FThe Purbeck Film Festival is set to open spanning over 30 venues across Dorset including churches, village halls and a museum.
This year, Academy Award-winning director Sir Sam Mendes joins as its newest patron. Mendes said he was “delighted” to support the event.
Highlights include appearances from the Fox acting family, a Q&A with director Dan Pringle and actor Laurent Lucas following Die Before You Die at Durlston Castle, and a special screening of War Paint: Women At War with director Margy Kinmonth in attendance.
Featuring over 90 films and and documentaries from all over the world it runs from 17 October -2 November.
Festival chair Andrea Etherington said Mendes’ involvement was “a great honour,” adding his support was “especially meaningful as the festival continues to thrive”.
A screening of the acclaimed film, The Servant, starring James Fox alongside Dirk Bogarde will be shown following a discussion and Q&A with four members of the Fox family, Freddie, Edward, James and Joanna David at The Mowlem Theatre, Swanage.
Die Before You Die director Dan Pringle and French actor Laurent Lucas will take part in a question and answer session after the film set in Dorset is shown in the grounds of Durlston Castle in Dorset.
At the showing of the documentary War Paint: Women At War director Margy Kinmonth will be a special guest at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum in Bournemouth.
The festival ends on Sunday 2 November with The Purbeck Short Film Competition which has seen over 2,000 entrants.
A selected shortlist will be screened in full before a panel of judges. The judges and audience members then get to vote for their favourite films of the night.
