First Coventry Film Festival hailed as ''terrific success''

Coventry’s first film festival has been hailed as a major success - and plans are already in the pipeline for a bigger event next year.


Presenter Clare Coleman with Darren Flaxstone and Bernie Hodges who won a Driver Award for the best feature

Over three sell-out nights at the weekend, film-makers and movie-lovers gathered in the city to celebrate local talent and a panel of judges selected winners for the coveted Driver Awards.

For filmaker Christopher Clarke, who organised the festival, the event’s popularity exceeded all expectations.

He said: “It was a terrific success, a brilliant weekend.

“First of all, the seats were all full - that was the great thing.

“On top of that, the audience all came looking really dressed up, so they made a huge effort themselves.

“Everything looked great and sounded great, and there wasn’t a single technical hitch.”

Showings were held at Rainbows nightclub in Short Street and at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in the city centre.

Overall, audiences took in seven short films, and two feature-length movies.

Up and coming actor Jack Greenhough, 12, took home the Award for best performance in a short film, after he appeared in his father’s film, Sticks and Stones.

Jack Van Spall won the best short film award for Lament, Darren Flaxstone won the award for the best feature film for Dark Vision.

Kathy Joyce won a Driver Award for best performance in a feature film, Change for a Shilling.

Christopher said: “The audience seemed to love the festival, and they really enjoyed the award presentations and the speeches that our winners gave.

“It was really magical, especially when Jack’s mother cried when his award was announced. Nobody knew who was going to win in advance.”

Christopher is already planning an even bigger Coventry Film Festival next year, on June 24, 25 and 26.