Cine International Film Festival
9th - 11th Sep 2026
CIFF PROGRAMME
2026
Wednesday 9th Sep
SHORTS - Opening Day
Part 1
13:00 - 15:00
NOIR, Dir. Charlene Wango
GERONTO, Dir. Mark Pluck
SOUL BIRD, Dir. Tobias Kampmann
FUNERAL CAR, Dir. Sam Gannie
EAST SEVENTEEN, Dir. Ella Taylor Bliss
THE PEARL COMB, Dir. Ali Cook
FAR FROM THE PLAINS, Dir. Luigi Sibona
SHORTS - Opening Day
Part 2
15:30 - 16:30
MY HAIR, Dir. Alison Loeb, Sam Guncler
THE INTIMACY CO-ORDINATOR, Dir. Louisa Connolly-Burnham
8:47, Dir. Myrto Makrides
DOWN THE LENGTH, Dir. Milo Edwards
Opening Panel and Press
Arrive 16:30
Panel 17:00- 18:00
The future of independent film making.
Q&A
Panel lead by:
Kirsty Bell
Award-winning filmmaker and Founder & CEO of Goldfinch, and co- founder of Dreamtown. Kirsty Bell is an acclaimed producer and director known for championing emerging talent, international collaboration and innovative storytelling across film, television and the creative industries.
Ben Charles Edwards
An award-winning British filmmaker and co-founder of Dreamtown Entertainment and CIFF. Renowned for his distinctive voice across independent cinema and elevated genre storytelling, he has written and directed internationally recognised features while championing bold British filmmaking and the next generation of creative talent.
Phil McKenzie
An award-winning British Executive producer and CEO & co-founder of Goldfinch and Dreamtown. With extensive experience spanning film finance, production and business strategy, Phil has helped bring an acclaimed and diverse slate of independent films to audiences worldwide while championing ambitious filmmakers, emerging talent and bold original storytelling.
Angel Constantinou
Angel is a British screenwriter, script consultant and songwriter of Greek and Egyptian heritage. Her award-winning short film Boy, streaming on Apple TV, explores youth mental health through rhyming verse. With two decades of experience across music and performance, her storytelling combines rhythm, emotion and striking imagery. She is currently developing Lady, a musical reimagining of Cinderella, and 8:47, a supernatural thriller exploring guilt, brotherhood and the possibility of changing the past.
Opening Gala
Don't Forget Me:
Eddie Cochran
9th Sep. 18:15 Vue Piccadilly
Dir. Kirsty Bell
US & UK, 98 min
Eng
The first official documentary on rock 'n' roll pioneer Eddie Cochran, made with the Cochran estate. Featuring rare archive footage and testimony from music icons, it charts his meteoric rise, untimely death at 21, and lasting legacy.
Thursday 10th Sep
Shorts - World Edition & Commonwealth
Arrival 10:00
Screening 10:30 - 12:30
BREAKS, Dir. Christina Yianni
SNIPPED, Dir. Alexander Saul
REMEMBER MY NAME, Dir. Sascha Kempinski, Kirsten Skytte
Rosh, Dir. Haris Buzdar
MY FRIEND SONGZHI, Dir. Xia Fan
KILN, Dir. Sanee Raval
RUN OUTS, Dir. Dhillon Shukla
VOYAGE OF THE HANDALA, Dir.
Jim Koenigsaecker, Tom Hayes
WHAT IS COMMON ABOUT THE WEALTH?, Dir. Curmiah Lisette
Commonwealth Panel
Arrival 13:00
Panel 13:30 - 14:30
This discussion explores how the Commonwealth's creative industries can drive cultural exchange, economic growth and international collaboration. Bringing together leaders from the Commonwealth Foundation. The panel will examine the opportunities, challenges and future of storytelling and the creative economy across the Commonwealth.
Speakers:
Razmi Farook
Director-General, Commonwealth Foundation
Razmi Farook leads the Commonwealth Foundation, championing the role of culture, creativity and civil society in strengthening democracy, inclusion and sustainable development across the Commonwealth.
Emma D'Costa
Former Creative Programme Manager at the Commonwealth Foundation, having previously managed the Commonwealth Short Story Prize since its inception in 2012.
Janet Steel
Theatre Director and former Artistic Director of Kali Theatre Company for fifteen years. Janet was Programme Manager at the Commonwealth Foundation for five years and led the Pacific Shorts and Caribbean Shorts film initiatives.
Rae Wiltshire
Guyanese filmmaker, writer and arts organiser whose work explores identity, community and Caribbean experiences. An award-winning storyteller, he co-founded the Georgetown Film Festival and has screened his films internationally.
Kaleb D’Aguilar
Jamaican writer and director for screen and stage whose work primarily explores the personal and familial experiences of Black and Caribbean people at home and across the Diaspora.
The Hook
10th Sep. Arrival 16:00
Screening 16:30-18:08
Dir. Thomas David Beatty
United Kingdom, 98 min
Eng
A family band. 3 burnt out brothers, an undervalued sister, a cornucopia of addictions, oversized ego's, murderous resentments, delusions of grandeur, washed out morals and rapidly fading success culminates in a whirlwind dark comedy.
THE LAST ROOM IN HANOI Premiere
10th Sep. Arrival 18:15
Screening 18:45-20:09
Dir. Coz Greenop
United Kingdom, 84 min
Eng
The Last Room in Hanoi is a dark, romantic drama that delves into the depths of grief, love, and loss. Aron, a young, disillusioned writer, travels through Vietnam in search of inspiration after the death of his wife. Amidst the vibrant chaos of Hanoi, Aron begins to write his wife back into existence, desperately clinging to the memory of the woman he lost.
Friday 11th Sep
Shorts - LAUGHING IN THE DARK
Arrival 10:00
Screening 10:30 - 12:30
THE BIRTH OF A MALL GOTH, Dir. Samantha Locock
TRUCKLOAD, Dir. Aella Jordan-Edge
WHAT GOES AROUND, Dir. Edie Deffebach
CUT SHORT, Dir. Olz McCoy
ON THE TWELTH DAY OF FINDOM, Dir. Caitlin Black, Joanne Thomson
ONLY IN NYC, Dir. Nicky Arezu Akmal
WELL-BEING, Dir. Kevin McNally
A HAND TO HOLD, Dir. Philip Clyde-Smith
BACK CHAT, Dir. Joe Seligman
Alliotts Media Panel
Featuring Ian Gibbon
Arrival 13:00
Panel 13:30 - 14:30
Alliotts LLP is an independent mid-tier firm of professional advisors. We’ve actively advised the industry for almost 60 years, working with independents, classic British productions, Bollywood films, and Oscar winning blockbusters.
Ian leads Alliotts’ Media team. He has 40 years experience looking after film, TV and animation productions. He’s also a qualified corporate finance specialist and has been involved in over 200 deals; start ups, fund raising, acquisitions and sales. With this insight Ian helps his media clients achieve their goals.
A-Men To That
11th Sep. Arrival 14:30
Screening 15:00-16:23
Dir. Rafael John Edholm Borchies
Sweden, 84 min
Eng & Swedish / Eng Sub
When three washed-up male models form a "man-band" to reclaim their fading glory, they embark on a riotous, offbeat journey of self-discovery, friendship, and mid-life crises, culminating in a chaotic battle for musical relevance.