"Film remains completely mystical and mysterious to me" - Nic Roeg (1947 - 2018)

Explore the invention, innovation and mystery of cinema at the 4th edition of Cinema Rediscovered (25 - 28 July 2019) which takes place in and near Bristol UNESCO City of Film. Enjoy the finest digital restorations, contemporary classics, film print rarities and discover some lesser known cinematic voices.

It’s a chance to experience great films from across the globe in the immersive, communal environment of the cinema at venues including Watershed and Clevedon’s Curzon Cinema & Arts.

Early Bird Passes are now on sale, enabling you to make the most of Cinema Rediscovered festival at a much reduced price (available until Mon 15 April 2019.) All Festival Pass Holders will receive a FREE three months trial from curated online film streaming platform MUBI.

You can expect a friendly and lively atmosphere where you can share your enthusiasm for film and find plenty of opportunities to get involved, from networking with leading figures in cinema to getting your hands on a 35mm projector or joining in a cinema walk. It’s the perfect excuse for a city break with a cinematic twist.

Festival Founder and co-curator Mark Cosgrove comments:

Film is not only about the latest release currently showing in your local cinema. It has a rich history which comes alive when you can experience it back on the big screen with an audience - especially a passionate, enthusiastic one. Now in its fourth edition, we can assure you of the joys of rediscovering film back in its natural environment at Cinema Rediscovered.

Watch this space for lots more programme updates coming soon, but for now, here’s a few appetisers...

We’re delighted to announce that film critic Simran Hans will open the festival on Thu 25 July, delivering the 2019 Philip French Memorial Lecture presented in partnership with Bristol Festival of Ideas and The Observer. Simran Hans - film critic for the Observer amongst others - has worked tirelessly as both a critic and a programmer and has, as a result, a wealth of understanding of the pressures facing film criticism and the wider industry.

As the landscape for film criticism continues to evolve, so too do questions around platforms and approaches, a central theme for the festival and the focus of our expanded Film Critics’ Workshop, bringing together established, aspiring and early career film critics to reflect on film criticism, both now and in the future.

We will also screen the early influential films of the late Nic Roeg - from identity morphing in Performance (1970) to family tragedy in Eureka (1983) - in a tribute to the groundbreaking filmmaker. His re-invention of cinematic time and space has had a profound effect and influence on a new generation of filmmakers which will be explored during the festival.

Co-curator and co-ordinator for the Film Critics’ Workshop Tara Judah comments:

Critically engaging with the mystery of film is more urgent than ever before. Today, we find ourselves in an uncertain era where the future of such critical and expansive thinking - that the likes of Nicolas Roeg brought to life with new forms of cinematic space and time - are under threat. Looking to the future, with an eye on the past and with curiosity in our film-feathered caps, Cinema Rediscovered is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and explore that mystical beast we call film.

There’ll be plenty for you to explore. Get your Cinema Rediscovered Early Bird Pass now!

Cinema Rediscovered is presented by Watershed, South West Silents, 20th Century Flicks and Curzon Clevedon Cinema & Arts as part of Bristol UNESCO City of Film with support from the BFI awarding funds from The National Lottery and MUBI and partners including Bristol Festival of Ideas, Into Film, Cineteca Di Bologna, The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, Come The Revolution and Bristol Festivals.

Want to be the first to know when more of the Cinema Rediscovered programme is confirmed? Register your interest here.

---