear tests are 

resuming on the island and this threatens social stability. Catalan maverick filmmaker Albert 

Serra has directed what is considered to be his most accessible film to date. However, under 

what appears to be a political thriller (or anti-thriller as Serra prefers to call it) lies a hypnotic 

dissection of European political decadence and the dreadful legacy of colonialism. The 

eroticism of both political power and sex lure humans into their realms, which at times become 

difficult to distinguish in this subversive and captivating cinematic proposal. 

PRINT SOURCE New Wave Films 

UK 


UK 


We are proud to present this year’s 

Golden Bear winner, Alcarràs. Five 

other films complete our assortment of 

Catalan cinema, including internationally 

renowned director Albert Serra’s last 

film; a fresh Mediterranean comedy; a 

compelling film about the Syrian war from 

the female perspective; and a little known 

episode of the Second World War set in the 

Pyrenees. 

Supported by 

THE BURNING COLD 

CFF 

18 

EL FRED QUE CREMA 

Spain & ANDORRA 2022 117 Mins 

Catalan, Spanish and German with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Santi Trullenque 

WITH Greta Fernandez, Roger Casamajor, Daniel Horvath 

SAT 

22 

13:35 

TUE 

25 

13:35 

This film covers a little-known aspect of World War II and the Jewish Diaspora - the escape of 

Jews through Andorra, a small country in the Pyrenees, whose only official language is Catalan. 

When a Jewish family has to find shelter in a village, tensions arise amongst the villagers, some 

of them also fighting for survival in very harsh conditions. This is Santi Trullenque’s first film 

and he has acknowledged taking inspiration from Werner Herzog in terms of the role forces of 

nature play in the film and the difficulties of the shoot itself, in the harsh winter of snowy and 

breathtaking Andorra. 

PRINT SOURCE Filmax 

WE WON’T KILL EACH OTHER WITH GUNS 

NOSALTRES NO ENS MATAREM AMB PISTOLES 

SPAIN 2022 85 mins 


DIRECTOR Maria Ripoll 

WITH Ingrid García Jonsson, Joe Manjon, Elena Martín, Lorena López, Carlos Troya 

Five good friends, who have not seen each other for quite a while, reunite in the village where 

they grew up. What starts as just a friendly paella lunch catch up, develops into an opportunity 

to air unresolved matters and personal frustrations, which explode in a cathartic party at night. 

This film, like the paella, contains many ingredients - some are those we expect to find in ‘friends 

reunion’ films, with comedy and drama, but there are added Mediterranean spices in the 

heightened emotions and the rawness of some of the confrontations. Maria Ripoll, whose film 

Traces of Sandalwood we programmed some years ago, shows a very good command of comedic 

timing with many hilarious scenes throughout the film. 



SINJAR 

CFF 

18 

FRI 

21 

11:30 

Iraq, Turkey & Spain 2022 127 Mins 

Arabic, Catalan, Kurdish and Spanish with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Anna M. Bofarull 

WITH Nora Navas, Halima Ilter, Eman Eido, Guim Puig 

WED 

26 

18:00 

The Syrian war is the background to the separate stories of 

three women affected by it in different and painful ways. 

During the ISIS invasion of Sinjar, Hadia (Halima Ilter) is 

enslaved and held captive with her children; another young 

woman escapes and joins the resistance as a fighter; and in 

Barcelona, Carlota (Nora Navas) searches for her disappeared 

son. These stories are told from a female perspective and 

writer/director Anna Bofarull achieves a sense of natural 

realism by filming in real locations in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the 

poignant fact that one of the actresses was abducted by the 

Islamic State as a young girl. 


FRI 

21 

16:25 

SUN 

23 

10:45 

CFF 

18

THE LURE 

CFF 

15 

Poland 2015 92 MINS 

Polish with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Agnieszka Smoczyńska 

WITH Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska, Kinga Preis 

You better believe it – this is the only Polish mermaid horror musical in film history! In a daring debut, director Agnieszka 

Smozcyńska presents us with Silver (Marta Mazurek) and Golden (Michalina Olszanska) – two mermaid sisters who end up on 

the river bank in Warsaw, sometime in the late 1980s. Through their eyes, we witness a lavish (but also hellish) underground 

cabaret, where they become the new main attraction. Yes, one of them falls in love with a boy. Yes, she wants to lose the tail 

and become human for him. The Lure is The Little Mermaid as you’ve never seen her before. 

PRINT SOURCE Park Circus 

SAT 

22 

18:15 

JENNIFER’S BODY 15 

USA 2009 102 mins 

DIRECTOR Karyn Kusama 

WITH Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody 

FRI 

21 

16:00 

A perfect movie for Halloween, Jennifer’s Body tells the story 

of Needy (Amanda Seyfried), whose best friend, popular 

cheerleader Jennifer (Megan Fox), starts behaving very 

oddly after a violent encounter with a local band on a night 

out. Events quickly take an horrific turn, can Needy stop 

Jennifer in time? Incorrectly marketed upon its release, in 

recent years Jennifer’s Body has undergone a major critical 

re-evaluation and is now considered a significant addition 

to the modern feminist cinematic canon. Led by strong 

performaces from Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox, enjoy 

Diablo Cody’s darkly comic story this spooky season. 

print source Filmbankmedia 

Jennifer’s Body was always 

good, and everyone just now is 

starting to get on its level. 

CONSTANCE GRADY 

VOX 

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN 15 

LÅT DEN RÄTTE KOMMA IN 

Sweden 2008 114 mins 

Swedish with English subtitles 

WED 

26 

20:50 

DIRECTOR Tomas Alfredson 

WITH Lina Leandersson, Kåre Hedebrant, Per Ragnar 

If you’re expecting a standard vampire film, you’re in for a 

wonderful surprise, as this is so much more. It will take your 

breath away. In a cold Stockholm suburb where strange 

and frightening things are happening, a young boy falls in 

love with his new neighbour’s daughter. She just happens 

to be a vampire. And so unfolds a tale of friendship and 

revenge, both heartbreakingly poignant and casually 

brutal. With gorgeous cinematography and standout 

performances, this is quite simply a modern masterpiece. 

print source EOne 

Consider your late nights taken care of, your 

nightmares soothed. With these cult classics 

and fresh blood contemporary offerings, 

we invite you to embrace the monstrous 

within. In the search for non-conforming 

identities, these profoundly bold films 

explore alternative ways of thinking of 

our human bodies – beastly, supernatural, 

bloody, vampiric – but always embraced 

and accepted. 

DONNIE DARKO 15 

USA 2001 113 mins 

FRI 

21 

20:05 

DIRECTOR Richard Kelly 

WITH Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, 

James Duval 

Time bends in 1980s suburban America in Richard Kelly’s 

thought-provoking cult classic, where metaphysics 

blends with teen alienation. Donnie Darko (played by Jake 

Gyllenhaal in his star-making role) wakes up on the local 

golf course after a night of sleepwalking. He returns home to 

find he has escaped death as his bedroom has been crushed 

by the engine of an aeroplane in an unlikely aviation 

accident. Over the next few weeks life spirals out of control 

as he embarks on a crime spree encouraged by repeated 

hallucinations of Frank (James Duval), a disturbing rabbit 

figure, as well as falling in love with Gretchen (Jenna 

Malone), the new girl in town with a traumatic past. Donnie 

Darko’s reputation grew through home cinema viewing, do 

not miss the rare chance to see this film on the big screen. 

print source Arrow Films 

16 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 camfilmfest.com 


SCHEDULE OF FILMS 

THU 20 OCT 

Arts Picturehouse 

Screen 1 

20:30 The Banshees of 5 

Inisherin 

£3.00 

We know times are 

tough at the moment, to 

make a trip to the festival 

more affordable we are 

pleased to offer tickets 

for £3 for screenings 

before 1pm. 

BOOKING TICKETS 

Advance tickets can be purchased: 

ONLINE 

IN PERSON at the Arts Picturehouse 

FRI 21 OCT SAT 22 OCT 

SUN 23 OCT MON 24 OCT TUE 25 OCT WED 26 OCT Thu 27 OCT 








Screen 1 

Screen 1 

Screen 1 

Screen 1 

Screen 1 

Screen 1 

Screen 1 

11:10 A Life on the Farm 23 

12:45 Inventory 13 

14:55 Cherry 12 

16:35 In Balanchine’s 13 

Classroom 

18:20 The Banshees of 5 

Inisherin 

20:30 Aftersun 6 

SCREEN 2 

12:30 The Hamlet Syndrome 21 

14:30 A Bunch of Amateurs 22 

16:25 We Won’t Kill Each 15 

Other With Guns 

18:10 Sick of Myself 10 

20:05 Donnie Darko 16 

SCREEN 3 

11:30 Sinjar 15 

14:25 Go Through the Dark 20 

16:00 Jennifer’s Body 17 

18:05 Beautiful Beings 12 

www.camfilmfest.com 

Adult £12.50 

Adult Picturehouse Member £10.50 

Retired/Student £11.50 

Retired/Student Picturehouse Member £9.50 

Child £6.50 

Matinee (1pm-5pm) £6.50 

Morning (10am-1pm) £3.00 

Please note, not all of the films in the Festival have 

been certificated by the BBFC, some have been 

given advisory certificates by the Festival. 

Please visit cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/content-details 

for information about content and trigger warnings 

SILVER 

SCREEN 

Silver Screen is aimed at over 60s and 

includes a free hot drink and biscuits at 

selected Arts Picturehouse screenings that 

start before 17.00. 


13:25 Sirens 21 

15:05 A Compassionate Spy 9 

18:00 Boy from Heaven 9 

20:30 Triangle of Sadness 6 

Screen 2 

11:00 Nanny McPhee 25 

13:35 The Burning Cold 14 

16:15 Cherry 12 

18:10 Little Nicholas, 8 

Happy As Can Be 

20:05 Klokkenluider 13 

Screen 3 

12:50 The Show Must Go On 21 


15:55 Seaside Special 23 

18:15 The Lure 16 

20:10 Return To Dust 8 

There are 

no adverts or 

trailers before 

the films 

at CFF. 

FF-RATED 

Launched in 2014 by our good friends at FilmBath, the 

F-Rating is applied to films by cinemas and film festivals, 

giving moviegoers an easily identifiable label, so they can 

choose films that fairly represent women on screen and 

behind the camera. Highlighting these films sends a clear 

message that women can and should have more than just a 

supporting role within the industry. Find out more about the 

F-Rating at f-rated.org. 

The F-Rating is applied to all films which are directed 

by women and/or written by women. 

The Triple F-Rating is the gold standard. It is applied 

to all films which have significant women on screen, 

as well as being directed and/or written by women. 

12:15 In Balanchine’s 13 

Classroom 

14:00 Close 9 

16:05 Sick of Myself 10 

18:00 Alcarràs 14 

20:35 All The Beauty and 7 

the Bloodshed 

Screen 2 

10:45 Little Nicholas, 8 

Happy As Can Be 

12:30 Father’s Day 13 

14:45 Perlimps 20 

16:20 Pushing Boundaries 21 

18:25 Armageddon Time 10 

20:40 Sense and Sensibility 24 

Screen 3 

10:45 We Won’t Kill Each 15 

Other With Guns 

12:30 Come With Me To The 22 

Cinema - The Gregors 

15:45 The Remains of the Day 25 

18:20 Men’s Cooking 15 


11:00 Shorts & Reactions 30 

12:50 Shorts & Vulnerability 31 

15:00 BFI Network x Film Hub 26 

South East Short Film 

Showcase 

16:00 BFI Network x Film Hub 26 

South East Fund Facts 

17:00 The State of the Industry 27 

Panel - Making A Life In 

UK Film 

18:20 Rodeo 10 

20:25 Corsage 7 

Screen 2 

11:15 Shorts & Animation 29 

13:00 Shorts & Questions 30 

15:20 Alcarràs 14 

18:25 Klokkenluider 13 

20:30 Surprise Film 4 

Screen 3 

11:05 Shorts & Judgement 29 

13:05 Shorts & Actuality 28 

15:05 The Show Must Go On 21 


18:00 A Bunch of Amateurs 22 

20:15 Pacifiction 15 

Anglia Ruskin University 

12:00 BFI NETWORK x Film 26 

Hub South East How To 

Programme Shorts 

11:35 Come With Me To The 22 

Cinema - The Gregors 

14:30 Perlimps 20 

16:05 Rodeo 10 

18:10 More Than Ever 10 

20:35 Linoleum 7 

Screen 2 

12:20 Shorts & Actuality 28 

14:00 Father’s Day 13 

16:15 Medusa Deluxe 22 

18:15 Neptune Frost 9 

20:25 Triangle of Sadness 6 

Screen 3 

13:35 The Burning Cold 14 

15:55 Close 9 

18:00 Aftersun 6 

The Cambridge Film Festival is 

committed to following the most 

up-to-date government guidance 

on Covid-19 to make your visit 

with us a safe one. 

We welcome masks in our venues. 

38-39 St Andrew’s Street, 

Cambridge, CB2 3AR 

www.picturehouses.co.uk 

The Arts Picturehouse screens a year-round programme of 

the best in new and classic cinema over three screens 

(including one THX-certificated for best quality sound). 

All screens are licensed, so you can take your drink 

from the café-bar in with you. You do not have to be a 

member to view films at the Arts Picturehouse, but if 

you are you’ll receive discounts on tickets. 


14:05 Shorts & Judgement 29 

15:55 All The Beauty and 7 

the Bloodshed 

18:15 Corsage 7 

20:30 Blue Jean 7 

Screen 2 

11:50 Shorts & Vulnerability 31 

13:40 A Compassionate Spy 9 

15:45 Beautiful Beings 12 

18:10 Armageddon Time 10 

20:40 Return To Dust 8 

Screen 3 

12:45 Shorts & Reactions 30 

14:30 Late Night 24 

16:20 Sirens 21 

18:00 Sinjar 15 

20:50 Let the Right One In 17 

We look 

forward to 

welcoming guests to 

the festival, please check 

the website and our social 

media pages for the 

latest information. 

THE ARTS PICTUREHOUSE 

THE ARTS PICTUREHOUSE 

11:05 Pacifiction 15 

14:10 Pushing Boundaries 21 

16:15 Neptune Frost 9 

18:25 Linoleum 7 

20:30 The Silent Twins 5 

Screen 2 

11:30 Seaside Special 23 

14:45 Men’s Cooking 15 

16:25 Cherry 12 

18:05 Medusa Deluxe 22 

20:25 Blue Jean 7 

Screen 3 

11:40 Shorts & Animation 29 

13:15 Shorts & Questions 30 

15:10 Go Through the Dark 20 


18:20 More Than Ever 10 

20:45 Boy from Heaven 9 

18 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 CambridgeFilmFestival2021 camfilmfest.com 


Resilience 

UK 


PERLIMPS 

CFF 

PG 

Brazil 2022 80 mins 

Portuguese with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Alê Abreu 

WITH Lorenzo Tarantelli, Guilia Benite, Stênio Garcia, Rosa Rosah, Nill Marcondes 

Claé and Bruó are secret agents working for enemy kingdoms, tracking mysterious creatures known as ‘perlimps’ 

to save the Enchanted Forest. To succeed, they will have to overcome their differences and work together. This 

dreamlike and moving adventure will appeal to fans of Studio Ghibli: Perlimps shares the Japanese studio’s interest 

in eco-fables that encourage us to revel in and fight for the natural world. The animation is both original and 

beautiful: a lush Brazilian rainforest (under threat) is evoked through painterly brush strokes and gorgeous smudges 

in a spectrum of jewel-like colours, inspired by the papercuts of French painter Henri Matisse. Abreu’s previous 

film, Boy and the World (2013) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. With Perlimps, the 

Brazilian director again creates a brilliantly imaginative world with a poignant environmental message. 

PRINT SOURCE Best Friend Forever 

SUN 

23 

14:45 

TUE 

25 

14:30 

UK 


THE HAMLET SYNDROME 

Poland & GERMANY 2022 85 mins 

Ukranian with English subtitles 

CFF 

15 

FRI 

21 

12:30 

DIRECTORS Elwira Niewiera & Piotr Rosolowski 

WITH Slavik Gavianets, Katya Kotliarova, Roman Kryvdyk, Rodion Shuygin- 

Grekalov, Oxana Cherkashyna, Roza Sarkisian 

Set in the months leading up to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, this 

urgent documentary follows a group of young Ukrainians preparing for a play 

based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, that explores the impact of conflict on their 

lives. They face up to moments of trauma from the war in Donbas, going from 

being a civilian to a soldier, and processing raw emotions together. This is a 

powerful and cathartic story, that finds hope in the harrowing moments and 

seeks to reconcile the past, while facing the uncertainty of the future. 

print source KFF Sales & Promotion 

SAT 

22 

14:10 

WED 

26 

12:20 

UK 


PUSHING BOUNDARIES 

Ukraine & Switzerland 2022 102 Mins 

Ukrainian with English subtitles 

SUN 

23 

16:20 

DIRECTOR Lesia Kordonets 

WITH Valeriy Suschkevytsch, Angelika Churkina, 

Anton Kriukov, Roman Polianskiy 

CFF 

12A 

THU 

27 

14:10 

In the midst of war and conflict, where can one call home? 

After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Ukrainian 

Paralympic National Team not only lose access to their 

state-of-the-art training base, but must also adapt to the new 

political and geographical boundaries that now bind their 

country. Giving us a glimpse from the inside, filmmaker Lesia 

Kordonets follows the Paralympians as they prepare for the 

next Olympic Games while dealing with the division of family 

and friends, and a worsening economic situation, yet still strive 

to keep morale high. 

print source Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG 

INTL 


EURO 


These remarkable films capture 

the strength and determination of 

those at the centre of different conflicts 

and the fight for change. With a focus 

on documentaries you can meet one of 

Lebanon’s only female thrash bands, the 

Ukranian Paralympians fighting for their 

stadium or enter the animated Enchanted 

Forest in Brazil where secret agents 

fight deforestation. 

GO THROUGH THE DARK 

CHINA 2021 75 Mins 

Mandarin with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Yunhong Pu 

WITH Guanglin 

Guanglin is a blind boy from a poor, single parent family in China. His prospects would normally 

be severely limited, but he is also very gifted at the game of Go and gains fame as a prodigy. 

This captivating documentary follows him as he navigates his way through the pressure of 

developing his talents, dealing with his troubled past, and the relationship with a father who 

is pushing him hard to succeed. What are the true motives of all those helping the boy and will 

Guanglin manage to become a professional Go player? 

print source Yunhong Pu 

CFF 

PG 

FRI 

21 

14:25 

THU 

27 

15:10 

THE SHOW MUST GO ON 

INDIA 2022 60 mins 

English, Gujarati and Hindi with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Divya Cowasji 

WITH Dolly Dotiwala, Bomi Dotiwala, Ruby Patel, 

Burjor Patel, Sam Kerawala 

The leading movement of modern Indian theatre is 

undoubtedly Parsi theatre, which was mainly active during the 

mid-20th century and held influence over Bollywood and the 

Hindi film industry. Determined to take to the stage once more, 

a collective of older Parsi theatre icons and new youngsters 

head into rehearsals, to revisit beloved storylines and prepare 

for one last show. Director Divya Cowasji adopts a cinéma 

vérité style of filmmaking, quietly observing the chaos and 

laughter, as they practice their lines and share stories of their 

past. You will be cheering them on all the way. 

PRINT SOURCE Divya Cowasji & Jall Cowasji 


SAT 

22 

12:50 

CFF 

U 

MON 

24 

15:05 

SIRENS 

CFF 

15 

LEBANON & USA 2022 78 MINS 

Arabic with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Rita Baghdadi 

WITH Shery Bechara, Lilas Mayassi 

SAT 

22 

13:25 

WED 

26 

16:20 

Have you ever listened to an all-female Lebanese thrash 

metal band? If not, it’s time to introduce Slave to Sirens! Join 

guitarists Lilas and Shery, and their bandmates Maya, Alma 

and Tatyana, as they chase their dreams of success, address 

the need for rebellion in the music scene and navigate their 

sexuality. From friendship fallouts to the familial trauma 

of the civil war, director Rita Baghdadi shines a light on 

the band’s optimism against the backdrop of a divided 

country and celebrates the Arab women who are defying 

cultural stereotypes. 

print source Autlook Filmsales 

A beautifully balanced 

portrait of young women, 

screaming to be heard within 

their deafeningly oppressive 

culture, Sirens succeeds in 

delivering the one thing every 

revolution needs most, hope. 

REBECCA LANDMAN 

COLLIDER

WILDLY 

Wonderful 

MEDUSA DELUXE 

UK 2022 100 Mins 

CFF 

15 

DIRECTOR Thomas Hardiman 

WITH Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Clare Perkins, Darrell D’Silva, Debris Stevenson, Harriet Webb, 

Heider Ali, Kae Alexander, Kayla Meikle, Lilit Lesser 

An extravagant, contemporary continuous shot murder mystery at a lively hairdressing 

competition from British writer/director Thomas Hardiman – what more could you want? 

Amongst a haze of glitter and hairspray, it emerges that a stylist has been killed and scalped, 

sending a group of professional hairdressers and models into a tizz. A whodunnit drama then 

unfolds, as rivalries are stoked and trust is broken down within the group. Robbie Ryan’s masterful 

camerawork follows the suspects and witnesses through the labyrinth of dark staircases and 

neon-lit rooms in a kaleidoscope of comedy, paranoia and passions that border on obsession. 


TUE 

25 

16:15 

Blackly comic thriller about 

a high-level hairdressing 

competition is a cut above 

the rest. 

JOHN BLEASDALE 

DMOVIES 

THU 

27 

18:05 

FRI MON 

21 24 

11:10 16:25 

CFF 

A LIFE ON THE FARM 15 

United Kingdom & United States 2022 75 Mins 

DIRECTOR Oscar Harding 

WITH Charles Carson, Oscar Harding, Karen Kilgariff, 

Derrick Beckles, Davy Rothbart, Thomas Lynch, 

Koo Stark, Peter Shaw 

THU 

27 

16:45 

This is a found footage story like you’ve never experienced 

before. Meet Charles Carson, an eccentric farmer who 

documents birth, life and death on his farm, which he stages as 

a creative, comedic TV show with a dash of horror. Filmmaker 

Oscar Harding inherited these tapes after his grandfather’s 

death and set about reconstructing the film to share Charles’ 

story with the world, but also to conduct interviews with those 

who knew him and to find out what this man meant to his 

family, friends and community. This is an unexpectedly moving, 

surreal story which celebrates one man’s creativity and vigour 

for life but also teaches us about processing grief and loss. You 

will undoubtedly be part of the Charles fan club by the end. 

print source Sonderbar Pictures Ltd. 

UK 


SEASIDE SPECIAL 

UK 2021 93 Mins 

DIRECTOR Jens Meurer 

WITH John Lee, Olly Day 

CFF 

12A 

SAT 

22 

15:55 

THU 

27 

11:30 

Shot on crisp 16mm Kodak film, Seaside Special follows Norfolk’s Cromer Pier Show over the 

course of a year, from the perspective of the performers, and the seaside town’s locals. This is 

a genuine, funny and bittersweet documentary about the trials and tribulations of life on the 

stage, and the divided political perspectives of their community. The director Jens Meurer (An 

Impossible Project) seeks to show a ‘microcosm of Brexit England’ and reflects on the impact of 

the changing tourist landscape, alongside the cultural importance of Cromer’s show, as they 

prepare for their grand summer finale. 

print source Instant Film / Deckert Distribution 

UK 


CLASSICAL 

Join us for 

‘outside the box’ 

films that will 

guide you on weird 

and wonderful 

adventures. Take 

a walk along the 

North Sea pier with 

the Cromer theatre 

crew, sit in a seat of 

the iconic Arsenal 

cinema in Berlin 

and pull on your 

wellies to watch the 

oddest farmyard 

found footage 

documentary. 

Prepare for some 

unforgettable 

experiences! 

A BUNCH OF AMATEURS 

UK 2022 95 MINS 

DIRECTOR Kim Hopkins 

WITH Colin Egglestone, Harry Nicholls, Joe Ogden, 

Philip Wainman 

CFF 

12A 

Taking home the Audience Award from this year’s Sheffield 

DocFest, Kim Hopkins introduces us to one of the oldest 

amateur film clubs - the Bradford Movie Makers. Made up of 

British working-class artists, many heading into their nineties, 

they regularly reconvene to discuss their glory days, shake off 

the chill of isolation in the digital age, and reminisce about 

their love of cinema. This documentary creates a beautiful 

sense of belonging and celebrates the bonds formed over a 

wild shared dream. 

A profoundly moving and funny film that acts as an 

extraordinary document of the power of community and art. 

DANIEL DYLAN WRAY THE GUARDIAN 

print source 

Republic Film Distribution 

FRI 

21 

14:30 

MON 

24 

18:00 

COME WITH ME TO THE 

CINEMA - THE GREGORS 

KOMM MIT MIR IN DAS CINEMA - 

DIE GREGORS 

Germany 2022 155 Mins 

German, English, and French with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR Alice Agneskirchner 

WITH Erika Gregor, Ulrich Gregor 

SUN 

23 

12:30 

CFF 

12A 

TUE 

25 

11:35 

The world of arthouse filmmaking and communal cinema 

owes so much to the iconic curating duo that is Erika and 

Ulrich Gregor. Alice Agneskirchner’s riveting documentary 

explores what it meant to have been children of the post-war 

generation, their founding of the Arsenal cinema and Forum 

strand of the Berlinale, the entwining of their personal and 

professional lives across 65 years, with interviews from Wim 

Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, Margarethe von Trotta and other 

directors impacted by the pair’s tireless work. This is a tribute 

to two people who dedicated their all to share unique and 

influential cinema with the world. 

print source Ehlermann & Agneskirchner Filmproduktion 

MUSIC FOR 

MODERN 

LIFE 

WITH MARK KERMODE 

SATURDAYS 1PM-3PM 

22 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 camfilmfest.com #CFF41 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 23

Outstanding 

Contribution award 

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY 

U 

UK & USA 1995 136 MINS 

DIRECTOR Ang Lee 

WITH Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Imogen Stubbs, Hugh Grant 

SUN 

23 

20:40 

Emma Thompson won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for scripting Ang 

Lee’s rich adaptation of this Jane Austen classic. After enjoying a privileged upbringing, Elinor 

(Emma Thompson) and Marianne Dashwood (Kate Winslet) are forced to relocate to a country 

cottage upon the death of their father. Here, stoic Elinor falls quietly in love with the reserved 

Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) and the fiery Marianne becomes entangled with the caddish 

John Willoughby (Greg Wise). In typical Austen style, the road of love does not run smoothly in 

this starry period romance. Thompson leads the cast as Elinor, alongside Kate Winslet in her 

first Oscar-nominated role as the passionate Marianne. They are joined by a myriad of British 

stars, including Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Imedla Staunton, Greg Wise, and many more, in this 

heartwarming tale of love lost and found. 


NANNY MCPHEE PG 

UK, USA & France 2005 97 Mins 

DIRECTOR Kirk Jones 

WITH Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Thomas Sangster, 

Kelly Macdonald, Angela Lansbury 

SAT 

22 

11:00 

Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) is hired by widower Cedric 

Brown (Colin Firth) to look after his mischievous children in 

this modern children’s classic. The seemingly stern Nanny 

arrives just in time to help the unruly Brown family to learn 

and grow into the best version of themselves. This film sees 

Emma Thompson play the titular character in one of her most 

colourful roles. Nanny McPhee is also a who’s who of British 

acting talent, as Thompson is joined by Colin Firth, Thomas 

Brodie-Sangster, Kelly McDonald, the legendary Angela 

Lansbury and many more, in this fun film for all the family. 


It is only a thoroughly English 

film that could frustrate yet 

charm viewers at the same 

time in a tale of endless 

manners and disguised 

longing. At the heart of 

The Remains of the Day is a 

tragicomic story of a stoic 

life of unlived possibilities 

and a simple reminder: 

don’t hold out. 

MICHELLE WANG 

THE GUARDIAN 

SUN 

23 

15:45 

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY PG 

UK & USA 1993 134 mins 

English, French, and German with English subtitles 

DIRECTOR James Ivory 

WITH Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, John Haycraft 

This masterful drama is adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s awardwinning 

novel by the tour de force that is director James Ivory, 

producer Ismail Merchant and writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. 

Set at the end of World War II, Mr Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), 

the professional butler of Darlington House, must face up to 

the anti-Semitism of his employer, the changing landscape of 

class and tradition, and addressing his hidden affections for 

the housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson). The camera 

creeps slowly around the house, revealing secrets and regrets, 

and makes us confront what is worth putting on the line in the 

name of duty. 


We are delighted to honour the 

remarkable Dame Emma Thompson 

with our Outstanding Contribution 

Award. This is a specially curated strand 

that showcases her best performances, 

focuses on her work in front and behind 

the camera, and celebrates her riveting and 

refreshing roles. With Cambridge being the 

home of her alma mater, and the start of 

her early years in comedy, we are incredibly 

proud to present this retrospective of an 

exceptional actress, screenwriter, activist 

and leader of the industry. 

This is some of Emma 

Thompson’s best work (and 

that’s saying something)… 

What’s subversive about it is 

how it shows the complexities 

behind the scenes, the pain, 

the human frailty. 

SHEILA O’MALLEY 

ROGEREBERT.COM 

LATE NIGHT 15 

USA 2019 102 mins 

DIRECTOR Nisha Ganatra 

WITH Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Amy Ryan, 

John Lithgow 

WED 

26 

14:30 

The cutthroat world of television production is revealed in this 

comedy-drama set in the world of American late-night talk 

shows. Emma Thompson plays Dame Katherine Newbury, 

who is battling to remain relevant amid declining ratings. She 

hires Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling), a young Indian-American 

comedy writer, to her staff, making her the sole non-white, 

female member of the team. Molly slowly helps revitalise the 

show, but can this new success last? Mindy Kaling’s sparkling 

script takes in everything from sexism in the workplace, to 

the importance of social media in the modern world, in this 

incredibly relevant comedy. 



Cambridge 

FILM FESTIVAL INDUSTRY DAY 

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 

Monday 24 October 

Cambridge Film Festival has long provided great networking 

opportunities for filmmakers and film professionals. This year we 

are introducing our Industry Day, building on our previous work and 

formalising the networking aims for the festival. We are bringing 

together key partners across the sector for the benefit of the filmmaking 

and exhibition industries, in this region and beyond. Networking is a vital 

part of filmmaking and CFF is providing an invaluable opportunity for 

filmmakers and professionals to create new relationships and learn new 

skills. Come join us for this exciting event! 

FREE accreditations available for film students, 

filmmakers and industry professionals 

www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/industry-day 

11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 

SHORTFUSION PREMIERES 

How to 

Programme Shorts 

Short Film 

Showcase 

Fund 

Facts 

The State of the Industry Panel 

Making A Life In UK Film 

17:00-17:55 

Whether you’re an experienced filmmaker or you’re just 

starting out, it’s crucial to meet and work with people from 

different areas of the sector. This talk will bring together 

critics, programmers, academics and network executives 

to discuss the state of the industry and developing your 

career. Moderated by BFI NETWORK Talent Executive 

Nicole Davis, we are pleased to welcome onto the panel: 

Film Hub South East’s Thomas Wightman, International 

Film Critic and Programmer Savina Petkova, Empire 

Contributing Editor Amon Warmann and Dr Tina Kendall 

from Anglia Ruskin University. 

Making a Life 

in UK Film 

Networking 

Drinks 

NICOLE DAVIS 

THOMAS WIGHTMAN 

DR TINA KENDALL 

Prior to joining BFI NETWORK Film Hub 

South East as a Talent Executive, Nicole 

held positions at Film4, BFI and awardwinning 

digital content agency Little Dot 

Studios as a producer. Nicole is also a 

freelance writer and podcaster. She is the 

host and creator of Best Girl Grip, a weekly 

interview podcast that navigates the film 

industry through the lens of the women 

doing just that. 

Thomas joined the Independent Cinema 

Office from the Institute of Contemporary 

Arts (ICA) where he managed STOP PLAY 

RECORD, a commissioning programme 

for emerging filmmakers. During this 

time Thomas commissioned, developed 

and exec produced 72 short films for the 

Channel 4 Random Acts series. For BFI 

NETWORK Thomas has commissioned 

and exec produced over 50 short film 

projects and 15 treatments for feature 

length projects. 

Dr Tina Kendall is Associate Professor 

in Film & Media at Anglia Ruskin 

University, where she leads modules in 

Classical Hollywood Cinema, Theorising 

Spectatorship, and Professional Practice 

in Film, amongst others. She is passionate 

about encouraging students to develop 

their skills alongside their classroom 

learning, and has extensive experience in 

bringing students together with industry 

and third sector partners. 

CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL 

SHORTFUSION PREMIERES 

11:00-14:45 

This year we are excited to bring together the premieres of 

ALL our ShortFusion films as a launch pad for our brand new 

Industry Day. An integral strand at the festival, this year’s 

programme contains an exciting mix of themes and genres, 

offering something for everyone. Very much open to the public and 

filmmakers, ShortFusion is a great way to experience the very best 

short form work of both new and established filmmakers. 

See pages 28–31 

BFI Network x Film Hub South East 

Short Film Showcase 

15:00-15:55 

This showcase of short films funded by BFI NETWORK 

highlights the diverse, vivid and unique stories being told by 

filmmakers in the South East. Transporting audiences across 

a spectrum of genre and form, these short, perfectly formed 

tales highlight the massive filmmaking talent in the region, via 

comedy, drama and a lockdown date in a laundromat. 

BFI Network x Film Hub South East 

Fund Facts 

16:00-16:55 

BFI NETWORK x Film Hub South East 

How To Programme 

Shorts 

12:00-13:00 

Programming isn’t just for feature films. In this talk, 

programmers from Film Hub South East dive into the world of 

shorts and highlight the benefits of bringing short films into 

cinema programming. 

In this workshop, BFI NETWORK Talent Executives and some of the filmmakers they’ve 

funded discuss how a project can reach that crucial goal. Whether it’s crafting the perfect 

funding application, economising your script or tips on running a low-budget set, this team 

will be here to answer all your questions about the financial side of filmmaking. 

26 CambridgeFilmFestival2022 camfilmfest.com 

Networking Drinks 

from 18:00 

A chance to relax with a drink and meet up with fellow 

filmmakers, courtesy of BFI NETWORK and Film Hub South 

East. As well as being able to toast the end of another great 

day at the festival, this is where you can network with other 

artists, chat to each other and the BFI NETWORK team too. 

AMON WARMANN 

SAVINA PETKOVA 

Amon Warmann has been a film and 

TV critic in the UK for the past decade, 

and became a Contributing Editor and 

monthly columnist at Empire Magazine in 

late 2020. He is talkSPORT Radio’s weekly 

film reviewer and has written for amongst 

others Variety, Yahoo! Movies, Daily Mirror, 

and Heat Magazine. He also has numerous 

television appearances to his name across 

Sky Cinema, BBC News, and Channel 4. 

Savina Petkova is a freelance film critic 

based in London. She covers shorts and 

features at European film festivals such 

as the Berlinale, Cannes, Venice and 

Rotterdam, and has written for MUBI 

Notebook, Talking Shorts, AwardsWatch, 

and Little White Lies. In 2022, Savina is 

part of the editorial board for photogénie 

alongside her language editing role at the 

International Federation of Film Critics. She 

is currently completing her PhD at King’s 

College London, where she also teaches. 


SHORTfusion 

We are excited to showcase expressive 

and masterful films from a global cohort 

of emerging filmmakers. Contemplate 

the distortion and complexities of 

▼ The Ballad of Olive Morris 

varied subjects in six stimulating short 

film programmes. 

SHORTS 

& animation 

PG | 68 mins Step into a world of stylistic 

animation and challenging topics. 

ECHO 

Greece, 2021 12 mins Dir. Gizem Özmen 

UK 


Ellie struggles with verbal communication and 

survives thanks to her landlady. Manu moves 

into the apartment directly across from her. Day 

by day, their routines echo each other and a 

connection emerges. 

GRANDPA 

France, 2021 7 mins Dirs. Théo Bongiovanni, 

Sophie Ouvrard, Valentine Rolland, Hugo 

Martins, Thomas Piot & Nell Molinier 

Witness the magic of youth as we dive into the 

wild imagination of a young girl as she bids 

farewell to her grandfather in a cascade of 

memories of their treasured fishing trips. 

▼ Echo 

MON 

24 

11:15 

THU 

27 

11:40 

It wasn’t bourgogne 

France, 2021 7 mins 

Dir. Mathias de Panafieu 

UK 


Between two telephone calls, a grandfather 

recounts some of his memories of the Second 

World War from when he was just twenty years old. 

OOP 

WORLD 

China & Canada, 2022 4 mins 

Dir. Hongliang Verner Huang 


On the battlefield, a creature called “Oop” 

awakes by coincidence. It follows a guide and 

wanders in an abandoned city until it regains its 

memory and finds out about itself. 

OTHER HALF 

UK, 2021 13 mins Dir. Lina Kalcheva 

In a world that is made up of merged couples, a 

lonely, individual being longs for a connection 

and to find his true other half. In his eyes, this is 

the only way he will truly be complete. 

CONTENT WARNING This strand contains scenes 

of war and violence 

▼ Grandpa 

PEARS 

Israel, 2021 6 mins 

Dir. Julia Trachtenberg 

UK 


Yana yearns for contact from those she loves, 

but only receives pain in return. The complicated 

relationships test Yana’s personal journey to 

discovering who she really is. 

THE RECORD 

Switzerland, 2022 9 mins Dir. Jonathan Laskar 

An antique music instrument dealer receives a 

magical vinyl record that can read your mind 

and play lost memories. Obsession begins and 

memories re-emerge, resulting in a painful 

memory being revealed. 

THE SPRAYER 

Iran, 2022 10 mins Dir. Farnoosh Abeo 

UK 


In land occupied by the sprayers army, no one can 

grow any kind of plants neither in public nor in 

private, until one day a soldier finds a seed buried 

deep down in the dust. 

▼ Pears 

▲ #BLACKBOYJOYGONE 

SHORTS 

& actualitY 

CFF15 | 80 mins Bringing to light the formidable 

realities surrounding our everyday lives. 

THE BALLAD OF OLIVE MORRIS 

UK, 2022 10 mins 

Dir. Alex Kayode-Kay 

Olive Morris tried to prevent a Nigerian 

diplomat named Clement Gomwalk from being 

arrested and assaulted under false pretences 

by police officers in Brixton. Things do not go 

well after that ... 

MON 

24 

13:05 

TUE 

25 

12:20 

▲ Caterpillar 

#BLACKBOYJOYGONE 


Dir. Ashley Karrell, Isaac Ouro-Gnao 

Blending interviews, poetry, dance and 

storytelling, #BlackBoyJoyGone is a short 

documentary by and for black men focussing 

upon mental health, sexual trauma and finding 

strength through brotherhood. 

CATERPILLAR (Sâu Bướm) 

UK, 2021 21 mins 

Dir. Marcus Anthony Thomas 

In the aftermath of an attempt to escape modern 

slavery, a Vietnamese boy’s relationship with his 

overseer becomes even more complicated. 

DAYS WITHOUT 

Portugal, Estonia & Scotland, 2022 15 mins 

Dir. Ívar Erik Yeoman 

After Nikolays’s wife has a chaotic episode, he 

must take care of their daughter until she returns. 

As time goes by, he begins to doubt they will see 

each other again. 

LIONESS UK 

USA, 2021 7 mins 

Dir. Molly E. Smith 


Barricaded in a motel room, a mother’s 

determination and primal instincts kick in to 

protect her child’s innocence. 

CONTENT WARNING This strand contains scenes of a sexual nature, racism, domestic and child abuse 

SHORTS 

& Judgement 

CFF15 | 86 mins How can we judge one another 

without judging ourselves? 

CONTENT WARNING This strand contains scenes of 

abuse, death and suicide 

THE BOWER 

UK, 2022 18 mins Dir. Marco Alessi 

Set in 1991 and 2021, the film explores the 

changing attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ 

community over the last three decades through 

the hopeful eyes of Terri. 

HONESTY 

UK, 2022 9 mins Dir. Roxy Rezvany 

A young actress auditions for a role as a 

domestic abuse victim, but rather than finding 

the character through her own embodiment, 

she faces a gruelling and uncomfortable 

interrogation. 

A MORAL MAN 

UK, 2022 19 mins Dir. Paul Wade, Simon Wade 

A right-to-die evangelist wrestles with his faith 

and morality when he is asked to assist in the 

death of a woman who is not terminally ill. 

Not the 80s 

Germany, 2022 17 mins 

Dir. Marleen Valien 


▲ Honesty 

MON 

24 

11:05 

WED 

26 

14:05 

▲ Swim 

WORLD 


What judgements do we formulate about one 

another before the first exchange of words? 

Follow a journey of preconceptions between two 

people, in one restaurant, eating a bit of fish. 

REGRET TO INFORM YOU 

USA, 2022 14 mins 

Dir. Yusuf Shadeed Nasir & Benji Schwimmer 

▲ The Bower 

EURO 


We follow a day in the life of an ageing dancer on 

the verge of forced retirement, who is desperately 

holding on to the unfulfilled dream of becoming a 

star one day. 

SWIM 

UK, 2022 9 mins Dir. Michael Gamarano Singleton 

A chance encounter at a swimming pool offers 

the promise of a beautiful relationship between 

Sid and Luke. Could it all be shattered when Sid 

decides to just be himself?

SHORTS 

& Questions 

CFF15 | 87 mins Sometimes the unthinkable is 

the answer to our questions. 

GOOD TIMES 

AND THAT’S OKAY 

Australia, 2022 13 mins 

Dir. Amanda Kaye 

EURO 


A 70-year-old closeted woman has to confront 

her faith as she learns what true love is from a sex 

worker named Destiny. 

▼ Good Time and That’s OK 

MON 

24 

13:00 

THU 

27 

13:15 

MORNING INTO NIGHT 

USA, 2021 15 mins 

Dir. Joanna Gleason 

EURO 


The children of a dying mother gather to say 

goodbye, and attempt to convince their father he 

cannot withhold his farewells any longer. 

THe Silent Ones 

France, 2022 20 mins 

Dir. Basile Vuillemin 

UK 


After four days of an unsuccessful fishing 

campaign, Jorick finds himself faced with a 

difficult dilemma. The decision leads to a tragic 

and traumatising realisation. 

CONTENT WARNING This strand contains scenes / themes of death 

▼ The Silent Ones 

TILL THE MUSIC STOPS 

France, 2022 23 mins 

Dir. Emilie de Monsabert 

UK 


Pauline is desperate to enjoy her best friend’s 

wedding and connect with a lost flame but 

struggles to take her eyes off her vulnerable 

daughter, which causes difficulties during the 

celebrations. 

WALLS LIKE WINDOWS 

UK, 2022 12 mins Dir. Werner Vivier 

When Maggie invites a stranger into her home, 

she is confronted with the very thing she has been 

trying to avoid. 

SHORTS 

& Vulnerability 

MON 

24 

12:50 

WED 

26 

11:50 

CFF15 | 88 mins Showcasing resilient individuals 

to demonstrate the innocence within us. 

CONTENT WARNING This strand contains scenes / 

themes of sexual assult, death, domestic abuse 

and mental illness 

▼ Roots 

THE MOUNTAIN 

UK, 2022 15 mins Dir. Clare Macdonald 

Matthew is tired of feeling down. He wants to 

get help, get milk, get back to normal. But his 

relentless inner voices are not going to make 

things easy. 

ONE LIKE HIM 

UK & Jordan, 2021 15 mins 

Dir. Caitlin McLeod 

A Jordanian man must find a way to tell his 

childhood friend and first love the truth about 

what happened twenty years ago, when a single 

moment changed their lives. 

RootS 

WORLD 


Dir. Ugne Jurgaityte 


After living her whole life on an isolated farm, a 

young girl must transform into a woman as she is 

faced with the task of burying her own mother. 

SHOWER BOYS 

Sweden, 2021 9 mins 

Dir. Christian Zetterberg 

UK 


Viggo and Noel return home from training to 

challenge each other’s limits and masculinity. 

The two boys explore their innocence before 

ultimately testing their friendship and 

boundaries. 

THE SILENT CANARY 


Dir. Vera Graziadei 

WORLD 


When troubled Joy forms an unlikely bond with 

rebellious Kat, she discovers her new friend’s 

secret boyfriend is not who she expected. This 

causes Joy’s own trauma to resurface. 

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD 


Dir. Jess Moore 

UK 


Why doesn’t she just leave? Left alone in her 

house following a brutal domestic attack, a 

woman attempts to leave the home she is 

trapped in. 

▼ To Have and To Hold 

▲ Legs 

▲ Baked Beans 

SHORTS 

& Reactions 

CFF15 | 83 mins Bringing you stimulating 

themes to create inconceivable reactions and 

responses. 

BAKED BEANS 

UK, 2022 10 mins Dir. Matt Ayleigh 

When Nik auditions for a radical retelling of the 

British Asian classic East is East, he soon begins 

to wonder if everyone around him is stuck in 

the past. 

MON 

24 

11:00 

WED 

26 

12:45 

LEGS 

UK, 2022 16 mins Dir. Celine Cotran 

Joy and Harry want to have a baby. One night, 

Joy unknowingly swallows a spider. It dawns 

on her that there may be more than one way of 

becoming a mother. 

Not for sale 

UK & Spain, 2022 17 mins 

Dir. Alejandro Sánchez Porras 

UK 


Daisy and her employees concoct a fake art 

sale in order to scam the ruthless CEO of the 

supermarket chain that drove them out of 

business. 

T’EMBRASSER SUR LE MIEL 

France, 2021 20 mins Dir. Khalil Cherti 

UK 


Siwan and Rawad live on different sides of a 

war-ridden Syria. Despite the chaos, they have 

decided to engage and communicate with each 

other through videos. 

TRUTH SERUM 


Dir. Vika Evdokimenko 

UK 


When guests at a party are spiked with a 

mysterious drug, unpleasant truths and painful 

secrets emerge as the night spirals into a chaotic 

and unforgettable affair. 

CONTENT WARNING This strand contains scenes / themes of violence and drug misuse 

▲ The Silent Canary 


▲ Shower Boys

Youth Lab 

Youth Lab is one of the proudest achievements of Cambridge Film Festival over recent years and is a 

key focus as we move into the next 40 years of CFF. It is an exciting, young person-led film education 

initiative focusing on young people’s film evaluation and criticism skills, as well as encouraging 

communication and network building. It is open to anyone aged 16-24, with a specific focus on 

addressing participation from under-represented communities and those at risk of social exclusion. 

Youth Lab runs regular film discussion groups, workshops and networking events, as well as 

presentations by industry professionals (previous guests have included Mark Kermode, Beth Webb, 

Simon Mayo, and Simran Hans). During the Covid pandemic, the Youth Lab partnered with the BFI to 

produce and present a special online screening of County Lines, which included an in-depth interview 

with director Henry Blake. 

As well as developing film knowledge and industry connections, participants build self-confidence, 

as they progress through the Youth Lab programme. Over 80% of participants go on to employment 

or higher education within the film industry! In fact, both our Short Film Programmer and 

Programming Panel Lead for CFF41 are previous Youth Lab participants. 

Youth Lab is for everyone and actively recruits people from all backgrounds, including those with 

disabilities, from minority communities, or from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

If any young people would like to join the 2023 cohort, please email Abby, the Youth Lab Lead, at 

abby@cambridgefilmtrust.org.uk 

of Youth Lab members go on to employment or higher education within the industry 

are from economically deprived backgrounds 

are from minoritised ethnic backgrounds 

identify as disabled 

identify as LGBTQ+ 

identify as female 

25% 

40% 

55% 

50% 

80% 

80% 

Youth Lab has 

connected me with a range 

of like‐minded individuals 

that share a profound 

interest in film making. The 

Youth Lab does a beautiful 

job of valuing every opinion 

or suggestion made by the 

team; I am excited to see 

how all our collective ideas 

will help reshape CFF in the 

near future. 

Chloe Kelly 

My first goal within the Youth 

Lab was to build personal 

connections with the members 

and network with other 

professionals. Being in the group 

has helped me gain the confidence 

in articulating my voice and 

always believing in myself! 

Raveen Choudhury 


MAIN FUNDER 

SENIOR MEDIA PARTNER 

SUPPORTERS 

INSTITUTES, FOUNDATIONS AND TRUSTS 

MEDIA PARTNERS 

DONOR 

VENUE PARTNERS 

INDEX 

Features 

Aftersun 6 

Alcarràs 14 

All The Beauty And Bloodshed 7 

Armageddon Time 10 

Banshees of Inisherin, The 5 

Beautiful Beings 12 

Blue Jean 7 

Boy From Heaven 9 

Bunch of Amateurs, A 22 

Burning Cold, The 14 

Cherry 12 

Close 9 

Come With Me to the Cinema 22 

- The Gregors 

Compassionate Spy, A 9 

Corsage 7 

Donnie Darko 16 

Father’s Day 13 

Go Through The Dark 20 

Hamlet Syndrome, The 21 

In Balanchine’s Classroom 13 

Inventory 13 

Jennifer’s Body 17 

Klokkenluider 13 

Late Night 24 

Let The Right One In 17 

Life on the Farm, A 23 

Linoleum 7 

Little Nicholas, Happy 8 

As Can Be 

Lure, The 16 

Medusa Deluxe 22 

Men’s Cooking 15 

More Than Ever 10 

Nanny McPhee 25 

Neptune Frost 9 

Pacifiction 15 

Perlimps 20 

Pushing Boundaries 21 

Remains of the Day, The 25 

Return to Dust 8 

Rodeo 10 

Seaside Special 23 

Sense and Sensibility 24 

Show Must Go On, The 21 

Sick of Myself 10 

Sinjar 15 

Sirens 21 

Silent Twins, The 5 

Triangle of Sadness 6 

We Won’t Kill Each Other 15 

With Guns 

SHORTS 

Baked Beans 30 

Ballad of Olive Morris, The 28 

#BlackBoyJoyGone 28 

Bower, The 29 

Caterpillar 28 

Days Without 28 

Echo 29 

Good Time And That’s Okay 30 

Grandpa 29 

Honesty 29 

It Wasn’t Bourgogne 29 

Legs 30 

Lioness 28 

Moral Man, A 29 

Morning Into Night 30 

Mountain, The 31 

Not For Sale 30 

Not The 80s 29 

One Like Him 31 

Oop 29 

Other Half 29 

Pears 29 

Record, The 29 

Regret To Inform You 29 

Roots 31 

Shorts & Actuality 28 

Shorts & Animation 29 

Shorts & Judgement 29 

Shorts & Questions 30 

Shorts & Reactions 30 

Shorts & Vulnerability 31 

Shower Boys 31 

Silent Canary, The 31 

Silent Ones, The 30 

Sprayer, The 29 

Swim 29 

T’Embrasser Sur Le Miel 30 

Till The Music Stops 30 

To Have And To Hold 31 

Truth Serum 30 

Walls Like Windows 30 

CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL FRIENDS 

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Cambridge Film Festival Brochure 2022

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