Best of British proves to be a success at second Wells Film Festival

Joolz Saunders at the Wells Film Festival. Picture: Ian Burt

Martin George Sunday, March 3, 2013
7:13 PM

It started off as an idea at an adult education class, but five years on, Screen-next-the-Sea has become a mainstay of the Wells cultural scene.

Dot Blayer at the Wells Film Festival. Picture: Ian Burt

And this weekend its organisers successfully held its second annual film festival.

This year’s three-day event, which started on Friday and finishes today, took Best of British as its theme, and screened a selection of films from across the British Isles.

Nigel Baker, one of the projectionists, said an eight-week Workers’ Educational Association course on Italian film sparked the idea of bringing cinema to the town.

It has grown from a monthly offering at the Granary Theatre to a twice-monthly screening, live performances beamed in by satellite from the Bolshoi and National Theatre, and the film festival itself, complete with guest speakers.

Mr Baker said: “We would like to think it will eventually attract people to the town like the well-established events like the carnival.

“People like the cozy environment and the fact you get to know people.”