NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES - YOU CAN THANK EDNA MODE FOR THAT

Our autumn programming springs into action with a screening of beloved superhero adventure The Incredibles, which turns 21 this year(!!!). The Oscar-winning film, which sees Mr Incredible struggling to adapt to his civilian identity years after he was forced to hang up his costume (no capes, darling!), is a hilarious and heartwarming misadventure that’s perfect for the whole family.

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LOCALLY MADE, WITH GLOBAL IMPORTANCE

We’re thrilled to announce our screening of David Attenborough’s stunning documentary, screened with kind permission from the World Wildlife Fund. This powerful film was created by award-winning Bristol-based production company Silverback Films, and we’ll be joined by one of the film’s directors, Jonnie Hughes, along with other key members of the creative team, for a fascinating ‘making-of’ talk with Q&A session. Join us for this very special screening of one of the most important documentaries of the century so far, and hear from some of the local talent behind its creation - it’s not to be missed!

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DON LOGAN WANTS YOU TO WATCH THIS FILM. IS IT A YES OR A YES?

As the summer comes to a close, we’re turning up the heat with a 25th anniversary screening of the cult crime classic Sexy Beast. Jonathan Glazer’s tale of a safe-cracker forced out of retirement is full of shocks, thrills, pitch-dark comedy, and Ben Kingsley’s scariest turn as a psychotic mob boss. In honour of the film’s iconic opening scenes on the Costa del Sol - and to toast the end of summer - we’ll be pairing it with a tasting of Spanish wines.

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The blood-and-sandals blockbuster gets two thumbs up from us

Join us as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator with a wine and pasta night fit for an emperor! This special Vintage Screening will be serving up six Italian wines to taste alongside the film, as well as a meal during the interval courtesy of Toff’s Pasta. It promises to be an epic evening.

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The Cool Runnings of the wine tasting world

We’re delighted to present a very special Vintage Screening for our partners, Red Carpet Club members and select supporters this June. Blind Ambition is the incredible true story of four Zimbabwean refugees in South Africa who became top sommeliers and took on the World Blind Wine Tasting Championships as the first ever Team Zimbabwe in the competition’s history… Not only will you be tasting four gorgeous South African wines alongside this uplifting and heartwarming documentary, but one of them is produced by the film’s very own Joseph Dhafana, so you’ll be enjoying a truly authentic taste of the wine from the film!

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Join us for a celebration of innovation at Aerospace Bristol

Due to huge demand in February, we’re back for another screening of The Italian Job! Released in the same year as Concorde’s maiden flight, it helped make the Mini Cooper an international star, and remains a cornerstone of British pop culture. Expect an evening celebrating innovation and icons as we take you back to the 60s for an evening of comic capers and high-octane car chases!

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ROUND UP THE USUAL SUSPECTS FOR THIS SLICK AND TWISTING CRIME THRILLER

Our October Vintage Screenings start with a bang on 10th October with a 30th anniversary screening of The Usual Suspects. This compelling crime thriller is packed with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last minute - and to honour that, we’ll be doing the same with another blind tasting evening, giving you subtle clues to help you pick the odd wine out before the evening is up…!

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A PIONEERING ANTHOLOGY OF CHILLING TALES FROM A BELOVED BRITISH STUDIO

Our October Vintage Screenings continue with a chilling warm-up (or perhaps chill-down?) for Halloween, Dead Of Night. One of Ealing Studios’ rare horror outputs and helping to set the tone for British horror for the rest of the century, this anthology of eerie tales turns 80 in 2025. We’ll be pairing it with a wine flight inspired by some of the stories that it tells, in a spine-tingling celebration of the macabre.

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THERE’S BEEN A GRAVE MISUNDERSTANDING IN THIS HEARTWARMING TALE OF LOVE BEYOND DEATH

We’re returning to Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol’s very own necropolis, for the start of our Halloween Season 2025. We’re hosting a triple bill celebrating acclaimed filmmaker Tim Burton, starting with a 20th anniversary screening of Corpse Bride. Burton’s directorial stop-motion debut is delightfully eerie, packed with dry wit and dark whimsy, and surprisingly poignant. The titular bride’s story of love transcending even death will warm even the coldest of hearts as the nights begin to draw in this autumn…

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“THE NAME IN LAUGHTER FROM THE HEREAFTER”

We’re continuing our evening at Arnos Vale celebrating the work of Tim Burton with a screening of the riotous Oscar-winning comedy-horror Beetlejuice. Packed with outrageous characters, unforgettable visuals, and Burton’s signature style, it's the perfect blend of spooky fun and mischievous mayhem - and with a third film in the pipeline, this Halloween is the perfect time to discover the original’s charms, or summon the titular ghoul-for-hire for another viewing!

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HEADS WILL ROLL WHEN THIS HORRIFYING HORSEMAN COMES HOME TO HAUNT

We’re concluding our evening celebrating Tim Burton’s filmography at Arnos Vale this October with a screening of the haunting folk horror Sleepy Hollow, Burton’s chilling reimagining of Washington Irving’s short story. With echoes of classic Hammer Horror, as the titular town’s inhabitants are terrorised by a headless horseman, this stylishly sinister tale will chill you to the core, and have you looking over your shoulder once the credits roll and you step back out into the October gloom…

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THESE WITCHES HAVE HAD 300 YEARS TO BREW UP THEIR NEXT NEFARIOUS SCHEME

Our programme at Arnos Vale this October continues with a firm festival favourite, the wonderfully witchy Hocus Pocus. The ghoulish Sanderson sisters have been bewitching fans of all ages for more than 30 years (we know, sorry!) - so to celebrate the start of our 2025 Halloween season, why not reacquaint yourselves with these Salem legends? Hold onto your broomsticks and embrace the wickedly wacky witchery (enough witch references - Ed.) in the comedy-horror that’ll take you back to the 1990s - and the 1690s too…!

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DOROTHY’S IN FOR A WHEELIE BAD SHOCK IN THIS DARKER SPIN ON THE WORLD OF OZ

This October, we invite you to step back into the twisted, magical world of Oz with a 40th anniversary screening of Return to Oz. This spiritual sequel to the original film delves deeper into L. Frank Baum’s stories to present a darker, wilder journey beyond the yellow brick road. Join us this cult classic where Tik-Tok ticks (not the app!), Wheelers creep, and Dorothy faces her strangest adventure yet. We know that some of our Gen X audience still have their nightmares haunted by the spookier moments in this warped fantasy, so whether you’re discovering this strange chapter for the first time or facing up to your childhood cinema-based trauma, we’re ready to welcome you back to Oz…!

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THEY WENT IN SEARCH OF A LEGEND - AND BECAME PART OF IT

Our 2025 programme at Arnos Vale Cemetery concludes with a late evening showing of the infamous cult classic, The Blair Witch Project. With its ‘found footage’ styling and a marketing campaign so effective that it blurred the lines between reality and fiction, the film has created a horror legacy - but the original film is still a masterclass of tension, relying on psychological slow burn scares - and demonstrating how it’s our imagination that can produce the most unimaginable horrors of all…

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**PLEASE STAND BY FOR THIS IMPORTANT TRANSMISSION FROM MOTHER**

Attention! You’ve been awoken from deep internet browsing mode by a distress beacon. It appears to be coming from a spherical structure in the city centre. Your mission is to investigate this beacon, enter the structure, watch the video feed being broadcast within, and report back to the Nostromo. What could possibly go wrong…? [EXTRA SCREENING ADDED DUE TO DEMAND]

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HOLD ON TIGHT, SPIDER MONKEYS: IT’S THE TWILIGHT SCREENING YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE YOUR HOT TOPIC ERA

We’re heading back to The Station this Halloween season for a truly 21st Century cult phenomenon… We’re dedicating a Friday night throwback screening to the original Twilight in all of its glory, and make this a night to remember for all of you Twihards. Whether you professed to enjoying it ironically, or were 100% committed to the saga’s Team Edward v Team Jacob debate*, we want you to relive some proper 00s pop culture nostalgia! We’ll bring the pop-up bar, thumping emo soundtrack, prizes for best fancy dress and terrible vampire puns - you bring your peak millennial energy, and we’ll all leave worrying about being cool at home for the night…

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IS HOLLOW MAN THE SCARIEST INVISIBLE MAN FILM? SEE FOR YOURSELF…

Our double bill of futuristic frightfests from 2000 concludes with Paul Verhoeven’s thriller Hollow Man, which features Kevin Bacon as you’ve, erm, never seen him before, fulfilling the mad scientist role as the creator of an invisibility drug who can’t handle the consequences of his creation, with murderous results for his peers…

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**PLEASE STAND BY FOR THIS IMPORTANT TRANSMISSION FROM MOTHER**

Attention! You’ve been awoken from deep internet browsing mode by a distress beacon. It appears to be coming from a spherical structure in the city centre. Your mission is to investigate this beacon, enter the structure, watch the video feed being broadcast within, and report back to the Nostromo. What could possibly go wrong…?

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“GO TO WIPER & TRUE, HAVE A NICE COLD PINT, AND WAIT FOR ALL THIS TO BLOW OVER…”

We’ve got two Halloween-themed screenings coming to Wiper & True this October, starting with the ‘rom-zom-com’ Shaun Of The Dead. Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright’s first feature film collaboration is a loving parody tribute to George A. Romero and the zombie genre, whilst standing on its own two shuffling feet as a bloody entertaining comedy-horror - and since the protagonists’ plan involves holing up in their local pub, where better to screen it this Halloween than a brewery…? Ticket includes a free welcome pint from their draught range upon arrival, including delicious alcohol-free versions of their flagship beers.

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CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF A DARK & DANGEROUS DESCENT INTO THE UNDERBELLY OF THE PARIS OPERA HOUSE

We’re returning to St Mary Redcliffe during our 2025 Halloween season for a special centenary screening of The Phantom Of The Opera, featuring a career-defining performance from Lon Chaney as the Phantom and one of cinema’s earliest and most infamous jump scares… This remarkable film will be set to an original score performed live by Bristol-based quartet Minima - their score for this seminal film is an event not to be missed!

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IN THIS CHILLING CLASSIC, MAN IS THE WARMEST PLACE TO HIDE

We’re starting Horror In The Caves a night early in 2025 after last year’s demand, so what better way to strike a chill into the atmosphere than by starting with John Carpenter’s ice-cold shapeshifting body horror The Thing? Maligned on release but now rightfully recognised as one of the greatest horror films ever made, its fiendishly simple premise and stomach-turning SFX ensure that it’s not lost any of its punch over four decades on…

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THIS CULT COMEDY WITH BITE SHOWS THE LIGHTER SIDE OF VAMPIRE (UN)LIVING

We’re starting off a trio of Halloween-themed Vintage Screenings with an annual Halloween screening of one of our favourites. If the thought of heart-pounding horror leaves you feeling faint, then What We Do In The Shadows is the film for you! This hilarious Taika Waititi-helmed mockumentary explores the funnier side of vampires with bloody aplomb. We’ll be pairing it with some delicious New Zealand wines in homage to the film’s Wellington setting.

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THE ULTIMATE SUBTERRANEAN HORROR, SCREENED IN A CAVE. NEED WE SAY MORE?

As regulars will know, every year we screen the finest ‘subterranean nightmare’ film The Descent for Horror In The Caves, and since it’s turning 20, we’re screening it twice this year! Tickets always go fast for this, but watching it in the Caves is a truly immersive, and terrifying, experience, and possibly unsuitable for anyone with severe claustrophobia. It’s the ultimate way to experience Horror In The Caves – but you have been warned!

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FANGS FOR THE MEMORIES, CHRISTOPHER LEE

Our trio of Halloween-themed Vintage Screenings continue with one of the finest Dracula adaptations ever to grace the silver screen - it’s the original Hammer Horror production starring Christopher Lee as the eponymous creature of darkness, and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. Grisly and Gothic, it’s still shocking and sinister; mercifully, we’ll be pairing it with some suitably rich, bold wines for you to sink your teeth into.

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THIS OSCAR-WINNING BODY HORROR SENSATION WILL HAVE YOU CRAWLING OUT OF YOUR SKIN

With special permission, we’re thrilled to present a screening of The Substance. Coralie Fargeat’s Oscar-winning sophomore is a jaw-dropping amalgamation of body horror, scathing social commentary and vicious satire, with Demi Moore giving the performance of her career as a celebrity willing to do anything to restore her youth and her career, with consequences that will have you watching between your fingers…!

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A SORRY TALE OF BRIDE & PREJUDICE IN THIS VINTAGE GOTHIC HORROR MASTERPIECE

Our Matinee Screenings return to the Caves on Saturday and Sunday mornings – these screenings, starting at just £10 a ticket, showcase vintage films from the horror vault. For Saturday’s Matinee Screening, we’re celebrating the 80th anniversary of Bride Of Frankenstein. Elsa Lanchester appears as the eponymous bride opposite Boris Karloff as the original monster in this shocking sequel to the 1931 adaptation. It’s one of the all-time great sequels and still a cornerstone of the genre.

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CAN YOU LEARN TO DANCE THE MAGIC DANCE BEFORE THE CLOCK STRIKES THIRTEEN?

Fancy something a little lighter in the Caves this Halloween? In what has become Redcliffe Caves tradition, watch Jim Henson’s magical musical adventure Labyrinth at Redcliffe Caves. Step into Bristol’s very own subterranean labyrinth, get ready to dance the magic dance, and follow Sarah deep into the Goblin King’s realm where nothing can be taken at face value…

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CHARLEY BREWSTER DEALS WITH THE NEIGHBOUR FROM HELL IN THIS COMEDY-HORROR GEM

As we move into Saturday evening at Horror In The Caves, we’re resurrecting Fright Night for a 40th anniversary screening. This comedy-horror about a vampire next door inspired a sequel, remakes, comic books, novels, a video game, a stage adaptation, and there’s even a rumoured prequel in the pipeline - but it doesn’t get better than the original, with its chills, thrills, and affectionate homage to the glory days of vintage horror crossed with 80s pop culture. One worth sinking your teeth into!

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YOU'LL NEVER LISTEN TO HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS IN THE SAME WAY AGAIN

Our trio of Halloween-themed Vintage Screenings concludes with a 25th anniversary screening of one of the most controversial films ever made, American Psycho. Christian Bale is both truly terrifying and bleakly hilarious as the murderous yuppie Patrick Bateman, and director Mary Hannon expertly tempers the source novel’s shocking content to bring the satire to the surface. Naturally, we’ll be pairing it with an all-American wine tasting and 80s tunes on blast…

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HERBERT HAS A GOOD HEAD ON HIS SHOULDERS - AND ANOTHER ON HIS DESK

We’re celebrating another 40th birthday on Saturday evening at Horror In The Caves: it’s the notorious Re-Animator! Stuart Gordon’s infamous adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s short story is one of the bloodiest mad scientist stories out there, as two medical students create a literally death-defying serum with horrific consequences. We’re presenting a restoration of the original unrated cut; it’s both genuinely scary and genuinely funny, for those with a warped sense of humour and a stomach for gore…

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ONE OF CINEMA’S SCARIEST VILLAINS TURNS 70 THIS OCTOBER IN THIS VINTAGE THRILLER FROM THE VAULT

For Sunday’s Matinee Screening at Horror In The Caves 2025, we’re celebrating the 70th anniversary of The Night Of The Hunter. Widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, one-time director Charles Laughton didn’t live long enough to see his work become recognised as a classic - but Robert Mitchum’s nightmarish turn as a murderous “preacher” remains one of the enduring villains of the genre.

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THE FILM THAT DID FOR FLYING WHAT JAWS DID FOR SWIMMING

Sunday afternoon at Horror In The Caves 2025 takes us back a quarter of a century to the original Final Destination. The franchise is still box office gold, but the very first film expertly sets up the fiendishly stressful premise of Death itself hunting down a group of friends who literally cheat it when they narrowly avoid a plane crash. The Rube Goldberg-style machinations of seemingly ordinary objects creating deathtraps will have you on the edge of your seat!

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THEY CAN’T SEE YOU, BUT THEY CAN HEAR YOU, AND THEY CAN HURT YOU

Whisper it - A Quiet Place is coming to Redcliffe Caves on Sunday afternoon… John Krasinski’s Oscar-nominated thriller will have you wincing at every pin drop as sound-sensitive monsters stalk a young family in a scenario where silence is the key to survival. Remind yourself of that mantra when you’re stifling a scream…!

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THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS IN THIS LEGAL DRAMA CROSSED WITH SUPERNATURAL SCAREFEST

As Sunday evening draws in at Redcliffe Caves, we’re presenting a 20th anniversary screening of the possession chiller The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. Part courtroom drama and part demonic nightmare, this eerie film is all the creepier knowing it’s inspired by real-life events - and Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter, Quarantine) is ghoulishly hypnotic as Emily Rose, channeling dark forces in an award-winning and incredibly physical performance that has to be seen to be believed!

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THE ULTIMATE SUBTERRANEAN HORROR, SCREENED IN A CAVE. NEED WE SAY MORE?

As regulars will know, every year we screen the finest ‘subterranean nightmare’ film The Descent for Horror In The Caves, and since it’s turning 20, we’re screening it twice this year! Tickets always go fast for this, but watching it in the Caves is a truly immersive, and terrifying, experience, and possibly unsuitable for anyone with severe claustrophobia. It’s the ultimate way to experience Horror In The Caves – but you have been warned!

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TRAVERSING THE MOORS AFTER DARK IS A HOWLING ERROR IN THIS CULT COMEDY-HORROR

We’ve got two Halloween-themed screenings coming to Wiper & True this October, concluding with the infamous comedy-horror An American Werewolf In London. With its groundbreaking special effects (including a truly grisly transformation scene!) and dry humour blended with wildly entertaining scares, it’s a genre-bending cult masterpiece - and we guarantee you a friendlier welcome to Wiper & True than the locals at The Slaughtered Lamb… Ticket includes a free welcome pint from their draught range upon arrival, including delicious alcohol-free versions of their flagship beers.

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IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY, YOU’RE IN FOR A GRIM SURPRISE…

As the countdown to Halloween continues, we look forward to welcoming you to one of Bristol’s most dramatic venues – the stunning Mount Without! For our 2025 Halloween season, we’re pleased to present a double bill of Robert Eggers’ films, starting with a 10th anniversary screening of The Witch. This harrowing folk horror explores the evils that lurk in the shadows, as well as the perils of religious fervour in a puritanical new world. The woods have never seemed so sinister…!

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ROBERT EGGERS REAWAKENS AN ANCIENT CINEMATIC EVIL IN THIS STYLISH, NERVE-WRACKING REMAKE

Our Halloween week double bill of Robert Eggers films at The Mount Without continues with the acclaimed director’s recent reimagination of Nosferatu, the grandfather of all vampire films. Eggers pays respectful homage to the original seminal silent spine-chiller whilst adding his own touches to this Gothic nightmare that feels like a fairy tale gone horribly, horribly wrong. It’s well worth a watch for all fans of the macabre - and this atmospheric venue makes for the ideal setting!

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"LAST NIGHT, I DREAMT I WENT TO MANDERLEY AGAIN..."

This November we’re presented a trio of Hitchcockian Vintage Screenings to mark some major anniversaries of some of his finest films. Our first screening is the haunting adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, which turns 85 this year. This was Hitchcock’s only film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, and it’s a glorious Gothic psychological thriller. We’ll be pairing it with some suitably Gothic wines inspired by the film’s character and characters…

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THIS CULT COMEDY WITH BITE SHOWS THE LIGHTER SIDE OF VAMPIRE (UN)LIVING

Due to massive demand in the run-up to Halloween, we’re keeping it spooky into November with an extra screening of one of the Festival’s favourite films. If the thought of heart-pounding horror leaves you feeling faint, then What We Do In The Shadows is the film for you! This hilarious Taika Waititi-helmed mockumentary explores the funnier side of vampires with bloody aplomb. We’ll be pairing it with some delicious New Zealand wines in homage to the film’s Wellington setting.

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ARMANDO IANNUCCI PRESENTS A COMEDY OF TERRORS IN THIS SOVIET SATIRE

Our final screening of 2025 at Wiper & True is Armando Iannucci’s wickedly biting satire on Soviet-era political subterfuge, The Death Of Stalin. An ensemble cast mixing top British talent with Hollywood names, a razor-sharp script and an unflinching look at the absurdities of power running unchecked all make this one of Iannucci’s most vital - and most entertaining - works to date. Ticket includes a free welcome pint from their draught range upon arrival, including delicious alcohol-free versions of their flagship beers.

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CONSTANCE'S WHIRLWIND ROMANCE COULD PROVE TO BE HEART-STOPPING

This November we’re presented a trio of Hitchcockian Vintage Screenings to mark some major anniversaries of some of his finest films. Our second screening is Spellbound, which turns 80 this year; this brooding psychological thriller sees Ingrid Bergman face off against Gregory Peck, a man who isn’t who he seems and can’t be sure of who he’s supposed to be… We’ll be pairing it with wines that each have a Hitchcockian twist to them that make them unusual in their respective categories… Intrigued? We hope so!

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A HITCHCOCKIAN TWIST ON OUR VINTAGE SCREENING FORMAT MAY INVOLVE A WEE DRAM OR FOUR...

Our trio of Hitchcock Vintage Screenings in November concludes with a 90th anniversary screening of the espionage thriller The 39 Steps. Showing just in time for St Andrew's Day, you can choose either a wine tasting or opt for a Scotch whisky tasting flight in honour of both the seminal film's setting and patron saint. Slainté!

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WHAT GOES UP DOESN’T ALWAYS COME DOWN…

With kind permission from Hammer Films, we’re thrilled to bring a 70th anniversary screening of The Quatermass Xperiment to the Planetarium this November. Based on the BBC serial, this chilling story of extraterrestrial threat and body horror was a major influence on cult director John Carpenter, and this digitally restored print will be a treat on the big screen once more for all fans of sci-fi and vintage horror!

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IF YOU LIKED BRAZIL, THEN YOU NEED TO WATCH GILLIAM’S DARKEST FILM TO DATE

We’re celebrating another milestone of dystopian sci-fi this November with a 30th anniversary screening of Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys. It’s a mind-bending time-travel misadventure featuring Bruce Willis as the convict trying to save humanity from its own fate, plus Brad Pitt in an Oscar-nominated, memorable turn as a psychiatric inmate.

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100,000DM MISSING. 20 MINUTES LEFT. 1 DETERMINED GIRLFRIEND ON THE CASE

As part of a double bill of dystopian international cinema, we’re thrilled to presenting the mind-bending and heart-pounding action thriller Run Lola Run. Tom Twyker’s tale of one woman’s race to save her boyfriend from peril is a breakneck work of experimental film that wrings out every second of its 80 minute runtime - like Lola, you’ll be struggling to catch your breath!

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A DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARE THAT’S AS INFLUENTIAL AS IT IS CONTROVERSIAL

As part of a double bill of dystopian international cinema, Battle Royale is coming to the Planetarium for a 25th anniversary screening. This controversial Japanese film about schoolkids forced to fight to the death by a totalitarian regime has influenced Tarantino, The Hunger Games, Squid Game and much, much more - it’s still a shocking and exhilarating watch, with satire, action, pathos et al for those who can stomach it!

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THE HILLS ARE ALIVE AND BACK ON THE BIG SCREEN ONCE MORE THIS DECEMBER

We’re delighted to present our first ever screening of the musical sensation, The Sound Of Music, this December, to coincide with its 60th anniversary! Join us to celebrate the Oscar-winning classic, following Maria, the Von Trapp family and their remarkable story through a songbook of timeless classics. The film will be introduced by Festival Director Owen Franklin, and there will also be a very special live medley performed by our friends at BLOC Productions, Bristol’s premiere musical theatre club. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or rewatching it for the fiftieth time, experiencing this heartwarming favourite on the big screen is a magical way to start the festive season.

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GIVE YOUR HEART TO THIS QUIRKY FESTIVE ROMCOM

Our festive Vintage Screenings begin with a modern twist on the Christmas romcom - it’s Last Christmas! Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding star in this charming and poignant story of a wannabe singer stuck in a job as a “year-round elf” who forms an unorthodox relationship with a charming stranger. Since the film is inspired by the music of the late, great George Michael, we’ll be taking the same cue and pairing it with wines loosely inspired by some of his greatest hits (yes, really…!). It’s the perfect winter warmup.

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THE KAIJU ARE COMING: TIME TO GO BIG, OR GO EXTINCT

The epic monster-brawling showdown Pacific Rim screens at the Planetarium this December. Guillermo del Toro’s love letter to classic kaiju films is a spectacle for the big screen - with stunning action sequences, nostalgic nods to the giant movie monsters of old, and a big heart at its mechanical core - that will leave your inner child grinning from ear to ear.

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IN THIS HAUNTING SCI-FI THRILLER, OUR WORLD IS IN THEIR HANDS

As we move into December, we’re presenting a 20th anniversary screening of War Of The Worlds. Steven Spielberg masterfully adapts the seminal H.G. Wells novel for the 21st Century, bringing the scale of the alien invasion to life without losing sight of the existential dread of the source material. Harrowing and haunting, it’s another example of Spielberg’s proficiency in producing PG-13 horror (or 12-rated for us Brits!).

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THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS DOUBLE BILL COMES TO CLIFTON COLLEGE CHAPEL FOR A VERY SPECIAL MATINEE

In one of Bristol’s most beautiful venues, we’re presenting a very special double bill: Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman, screened back to back with The Snowman & The Snowdog. The Oscar-nominated original and its stunning sequel have entertained generations, and we’re delighted to be presenting them together for a matinee screening this December. We might not all be able to sing ‘Walking In The Air’ like Aled Jones, but rest assured that these films will make your spirits soar just as high!

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THERE’S MAGIC IN THE AIR IN THIS DEFINITIVE DICKENS ADAPTATION

Our screenings in Clifton College Chapel continue with one of the all-time great Dickens adaptations, The Muppet Christmas Carol. In addition to all of the usual ensemble cast of Kermit and friends, Michael Caine plays it straight as Ebenezer Scrooge, in a career highlight performance that underpins the trademark Muppet zaniness with real pathos that will warm even the sternest of hearts - and the setting within the Chapel will transport you back in time alongside the protagonists.

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THE TRAGIC PREQUEL TRILOGY CLOSER THAT SHOWCASES THE EPIC STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

Our final night at the Planetarium in 2025 begins with a 20th anniversary screening of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith. The final film of the prequel trilogy details Anakin Skywalker’s tragic turn to the Dark Side of the Force, and the origins of one of cinema’s all-time greatest villains… It’s a space opera spectacle for the ages!

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THERE ARE TIDINGS OF DISCOMFORT & JOY IN THIS BRILLIANT CHRISTMASTIME COMEDY-DRAMA

Where better to watch a film about being stuck in a boarding school over the Christmas holidays than, erm, a boarding school in the Christmas holidays? Clifton College Chapel and The Holdovers - is the perfect pairing! Featuring the an Oscar-winning performance from Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and a reunion between director Alexander Payne and star Paul Giamatti, who first worked together on another Festival favourite, Sideways. Funny, poignant and heartwarming, with a beautiful retro visual style, it’s an instant classic and surefire staple of the season.

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FEED YOUR INNER ELF THIS DECEMBER WITH THE PERENNIAL FESTIVE CLASSIC

Next up at Clifton College is Will Ferrell’s infectiously cheery outing as Buddy in Elf! With its anarchic humour, endearing wackiness and poignantly uplifting story, it’s small wonder that this has become one of THE films of the season. Watching it back on the big screen is a perfect way to prepare for the countdown to the 25th if you believe, like us, that it’s not truly Christmas until you’ve seen this film again…

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LOVE IS ALL AROUND IN THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS ROMCOM

We’re finishing our screenings at Clifton College with Richard Curtis’ beloved ensemble rom-com Love Actually, the heartwarming holiday film that weaves together stories of love, laughter, and a little Christmas magic. Whether it's your first time watching or a beloved tradition, this classic is the perfect way to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, so join us in reliving the moments that make this movie a seasonal favourite.

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UPGRADE YOUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DIE HARD VIEWING WITH A WINE TASTING - WELCOME TO THE PARTY, PAL!

Is it really Christmas until we’ve hosted a Die Hard Vintage Screening? As always per our Festival festive tradition, we’ll be showing the definitive Christmas film (not once, not twice, but thrice!) alongside a German versus American wine tasting that will have you exclaiming “Yippee-kay-yay”…

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ENJOY SEASONAL WINES WITH THE MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS FILM OF ALL TIME

We’re delighted to be showing It’s A Wonderful Life at Averys again this December. Wind down for the festive period with this timeless classic, as we pair it with some winter-ready wines that are ideal for accompanying a Christmas dinner – or a Christmas film screening!

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UPGRADE YOUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DIE HARD VIEWING WITH A WINE TASTING - WELCOME TO THE PARTY, PAL!

Is it really Christmas until we’ve hosted a Die Hard Vintage Screening? As always per our Festival festive tradition, we’ll be showing the definitive Christmas film (not once, not twice, but thrice!) alongside a German versus American wine tasting that will have you exclaiming “Yippee-kay-yay”…

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ENJOY SEASONAL WINES WITH THE MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS FILM OF ALL TIME

We’re delighted to be showing It’s A Wonderful Life at Averys again this December. Wind down for the festive period with this timeless classic, as we pair it with some winter-ready wines that are ideal for accompanying a Christmas dinner – or a Christmas film screening!

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“WE CAN LIVE LIKE JACK & SALLY, WE’LL HAVE HALLOWEEN ON CHRISTMAS…”

On our final day of screenings of 2025, we’ll be returning to The Mount Without for a screening of the macabre musical masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas. Join Jack Skellington and the inhabitants of Halloween Town for this beloved stop-motion misadventure from the mind of Tim Burton, with its unique, whimsically spooky spin on the festive season. It’s ideal Christmastime viewing for those who steer clear of saccharine sweetness in favour of something more offbeat, but still ultimately uplifting and heart-thawing…!

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UPGRADE YOUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DIE HARD VIEWING WITH A WINE TASTING - WELCOME TO THE PARTY, PAL!

Is it really Christmas until we’ve hosted a Die Hard Vintage Screening? As always per our Festival festive tradition, we’ll be showing the definitive Christmas film (not once, not twice, but thrice!) alongside a German versus American wine tasting that will have you exclaiming “Yippee-kay-yay”…

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THE FESTIVE FAMILY COMEDY (WITHOUT KEVIN’S FAMILY) CONCLUDES OUR 2025 PROGRAMME

We’ll be concluding our evening at The Mount Without - and our December screenings - with the madcap misadventure Home Alone. John Hughes’ delightfully mischievous film made a household name out of Macauley Culkin, and its wince-inducing booby trap sequences remain a staple of the festive film-watching tradition - so if you’re looking for something to get you out of the house and into the Christmas spirit, join us for our final 2025 film night (just don’t forget any family members en route…)!

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