Commonwealth Film Festival returns to Manchester

The Commonwealth Film Festival is now accepting submissions for its 2003 edition, which will take place in Manchester, England, June 6-15 2003.
Acclaimed film director, Shekhar Kapur, (Bandit Queen, Elizabeth, Four Feathers) is a great supporter of the Festival. He said: “It’s a great idea to be showcasing the amazing talent of filmmakers from across the Commonwealth and introducing audiences to an incredible range of movies.”
Kapur has become a patron of the Festival - joining Lord Attenborough, Michael Apted and Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon - and is enthusiastic about its far-reaching implications. “I see a real future for a festival which promotes Commonwealth film and develops exciting new links between national film industries,” he added.
The ten-day celebration of film will be spread across several Manchester city centre screens, including Cornerhouse, Greater Manchester's international centre for contemporary visual arts and film.
In a packed programme the Festival will show over 200 features, shorts, and documentaries from the 72 nations of the Commonwealth, many of which are World and European premieres. Alongside the screenings will be a large-scale schools programme, together with industry events, masterclasses, lectures, debates and ‘meet the director’ sessions.
Audiences can expect a fair amount of glitz and glamour, especially at each day’s headline gala presentation, but also a chance to watch out for up and coming talent and to be charmed by the unexpected.
The Commonwealth Film Festival is supported by the Lottery through the Film Council's and North West Vision's Regional Investment Fund for England, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Manchester Investment & Development Agency Service.
Submissions for CFF 2003 are now open until the end of February for recently completed shorts, features and documentaries made within the Commonwealth.
For further information call +44 (0) 161 953 4059.
(GB)