Hinterlands Film Festival, Skipton

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor

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Hinterlands Film Festival

14-17 May 2020

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Hinterlands Film Festival
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Hinterlands is a fairly new film festival from outdoor arts organisation Wild Rumpus and the Great Place: Lakes and Dales programme. Set in the picturesque landscapes of Skipton, the event focuses on rural film with a schedule of screenings, immersive experiences and performances inspired by iconic moments in cinema.

The programme for 2020’s festival hasn’t yet been announced, but here’s a look at what was on last year:

Described as “far more than an ordinary film festival” by Artistic Director Geoff Bird, Hinterlands 2019 opened with a 50th anniversary screening of Ken Loach’s iconic Kes at Skipton Castle. A fitting opener, the Yorkshire-set film about a young boy and his kestrel was followed by a launch party open to all ticket-holders. From there Hinterlands took over Skipton’s 107-year-old Plaza Cinema for a run of classic and brand new films set in and celebrating rural landscapes.

The 2019 programme included recent blockbusting documentary Free Solo, about rock climber Alex Honnold attempts to scale the famed El Capitan rock face at Yosemite National Park without using a safety rope; Alice Rohrwacher’s magnificently mysterious Italian drama Happy as Lazzaro; and Francis Lee acclaimed God’s Own Country – an award-winning depiction of a romance between a young sheep farmer in Yorkshire and a Romanian migrant worker.

The isolation of woods and wilderness have inspired filmmakers forever, and last year, horror fans bunkered down with an all-night marathon scheduled to showcase all the darkness and menace of rural cinema. Things got a little lighter outside of the theatre, as Hinterlands invited audiences to camp out for a special screening of Wes Anderson’s pithy scouting comedy Moonrise Kingdom army marquee at Aireville Park, whilst a showing of Taika Waititi’s riotous Hunt for The Wilderpeople inspired a free treasure hunt.

Poignantly – and somewhat joyfully – Skipton Plaza Cinema hosted an interactive sing-along of the Doris Day classic, Calamity Jane.

Beyond the films themselves, festivalgoers gleaned wisdom from industry professionals as Geoff Bird hosted a discussion featuring a panel of award-winning location experts. Meanwhile, there was a chance to get hands-on with a stage combat workshop, and an Animation Workshop hosted by Wallace and Gromit animator Virpi Kettu where budding creatives created their own stop motion animations based on films inspired by Skipton’s local cinematic scenery.

Where to go near Hinterlands Film Festival, Skipton

Peak District
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The Chequers Inn

The Chequers Inn is a 16th century, family-run, traditional country inn with an impressive dining space. The Peak District at its best.

Testbed Main Space
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TESTBED

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Manchester
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Salt & Pepper

Chinese inspired British food in the centre of Manchester, backed up by plenty of well-deserved local hype.

Morning Glory - Coffee Cup
Manchester
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Morning Glory

Morning Glory positions itself as a grab-and-go spot, with just 12 seats inside serving coffee, bagels and sweet treats.

The Warehouse In Holbeck
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The Warehouse In Holbeck

Run by acclaimed theatre company Slung Low, The Warehouse in Holbeck is home to boundary-pushing performance and community projects.

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The Attic

Tucked away above the bustle of Merrion Street, The Attic is one of Leeds’ most distinctive small venues – intimate, unpretentious, and steeped in DIY spirit.

The Chevin is a great place for visitors to do lots of different activities and is open all year round with 5 free car parks. To help you find out whatís best for you we have divided this section up into some of these different activities.Please be aware that The Chevin is a working estate so you may see vehicles including timber-extraction lorries using some of the tracks.Self-guided WalksThe Chevin is a big place and there is a good network of paths to make your own circular walk, but if you want to follow a themed trail there is a Geology Trail, Heritage Time Trail and a route for Tree Spotters.Bikes & HorsesThere is an extensive bridleway network on the eastern parts of The Chevin that caters for a range of abilities.Orienteering and GeocachingTwo orienteering courses and a number of geocache sites are waiting to be discovered.Climbing & BoulderingThere are many fantastic crags for climbing and boulders for bouldering.Mobility Scooters & Wheelchairs
Leeds
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Oporto

For many years, Oporto has been a beacon of alternative energy on Leeds’ Call Lane – serving up great food and drink alongside resident DJs and live music.

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