Leeds International Film Festival 2023

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Poor Things
Poor Things - SearchlightPictures

Leeds Film Festival at Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds 3 — 19 November 2023 Tickets from £7.50 — Book now

Leeds Film Festival returns for 2023 with 17 days of screenings across the city, including at the recently restored and re-opened Hyde Park Picture House, which returns as the festival’s lead venue. Running from 3 – 19 November, the festival programme brings together much-anticipated new releases with carefully curated classics sure to please any film fan. Included this year are the likes of Emma Stone in Yorgos Lanthinmos’ Poor Things, Jeff Nichols’ 60s’ set motorcycle gang drama The Bikeriders, and Jonathan Glazer’s prize-winning The Zone of Interest.

There are strands designed to appeal to all tastes. Documentary lovers can head over to the Cinema Versa selection, films range from Holding Up the Sky which documents the struggles of the Yanomami of Brazil, to Mutiny in Heaven, a documentary cult Melbourne rock band, The Birthday Party. The Official Selection features works from some of the world’s top auteurs. We’d tip Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist, Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers and Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall as some of the programme’s big titles.

For film fans whose tastes lean towards genre fare, Leeds Film Festival presents Fanomenon, a section dedicated to action, anime, horror, sci-fi and more. This year the strand features its own Sci-Fi Day, and Night of the Dead — an all night cult horror marathon full of genre bangers. Meanwhile, for 2023, Thrill Rides is a strand dedicated to famous and not so famous thrillers set on trains, including some Hitchcock classics, James Bond and Bong Joon-ho’s modern cult fave Snowpiercer.

Those who have visited Leeds Film Festival before will be familiar with its sprawling nature. As well as Hyde Park Picture House, there are screenings at Vue, Everyman and Howard Assembly Rooms, while other strands on offer include Cinema Amour, Dutch Discoveries and Rear Window — each boasting its own treasures waiting to be discovered.

Leeds Film Festival at Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds 3 — 19 November 2023 Tickets from £7.50 Book now

Where to go near Leeds International Film Festival 2023

Leeds
Music venue
Brudenell Social Club

Perhaps Leeds’ most beloved music venue, the Brudenell is a lively and fun-loving place that often hosts two shows simultaneously.

Left Bank Leeds
Leeds
Event venue
Left Bank Leeds

Left Bank Leeds is an arts and events venue based in the breathtaking former St Margaret of Antioch Church on Cardigan Road, a popular spot to congregate for gigs, festivals, workshops.

Leeds
Restaurant
Greasy Pig

Greasy Pig is an upbeat, colourful café with a range of wild and wonderful menu offerings like cheese-topped savoury pancakes or tasty veggie feasts.

Leeds
Event venue
Hyde Park Book Club

Wine. Beer. Arts. Food. Music. Coffee. Lots of events and even a webstore selling zines etc. Vegetarian menu served 10am to 10pm.

Leeds
Restaurant
LS6

LS6 is an independent café with flamboyant decor and a long-list of celebrity patrons. LS6 boasts a reputation for being the best breakfast around the Leeds area.

Oranaise Cafe Leeds
Leeds
Restaurant
Oranaise

Oranaise is a North African cafe with a smart range of fresh food, savoury pastries, and drinks.

Woodhouse Moor
Leeds
Park
Woodhouse Moor

Woodhouse Moor is a popular park in Leeds near the universities district of the city and the Hyde Park area of Headingley.

Headingley Lodge
Leeds
Headingley Lodge

Headingley Lodge is a neat, no-frills hotel in which every room boasts a view of Headingley cricket stadium.

Leeds
HEART

HEART is aptly named as the central hub for community, arts and culture in Headingly. Check out their menu and events.

Event venue
Open Source Arts

Open Source Arts is a place for people to learn new skills, develop existing ones and become inspired in Leeds.

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