NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

words: TRYSTAN KENT

The Newport International Film Festival returns this year to showcase four independent Welsh films – two of which are from the Newport Film School – as well as an extensive programme of inventive shorts over an eclectic day of film at the Riverfront, Newport, on Sat 17 Nov.

Bringing together and inspiring the independent makers and lovers of film in South Wales, tickets can be bought for individual feature screenings, the shorts programme, or indeed all the films across the day with the all day pass for those who don’t want to miss a thing. The feature-length films this year include Jackals, a heated tale of criminal revenge and retribution; Hated, a dark exploration of the human desire for fame set in the politically-incensed musical underground of post-9/11 New York; The Sky In Bloom, a crime thriller in the vein of contemporary South Korean cinema set in the illicit world of human trafficking, and Before Dawn, a reimagining of the zombie-horror genre centred around a couple retreating to a remote countryside cottage to save their relationship. An evening awards ceremony will then see awards for best actor, actress, cinematography and feature film as decided by a panel of judges who will have seen all four films during the day.

Newport International Film Festival, Sat 17 Nov. Tickets: £5-£18. Info: www.newport.gov.uk/theRiverfront