Aesthetica Film Festival returns next month – and its unveiled its exciting programme for 2024.
The festival of short films aims to showcase ‘the best in new British and international cinema’ and features a 300-film programme over 15 city centre venues. There will also be Virtual Reality projects, games, workshops and masterclasses from some of the best working in the industry today.
Aesthetica Film Festival 2024 takes place from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 November.
This year, film enthusiasts can explore 300 films spanning 12 genres – including animation, comedy, documentary, drama, fashion, family-friendly, thriller and more.
The packed screening programme includes films by and featuring famous faces like Ian McKellen, Bill Nighy, Siobhan McSweeney, Sarah Hadland, Cara Buono and Mia McKenna-Bruce.
The festival runs in a hybrid format, meaning screenings can either be experienced in York on the big screen or streamed from home for the entire month of November.
During the festival you’ll be able to test out the latest and most exciting advancements in film and gaming at the VR and Games Labs at the Hospitium in Museum Gardens.
For 2024, there will be a line-up of 60 masterclasses and panel sessions, where guests can hear from the likes of industry giants such as Ridley Scott Associates, BBC, Aardman, Film4, Guardian and The New York Times.
A range of practical workshops for adults and children, led by experts from places like Ubisoft and Pauline Quirke Academy, will also be available and will give the opportunity to try out new technologies.
This year also marks 10 years of York’s designation as a UNESCO City of Media Arts – the only city in the UK to be selected by UNESCO.
York will continue to celebrate being a global stage for screen culture with the UNESCO EXPO (7-9 November), a two day free convention at the Guildhall where you can meet the industry-leading companies working across York and North Yorkshire, experience cutting-edge innovations in film production, games, and design, try out exciting new projects, and more.
More details about the festival can be found here and you can download the full programme here.