Chippenham Film Festival returns this September for a week of great cinema, conversation, music and community.
Organised by Chippenham Film Club, who recently celebrated their fourth anniversary, the festival brings together five specially selected films, live introductions, a director Q&A, a community partnership, a film soundtrack listening night and a closing-night celebration.
From acclaimed international cinema and bold new British filmmaking to the return of a much-loved modern classic, this year’s programme has been curated to showcase films that deserve to be experienced and shared on the big screen.
The festival opens on Tuesday 8th September with I’m Still Here (2024), followed by Underland (2025) on Thursday 10th, including a Q&A with director Rob Petit.
Saturday 12th brings a double bill, beginning with Urchin (2025), presented in collaboration with Doorway Wiltshire, before Pillion (2025) in the evening.
The festival closes on Sunday 13th September with the much-loved French classic Amélie (2001).
The 2026 festival programme
You read more detail about the festival and each film on the Chippenham Film Club website but here is a short overview of what is on offer this year.
Tuesday 8th September
I’m Still Here (2024)
Certificate: 15
Reel Cinema | 7.30pm
An intimate and deeply moving story of resilience, memory and resistance during Brazil’s military dictatorship. After the forced disappearance of her husband, dissident politician Rubens Paiva, Eunice Paiva rebuilds her family’s life while fighting for truth and justice.
Directed by Walter Salles and starring Fernanda Torres, the Oscar-winning I’m Still Here opens the Chippenham Film Festival with a warm welcome and live introduction from Chippenham Film Club.
Wednesday 9th September
Film Soundtrack Vinyl Listening Night
The Old Road Tavern | 7.30pm
The festival will also bring film and music enthusiasts together for a special Film Soundtrack Album Listening Night at 7.30pm on Wednesday 9th September. This event takes place in the barn at The Old Road Tavern pub, Old Road, Chippenham, SN15 1JA.
Celebrate the music behind some of our favourite films and enjoy an evening of conversation and community beyond the cinema. Hosted by Film Club member and volunteer @Enjaybeeassoc, the free event is part of the monthly Album Listening series, which raise money for Dorothy House Hospice Care.
Local film and music fans are invited to take along their favourite film soundtrack LPs or CDs, share why they love them and talk about the memories associated with them. For a minimum £5 donation to Dorothy House, you can also have a treasured vinyl LP professionally cleaned and protected in new inner and outer sleeves.
For more information about this event please email: albumlisteningevent@gmail.com
Thursday 10th September
Underland (2025)
Certificate: 12
Reel Cinema | 7.30pm
Inspired by Robert Macfarlane’s bestselling book, Underland journeys into hidden worlds beneath our feet, from ancient caves and flooded tunnels to melting glaciers and underwater burial chambers.
Narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Sandra Hüller, this striking film blends science, nature, history and poetry. The screening will be followed by a live audience Q&A with director Rob Petit, hosted by Nick Freand Jones, producer of Moviedrome and Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema.
Saturday 12th September
Urchin (2025)
Certificate: 15
Reel Cinema | 4pm
Presented in partnership with Doorway Wiltshire
Mike is a rough sleeper caught in a cycle of self-destruction as he searches for the possibility of change. Written and directed by Harris Dickinson in his feature-length directorial debut, Urchin is a sharp, compassionate and darkly funny drama about homelessness, addiction, identity and redemption.
Premiering at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where Frank Dillane won the Un Certain Regard Best Actor award, the film also received the FIPRESCI prize. Presented in partnership with Doorway Wiltshire, whose representatives will introduce the screening and share more about the charity’s work supporting people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in the Chippenham area. All proceeds from individual ticket sales will go to Doorway Wiltshire.
Saturday 12th September
Pillion (2025)
Certificate: 18
Reel Cinema Chippenham | 6.30pm
A timid young man’s life is transformed when he meets the commanding leader of a motorcycle club and enters an intense, unconventional relationship.
Starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård, Pillion is a bold, funny and emotionally perceptive British romantic drama about desire, power, identity and understanding what we truly want from another person.
The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, where it won Best Screenplay. It later received ten British Independent Film Award nominations, winning four, including Best British Independent Film.
The screening will begin with a live introduction from Chippenham Film Club.
Sunday 13th September
Amélie (2001)
Certificate: 15
Reel Cinema Chippenham | 6.30pm
Return to Montmartre for one of the most joyful and distinctive films of the 21st century. Audrey Tautou stars as Amélie Poulain, a shy and imaginative Parisian waitress who quietly sets out to improve the lives of those around her, while learning to overcome her own isolation and pursue happiness. Warm, whimsical and visually unforgettable, Amélie remains one of the most internationally successful French films ever made. The screening will include a live introduction from Chippenham Film Club, followed by the festival wrap party at the Prince of Wales pub.
Sunday 13th September
Closing Party
Prince of Wales Micropub | 8pm
After the closing screening of Amélie, join club members at the Prince of Wales Micropub in Chippenham for informal drinks and a celebration of Chippenham Film Festival 2026. Festival-pass holders and everyone attending the closing screening are warmly invited.
Festival passes have sold out
The Early Bird £35 Festival Passes are sold out but individual tickets are available to purchase for all five film screenings, so you can choose your favourites or still go for the full festival experience and book all five separately.
And there’s an extra incentive to do just that…
Chippenham Film Club are running a special Festival Loyalty Card throughout the week. Go along to all five screenings and collect an official Chippenham Film Club stamp at each one. Complete your card and present it at the closing party to be entered into a prize draw to win some Chippenham Film Club merchandise.
Get involved
Want to be part of Chippenham Film Festival? There are opportunities to get involved, whether by supporting this year’s festival, volunteering your time or exploring sponsorship opportunities for future festivals. As the festival continues to grow, the support of local people and businesses helps make it possible to bring great cinema and community events to Chippenham.
Find out more:
Chippenham Film Club website: https://chippenhamfilmclub.co.uk/
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