Supported by BFI and funded through the National Lottery, this year’s festival takes place between 13–16 October 2016. It’s your chance to enjoy a truly unique cinema experience, with films, formats and guests you won’t see anywhere else.
Passes for Widescreen Weekend are available to buy now. Full details of this year’s festival will be announced in August, but to keep you going until then, we’ve got an exclusive sneak peek of some of the highlights…
Our screening of 1964 comedy caper The Golden Head is not to be missed. Not only will this be the European premiere of its digital remaster; the film will also be introduced by one of its stars, actor and singer Jess Conrad.
Cinerama’s Russian Adventure is a unique film, produced during the Cold War as part of an effort to exchange cultural material between the USSR and USA. It’s filled with mesmerising scenes of both rural and urban Russia, and the narrator is none other than Bing Crosby. For the 50th anniversary of the film, we’ll be screening a digitally recreated print, projected onto our curved Pictureville screen—the only way to see it.
Also celebrating its 50th birthday is Return of the Seven. This sequel to The Magnificent Seven sees Chris (Yul Brynner), Vin (Robert Fuller) and Chico (Julián Mateos) take on an all-new adventure as they battle to protect a Mexican village from a villainous rancher. Screening in 35mm, it’s a must-see for widescreen aficionados and Western fans alike.
Another seminal sequel features in the Widescreen Weekend 2016 line-up: Aliens. Once again starring Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, the intense and thrilling follow-up to Ridley Scott’s Alien has been hailed as even better than its predecessor. Don’t miss the chance to see it in 70mm.
There’s much more to come—Widescreen Weekend will once again welcome back Sir Christopher Frayling as guest curator, and will be expanding last year’s Student Widescreen Film of the Year contest into a larger competition. Look out for more news in August, when the full programme of films, talks and events will be announced.
The 20th edition of this fantastic film festival promises to be one of the biggest and best yet. Get your Widescreen Weekend festival pass now!