Hebden Bridge Film Festival returns for 2023 - Patron Maxine Peake is planning to attend the festival once again this year

Festival passes are on sale now, with tickets for individual screenings available from March 10, when the full festival programme - this year following the theme of ‘hope and resistance’ - will be announced.

The programme is set to include a range of award-winning and critically acclaimed international and homegrown films, including titles that have premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and Venice International Film Festival. Many of the film screenings will be followed by Q&A’s and panel discussions with special guests, including film directors, actors, writers and producers.

Patron Maxine Peake, who attended the inaugural event in 2019, is planning to attend the festival once again this year. She says: “I am delighted to be the Hebden Bridge Film Festival Patron. The theme of hope and resistance is close to my heart. It is important to have a film festival like HBFF, which celebrates community, and I can’t wait to show my new short film, Incompatible”.

Directed by Maxine Peake and filmed locally around Hebden Bridge, Incompatible is the first film to be confirmed for the festival. It is a heart-breaking story about a woman in turmoil struggling with the diagnosis of her longed-for unborn child.

Festival Director, Louise Wadley, said: “We hosted our last festival in 2021 online and it was a fantastic success, but we’re really excited to bring people together in-person again for a shared experience. Part of what makes the festival so special is the buzz and atmosphere around the town and the vibrant, welcoming community spirit that Hebden Bridge is famous for.

“It’s been a challenging few years for many of us and 2023 is certainly no exception. With that in mind, our theme this year is ‘hope and resistance’. We’ll be showcasing some inspiring and powerful stories around this theme, and I can’t wait to share them with our audiences.

“One of the things I love about the festival is being able to bring films that people in the local community wouldn’t normally get to see. I’m very excited to announce the line-up, it’s a diverse mix of captivating and memorable new films - watch this space.”

Passes are now available at www.hebdenbridgefilmfestival.org