Over 11 days, from April 19 to 29, the National Media Museum will play host to the 18th Bradford International Film Festival.

In partnership with Virgin Media for the first time, the festival celebrates all things cinematic, from a short film made on a micro budget, to 3D IMAX and widescreen epics screened in glorious Cinerama.

As well as UK and international feature premieres and cult classics, the festival will feature internationally-renowned guests, tributes, themed programmes, industry events, documentaries and family features.

Nearly 200 films and events, from UK premieres to a free city centre busking session by movie critic Mark Kermode, will take place during the festival.

Over the years BIFF guests have included Sir Richard Attenborough, Virginia McKenna, Ken Loach, Claire Bloom, Alan Bennett, Jean Simmons, John Hurt, Jenny Agutter, and this year the festival pays tribute to the careers of Ray Winstone, Barbara Windsor and director Olivier Assayas.

Other highlights include a tribute to animation giant Chuck Jones, the man behind cartoon classics such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, and a 60th anniversary cele-bration of Widescreen Cinerama; a Filmmakers Weekend featuring panels, workshops and masterclasses with special industry guests offering insider knowledge; and a New European Feature Award, supported by the University of Bradford, recognising new talent and providing a platform for films which as yet don’t have UK distribution deals.

This is the first festival programmed by co-directors Tom Vincent and Neil Young.

Says Neil: “It’s nearly three years since the United Nations’ cultural wing Unesco named Bradford the world’s very first City Of Film, noting that ‘having been the birthplace of a range of international film talent, the city now plays host to one of the most diverse film festival programmes in Europe’.

The team behind the 18th Bradford International Film Festival (BIFF for short), presented in partnership with our new title-sponsor Virgin Media, have put together 11 packed days of big-screen offerings and an eclectic array of ‘extra-curricular’ activities – in the National Media Museum plus our other venues across the city and beyond.

“Fans of the hugely popular BBC 5Live Film Review Show will have the chance to hear critic Mark Kermode busking with his fellow skiffle-meisters The Dodge Brothers in Centenary Square before they join pianist extraordinaire Neil Brand on stage in Pictureville. Mark then has a few minutes to catch his breath before he interviews the ‘Daddy’ himself, Ray Winstone. It’s a hectic schedule, but we’re sure Mark will cope! “And that’s what film festivals are all about: cramming as much in as possible, dashing from screen to screen, comparing notes and opinions with your fellow festival-goers before the lights go down and the next adventure in cinema begins.”

  • Bradford International Film Festival runs from April 19 to 29. For more information and tickets ring 0844 8563797 or visit national mediamuseum.org.