About
Cheltenham International Film Festival (CIFF) is a non-profit charity celebrating global cinema and the art of filmmaking. The festival brings the finest independent films to the community, hosts live events with emerging filmmakers, acclaimed directors and celebrated actors; and engages with young people from diverse backgrounds through its CineYouth, programme
CIFF has showcased hundreds of films – features, documentaries shorts - and has organised masterclasses, workshops, and discussions to connect our audience with the culture of cinema and to inspire young people to take an interest in the art of film. More than just a film festival, CIFF embraces the moving image in different formats; last year introducing television. This year, the festival launched a comedy strand and next year is set to include music – with the aim to link film with other art forms.
With guests like Dame Judi Dench, Timothy Spall, Steven Berkoff, Ken Loach, Sir Stephen Frears, Mike Leigh, Simon Pegg plus a new wave of filmmaker, especially women like Nora Fingscheidt, Alice Lowe and international directors like Oscar-nominated, Jan Komasa, CIFF is becoming one of the UK’s most respected film festivals sitting alongside other arts festivals for which the town is known – Literature, Music and Jazz.
Team
Leslie Montgomery Sheldon: Festival Director
Patrick Bliss: Producer/Head of Film Programme
Freddie Holding: Director of Operations
David Saitch: Director Film Traffic Operations
Roz Jones: Director Planning & Development
Jacob Ward: Manager; Web Site Management
Martin Harris: Volunteer Coordinator & Special Events
Hayley Flaman: Manager of Social Media
Film Selection Panel:
Ghislaine Agostini, Stephen Ilott, Pamela Weaver, Patrick Bliss, Freddie Holding, Roz Jones, David Saitch, Martin Harris.
Trustees
Michael Ratcliffe M.B.E. (CEO Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce)
Laurence Marks (film & television scriptwriter)
Laurie Bell (CEO The Cheltenham Trust)
Simon Sheldon (Harper & Sheldon)
Nick Blackburn (ex- Chairman, Eventim UK)
Michael Chittenden (Hotel Owner: Manor By The Lake)
Jessica Brewster (Director Roses Theatre - Tewkesbury)
Thank you
Ghislaine Agostini, Jeanette Blencowe, Jeff Downes, Robert Escott,
Stephen Ilott, Caroline Lawrence, Steve Maynard, Clive Menzies,
Gia Shin, Rebecca Trotter Pamela Weaver, Dan Wesolowski