The Harrogate film festival was a huge success with 16 events and hundreds of people in attendance across the eight venues.

Great British Life: Filmaking workshops at Harrogate Film FestivalFilmaking workshops at Harrogate Film Festival (Image: Archant)

3rd – 5th March 2017 marked the launch of the sponsor led festival where 23 local and national businesses came together to put on the festival for the local Harrogate community.

The experience screenings held were a huge success, inspired from similar London events. Attendants to the sold out 8:30pm screening of ‘Shaun of the Dead’ at Hales Bar said “We loved it”. Participants at Harrogate Council’s ‘Night at the Museum’ at the Royal Pump Room Museum said, “When are you doing more of this? It’s great fun”.

Sponsored by Raworths Solicitors and held at Everyman Cinema, the independent filmmaker’s competition was won by Pedro Nogueira with the Portuguese drama ‘Livre’. Pedro Nogueira said “This is something I never could imagine, I’m very grateful. I want to thank all the people and judges”. David Gilbert, based in Bradford, UK, won the Audience Choice Awards sponsored by Raworths, with his thriller film ‘Polterhiest’. Filmmakers from Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, United States and Canada also enjoyed success across the awards.

Great British Life: Characters at the Harrogate Film FestivalCharacters at the Harrogate Film Festival (Image: Archant)

Finally, the filmmaking workshop was a huge success, led by Rad Miller from Pocket Projects who also collaborates with Channel 4, taught local people how to plan, film and edit within a two-hour workshop where the participants, working in groups, finished with three complete films.

Emelia Spofforth-Jones, Private Hire Manager at Everyman Cinemas described the festival as “A superb film festival that celebrates Harrogate as a film centre of the UK”.

Adam Chandler, Director of the festival said: “The first film festival went down extremely well with our audiences. I’m delighted to have an event in the town with so much innovation, diversity and audience reach. There truly was something for everyone and I can’t wait to announce our events for 2018 later this year.

Harrogate Film Festival returns 2 - 4 March 2018.