Pictures: Chagford Film Festival marks 15th anniversary with biggest programme yet

Chagford Film Festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year with a packed programme of cinema, special events and appearances from film industry guests.

The festival returns to the Dartmoor town from 21 to 26 September, with organisers promising one of its most ambitious programmes to date, featuring everything from classic cinema and international films to documentaries, local interest productions, family activities and special events.

The celebrations will begin ahead of the main festival with a fundraising ‘taster’ event at the Globe Inn Cinema on Sunday, August 30, at 7pm.

The event will feature a screening of I Swear, the acclaimed film about John Davidson and the challenges faced by people living with Tourette Syndrome.

Special guest Graeme Mackenzie, line producer on the film, will attend, with the possibility of a cast member joining him.

Tickets for the event will be available online and locally.

Festival organisers have also updated the ‘Friends of Chagford Film Festival’ membership scheme, with members able to benefit from early bird ticket availability. Further details are available through the festival website.

Among the highlights of this year's programme is Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which will open the festival on Monday through a National Theatre Live screening.

Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner star in a new National Theatre production of Christopher Hampton's celebrated drama, in which seduction, rivalry and betrayal unfold among the wealthy and powerful.

On Tuesday, Jubilee Hall will host Jo in the Water, a documentary following Devon sea swimmer Jo Bateman as she takes on one of Britain's major water companies in a campaign against sewage pollution.

Jo Bateman will attend the screening to discuss her story and the campaign for cleaner rivers and seas.

Also on Tuesday, The Globe will screen John Landis's cult horror-comedy An American Werewolf in London. The film follows two American backpackers whose journey across the moors takes a terrifying turn.

The screening will be preceded by a specially created horror walk around Chagford, led by actor Tom Finn.

Another special event will celebrate Audrey Hepburn through The Essence of Audrey Hepburn, a new biopic play written and performed by West End actress Helen Anker.

The performance at Jubilee Hall will offer an insight into the Hollywood star's life alongside cocktails and an old-Hollywood atmosphere.

The festival will also feature two special screenings of Beowulf, with filmmaker Rod Hughes and members of the cast in attendance.

Filmed entirely on location in Devon, the independent production offers a playful retelling of the Anglo-Saxon epic, combining adventure, battles, puppetry and period music.

The festival will also bring film-themed entertainment to the streets of Chagford, with costumed performers, puppetry and other outdoor activities adding to the atmosphere throughout the week.

Previous festival events have included appearances from characters including Batman, Darth Vader and the Joker, as well as a life-sized tiger puppet and a vintage Bedford mobile cinema.

The festival has also featured puppeteer Toby Froud, son of Labyrinth conceptual designer Brian Froud and puppet maker Wendy Froud.

The closing-night film will be The Invite, directed by and starring Olivia Wilde alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton.

The comedy centres on two neighbouring couples whose increasingly uncomfortable dinner reveals secrets that refuse to stay hidden.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with Oscar-winning sound designer Niv Adiri.

An Italian-themed evening will feature Il Postino, the much-loved film about a shy island postman whose friendship with exiled poet Pablo Neruda inspires him to discover his own talent for poetry and pursue love.

Organisers are also planning an Italian-themed dinner at The Forge before the screening.

Chloé Zhao's adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's bestselling novel Hamnet will also feature, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William Shakespeare.

The film explores love, loss and the family tragedy that may have inspired one of Shakespeare's greatest works.

Danny Boyle's Trainspotting will be screened with special guest Andrew Macdonald, the film's producer.

The adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel remains one of the defining British films of the 1990s, and Macdonald will discuss its production and cultural impact.

The festival will also screen Porcelain War, the Oscar-nominated and Sundance-winning documentary following three Ukrainian artists who remain in their country during the Russian invasion, continuing to create art while defending their lives, culture and homeland.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with journalist Sian Norris, senior investigative reporter at openDemocracy.

The festival has become an important part of the local calendar, as well as contributing to Chagford's economy.

Organisers say the influx of visitors during festival week increases footfall for local shops, cafés, pubs, restaurants and accommodation providers.

As the event reaches its 15th year, organisers have thanked the volunteers, sponsors, supporters and audiences who have helped establish Chagford Film Festival as an enduring part of the Dartmoor community.

The 2026 festival is partially supported by Film Hub South West through the BFI Film Audience Network, with funding from the National Lottery.

It has also received support from Chagford Parish Council, West Devon Borough Council and Chagford Community Trust.

This year's festival is held in memory of Penny Keen and Dean Gardiner, both founding volunteers of the festival who sadly passed away last year.

For further information, programme details and tickets, contact [email protected] or visit the Chagford Film Festival website.

All photographs are © Claire-Shauna Saunders/Little Ghost Photography