Festival celebrates Cumbria through 30 films

A film festival is showcasing Cumbria's links to 30 films spanning three decades.

Volunteers got together to share their knowledge and assemble the programme, which has a close connection to the county and the people from there.

The 10-strong team set itself the task of identifying 30 films to mark the 30 years since the Kirkgate Arts Centre opened in Cockermouth in 1995.

Chief executive Emma Heys said it was a good way to learn about local links, as well as spotting some clever trickery, adding: "There's that thing of 'you can't go from there to there in that amount of time'." The festival opens on 19 July.

Films featured include those showcasing the great landscapes of the county, such as the cult zombie movie 28 Days Later, with parts filmed in Ennerdale.

There is also the black comedy Sightseers, which features scenes including the Pencil Museum in Keswick, and Miss Potter, featuring the Lingholm Estate where writer Beatrix Potter - played by Renee Zellweger - spent her summers, and Hill Top, the author's Hawkshead farm.

Although Beatrix Potter was not born in Cumbria, it is very much a "Cumbrian story", Ms Heys said, and as such deserved a spot on the programme.

The 30 films featured have a varied connection to the county, with some featuring local actors, such as the late 90s' comedy-drama East is East, with Emma Rydal.

The actor and playwright will hold a Q&A after the screening and bring some behind the scenes photos to give people an insight of what it was like to star in the film.

Opening the festival is Leaving Las Vegas, from Carlisle-born director Mike Figgis.

Another Carlisle star, composer Adrian Johnston, is included on the bill with films including Jude, starring Christopher Ecclestone and Kate Winslet.

The links continue with the film Stan and Ollie, in virtue of the connection with Ulverston's Stan Laurel, and The Story of Fleetwood Mac, a documentary about the band, whose songwriter Christine McVie was born in south Cumbria.

Ms Heys added the group already had a "huge" knowledge base about films with local links, but had to "dig a little deeper" speaking to locals, as well as searching online.

And while the bill spans all genres, from horror to family classics, the 10 volunteers had to put in some work to make the festival actually happen due to screening rights.

It became particularly difficult when it came to older films and more "obscure" titles, with many companies holding the rights having gone bust after the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Heys said volunteer Pat Farrell "essentially became a private detective" to follow up the leads.

"She's spoken to producers, emailed contacts all over the world trying to find out who bought that company and who had the distribution rights," she said.

With the schedule now announced, the volunteers are looking forward to seeing the audience learning about the Cumbrian links to each film.

Ms Heys added: "I'm personally very much looking forward to seeing 28 Days Later, because I did see it on the big screen when it first came out and I haven't seen it again since because scary films aren't generally my genre, but I did enjoy it the first time round."

The film festival takes place over a month from 19 July and tickets are available for individual films or for all the screenings.

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