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Telford & Wrekin Council has launched a film festival as part of its programme for Telford’s 50th birthday celebrations.

From railway adventures and zombie attacks to camp singalongs and silent classics, join in with the fun between 14 September and 31 October for a month of screenings and special events in venues all over town.

The festival launched with Singalongs for The Greatest Showman and Grease in the Big Top and big screens, open air venues and pop up screens in quirky locations will be joining the line-up.

Councillor Rae Evans, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Tourism & partnerships said: “This first film festival is themed around birthday celebrations and some of the films featured celebrate Telford and its growth through the years and gives a unique opportunity to speak to film makers who documented the town when it was first established. 

“We are also celebrating some of the great places in Telford with special screenings suited to a variety of film types and also audiences. Films from across the five decades, from up pop up family films to classic silent movies, there is something for everyone.” 

Residents can take a trip down memory lane with films celebrating everything from coracles to Wolves football legend Billy Wright as well as archive films that document Telford’s development. 

Venues include the Ironbridge Community Centre and Gorge Museum and director Nick Boy will be on hand for a Q&A session at the Dawley Town Hall screening of ‘Telford New Town: Dreams & Realities’. 

Coinciding with Telford’s 50th birthday, Stanley Kubrick’s cult classic, ‘A Space Odyssey’ also turns 50 and celebrates with a digitally remastered screening to be shown at Cineworld and to honour its cult classic status 20 years after its release, grab your dressing gown for this oddball slacker-hero tale, ‘The Big Lebowski’ which will also include a 90s quiz before the film.

Joining the line-up are ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Star Wars: The Forces Awakens’ which will be shown at RAF Cosford Museum as part of its open air programme.

Wellington’s All Saints Church will show the Buster Keaton classic ‘Cameraman’ with live piano accompaniment and the Horsehay Steam Railway will host a themed event around the latest version of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’. 

As the primary focus for attracting residents to one of the UK’s newest towns back in the late 60s the town centre is the perfect place to wrap up the festival and as Halloween approaches, Telford Shopping Centre’s main atrium will be transformed for a night-time screening of the 1978 horror classic, George A Romero’s ‘Dawn of the Dead’.

Tickets are now available for the festival which is being organised in conjunction with Flatpack Projects and is part of BFI Film Hub Midlands’ mission to develop film culture across the region.

It is themed around diversity and anniversary celebrations, aiming to bring a cultural aspect to Telford’s annual entertainment calendar. Sign up to the email list to hear more.

Alternatively call the box office on 01952 382 382 or pop into the film venues where you will be able to buy in person but please contact the venue directly as opening hours vary.

Visit the website at www.telford50.co.uk/filmfestival for full details or follow #TFilmFest on Twitter for regular updates. 

Pictured Left to right: Councillor Richard Overton, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and enforcement, Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for education and skills and the Mayor for Telford & Wrekin Councillor Raj Mehta