Film 2021, a new year-long programme of activity celebrating the many aspects of Bristol’s film and moving image credentials, is launched today by Bristol Ideas and Bristol City of Film.

The Thing That Ate The Birds, the latest short film from Bristol-based writing-directing duo Sophie Mair and Dan Gitsham, will make its North American Premiere at leading international festival SXSW in Austin, Texas on Wednesday 17 March at 01:00AM CT (06:00AM GMT), as part of the ‘Midnight Shorts’ competition programme.

Chris Daniels, Director of Slapstick Festival, Bristol’s annual celebration of silent comedy which has been delighting audiences for more than 15 years, fills us in on the festival’s toughest year yet, as Slapstick Live Online 2021 (1-7 March) triumphantly gears up for launch…

UWE Film alumni Pierre Nyongira’s award-winning short Dinah is now available to watch on BBC Arts.

Bristol’s biggest production facility, The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, South Bristol, is set to expand following a major investment by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).

Bristolian filmmaker Paul Holbrook has been gaining steady recognition for his work over the past year. We caught up with Paul to talk about his work and what’s on the cards for 2021.

It has been confirmed that Oscar and BAFTA-winning Hollywood actor Christopher Walken is among the cast of Stephen Merchant’s The Offenders, which is currently filming at The Bottle Yard Studios and locations across Bristol, with assistance from Bristol Film Office.

BBC Studios has announced plans to hire personnel to be based in Los Angeles for its world-renowned Natural History Unit, based in Bristol City of Film, in order to offer around the clock service to their growing number of US buyers.

Four Bristol companies – Indefinite Films, Drummer TV, Blak Wave and Proper Job – have been named as recipients of Channel 4’s new Emerging Indies Fund.

As Bristol director Stuart Napier’s short film Carnival travels to international festivals, we hear from Stuart about making the film against the backdrop of Bristol’s world-renowned St Paul’s Carnival.

On 26 November, UNESCO Cities of Film from around the world came together to deliver an online forum to discusminds.s film education and media literacy. The event was an opportunity to share knowledge and good practice and help each other to use the power of the moving image as a key tool to inspire and empower young minds.

Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees reflects on the importance of the city of Bristol’s relationship with UNESCO, on the anniversary of its creation in 1945. Originally published on the Mayor’s blogsite, thebristolmayor.com.