In November, The Nottingham International Film Festival returns for its fourth year. We had a chat with the festival’s Director of Operations, Neil Jeram-Croft, to find out everything you need to know about the event…
What made you decide to set up the Nottingham International Film Festival?
Nottingham is an artistic city. It’s a really cool area for entertainment. It has a number of specialist film festivals, such as Mayhem for horror and sci-fi films, but there was nothing for a broader audience. So in the end, it was an obvious choice for hosting our festival, which has a wider focus.
NIFF uses Robin Hood as its logo. How important was the character in your decision to host a festival in Nottingham?
Very important. There is a long history of storytelling with Robin Hood, and the character has an iconic appeal both nationally and internationally.
Why did you decide to host the festival at the Contemporary?
We have hosted NIFF at different places in the past, but they didn’t always feel suitable. The Contemporary fits the vibe of the festival, it has an arty energy and was easily our main choice of venue.
NIFF is entering its fourth year in 2019. How do you feel that the festival has progressed over that time?
The festival has been very successful so far, and continues to expand year-on-year. We now have a core audience who attend every year, but we are always seeing new faces. There has been a steady growth in the number of visitors since the beginning, and we see no reason why we can’t keep growing in the future.
What can people expect from NIFF?
This is a film festival for all audiences. There is a massive variety of films. From sports documentaries to comedy crime dramas, there is something for everyone. We kept the prices as low as we could to make the event accessible for as many people as possible.
We expect lots of filmmakers to attend. There will be Q&As and plenty of opportunities to meet the people behind the films.
Which countries are involved?
We have representation from all over the world. There are feature films from France, documentaries from Australia and the United States and short films from absolutely everywhere! There are too many places to name - it really is an international event.
Are there any particular films people have to see?
The festival’s opening film, Le Champion, is an incredible documentary. It is a must-see for sports fans, but also for the general public as it investigates a lot of important social issues. Beating Heart won Best Director at the Manchester International Film Festival. It is a powerful feature film that is really important because of the yellow vests movement that has taken place in France. I would also recommend people see at least one short film - there are plenty to choose from!
Nottingham International Film Festival, Friday 15 - Sunday 17 November at the Nottingham Contemporary. Individual tickets start from £5, with full festival passes available for £35.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
