Volunteer At KFF

Keswick Film Festival is run entirely by volunteers. The dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers is what makes the Festival a success and a wonderful experience for those attending every year.

We could always do with more people to help us and will be delighted if you want to join our friendly team and help us to make the Festival a sensational event.

There are many different roles available, so we are sure there will be something you will enjoy. You can find more information on our Volunteering page.

Support Your Favourite Film Festival

To help us to build on the success of our wonderful festival we are seeking multiple partners who share our love of cinema and the inspirational setting of the Lake District.

Your support for our film festival means we are able to bring you the very best of international and independent cinema and provide the opportunity to see exceptional films many of which will never make it into commercial cinemas in the UK.

View our Sponsorship page to find out the ways you or your business can support the Festival

Osprey Short Film Awards - Now Accepting Entries

We are now accepting entries for the 2026 Osprey Short Film Awards. We are looking for films with a Cumbrian connection (e.g made in Cumbria or by Cumbrians), made after 2024 and under 15 minutes. For full details on how to enter please visit our Shorts page.

Keswick Film Festival 2026 Dates Announced

We are delighted to reveal that the dates of the 2026 Festival will be

19 - 22 March! 

Our new KFF Director Julia Vickers says: “In usual Keswick Film Festival style, we’ll be showing a fabulous selection of films from across the world in our favourite places – the Alhambra Cinema, Theatre by the Lake and Rheged. Save those dates!”

Scores & Awards

That was quite an Anniversary!

Thank you to all of you who came to Keswick last weekend to make it such an enjoyable weekend. It is always lovely to see people renewing acquaintanceships 12 months on – and to welcome so many new faces to KFF.

There was an incredible range of films on offer, which made it hard to choose at times – and the scores reflected the quality of the films in the programme.

Eventually, it was The Marching Band that took the audience award – the third consecutive year that a film at Rheged has taken the prize. The Monk and the Gun wasn’t far behind. You can see the Top 15 films here on the website.

The Ospreys continue to amaze with their demonstration of film-making prowess. The selection gets better each year – and what a treat to have Ian Picken, KFF’s first Festival Director, to announce the Audience Award was won by Stuart Armstrong for Lay-by. Harvey Greenfield director Jonnie Howard presented the Student Award to Asa Pegler for It Get's Better and the Open Award went to Juliet Klottrup for Travelling Home, which if you missed can now be seen on the Nowness platform.

Sunday At The Festival

Tickets are selling fast for most screenings at the Alhambra and may not be available on the door. 

It's the final day of the Festival and there's still lots to see. Find out why everybody is talking about Emilia Pérez this afternoon at The Alhambra. There are two fantastic £5 Family Films at the Theatre; This Is Going To Be Big and Robot Dreams and why not start the day with a selection of short films from the Oska Bright Film Festival showcasing work by learning disabled and autistic people.

• 11am The Marching Band - Rheged
• 11am Oska Bright: Short Films - Theatre By The Lake FREE ENTRY
• 11am Nickel Boys - Alhambra
• 11am Radiator - Alhambra Screen 2 Additional Screening
• 2pm This Is Going To Be Big - Theatre By The Lake £5 Family Film
• 2pm Mongrel - Rheged
• 2pm Emilia Pérez - Alhambra
• 2pm Point Break - Alhambra Screen 2
• 5pm Brief History of a Family - Alhambra
• 5pm Sister Midnight - Rheged
• 5pm Robot Dreams - Theatre By The Lake £5 Family Film
• 5pm Radiator - Alhambra Screen 2 SOLD OUT
• 8pm Cottontail - Alhambra Limited Availability

Please see the full programme or download the timetable for more details on all the films.

Saturday At The Festival

Tickets are selling fast for most screenings at the Alhambra and may not be available on the door. 

Our films at Rheged begin today with Tarika and The Monk And The Gun. The Ospreys showcase a selection of films made in Cumbria or by Cumbrians at the Theatre. Screen2/Take2 bring back some old favourites including Amélie and Whale Rider along with a chance to remember our former patron John Hurt working with David Lynch in The Elephant Man. The Oscar winning Flow  and The Brutalist can be seen at the Alhambra

• 9:15am Harvey Greenfield is Running Late - Alhambra
• 11am Where Olive Trees Weep - Theatre By The Lake
• 11am Flow - Alhambra SOLD OUT
• 11am Tarika - Rheged
• 11am The Elephant Man - Alhambra Screen 2
• 2pm Osprey Short Film Awards - Theatre By The Lake FREE ENTRY
• 2pm The Brutalist - Alhambra
• 2pm The Monk And The Gun - Rheged
• 2pm Jeanne Dielman... - Alhambra Screen 2
• 4pm Tommy - Theatre By The Lake
• 6:30pm The Teacher - Alhambra
• 6:30pm Amélie - Alhambra Screen 2
• 7pm White Rock - Theatre By The Lake
• 9pm Black Night - Theatre By The Lake
• 9pm Whale Rider - Alhambra Screen 2
• 9:15pm Stormskerry Maja - Alhambra

Please see the full programme or download the timetable for more details on all the films.