Borderlines Film Festival returns for its 23rd year
The UK's largest rural film festival, Borderlines, is back for its 23rd year, running from Friday, February 28th to Sunday, March 15th, 2025.
Unlike most festivals, Borderlines takes cinema to audiences across Shropshire, Herefordshire, Malvern, and the Welsh Marches, screening films at 23 venues.
This year, the festival welcomes new locations like All Stretton Village Hall in south Shropshire, the Old Picture House, a restored Methodist chapel turned cinema, and Castlemorton Parish Hall.
Focus on New Audiences and Local Connections
The 2025 program boasts a strong focus on attracting new and diverse audiences. Community Engagement Coordinators are working with local organizations to build partnerships. Local connections shine through with an appearance by Oscar-winning production designer James Price, raised in North Herefordshire, who will discuss his craft at Ludlow Assembly Rooms.
The festival also features a reprise of the documentary "Chewing the Cud," exploring Hereford's Cattle Market, with an updated version and a Q&A with filmmakers.
Rural Themes and International Films
The 2025 program features a strong rural theme with films set in locations like Ireland, France, Italy, and Mongolia. Comedy and music are also well-represented, with highlights including a live musical accompaniment for the 1927 classic "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans."
Borderlines 2025 offers a significant number of premieres, including "La Cocina," "Sister Midnight," and Peter Cattaneo's "The Penguin Lessons." Award-winning films like Cannes Grand Prix winner "All We Imagine As Light" and BFI London Film Festival winners like "Memoir of a Snail" and "Mother Vera" are also included.
Documentaries, Female Directors, and Family Fun
The festival showcases documentaries shortlisted for the International Feature Oscars and the Documentary Feature Academy Award. It also highlights films directed and/or written by women, with screenings of "Wanda" and "Murdering the Devil" by under-recognized female directors.
Family audiences can enjoy "Paddington in Peru" and the dialogue-free animation "Flow." A new initiative, Mini Cini, offers a Julia Donaldson short film followed by craft activities for young children at Leintwardine Community Centre.
Free Screenings and Open Screen
Borderlines offers several free screenings, including "Soundtrack for a Coup d’Etat," short films from the "Best of Iris 2024" program, a new local documentary, and the Open Screen event. Open Screen awards a prize for the Best Film made by local filmmakers.
How to Get Involved
The festival brochure with full details will be available on the Borderlines website from late January.
Tickets and passes go on sale on January 31st at 10am online and through The Courtyard Hereford.
