Backed by prestigious patrons including Martin Scorsese and David Arnold FILMSTOCK will be the first new film festival in England in the new Millennium, commencing with a ‘preview week’ on the 1st June 2000 before finishing with a closing gala at the end of ‘competition week’ on the 15th June 2000.

The two week festival will focus on the competition for Best Short Film Entry, which would also include prizes for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. Running alongside this competition will be a series of feature length screenings, both indoor and outdoor, which will include an opening gala evening to be presented by Peter Kaye. The festival will also carry a selection of small workshops so that up and coming filmmakers will be able to enhance, or indeed polish, their filmmaking skills.

This is Luton’s first International Film Festival so at this point the history books are truly being written. FILMSTOCK is an event that has been devised for filmmakers, by filmmakers, intending to screen work from artists nationally and internationally.

The Venues

Artezium:
This state of the art Lottery funded Arts Centre will be the centre of the festival. It will be host to all short film screenings, many of the guest speakers and themed screenings.

The ABC Cinema:
This beautiful Art Deco cinema will be host to the opening Charity Gala in its 500 seated auditorium and will also be home to the Mike Myers retrospective planned for throughout the week.

Cineworld:
This brand new 11 screen multiplex will be host to the Closing Gala and Awards ceremony as well as showing daily comedy double bills of films chosen by the public, festival directors and guests.

The University of Luton:
The University will be the main venue for the planned talks and workshops by members of the film industry and hopefully a day of school seminars held by our supporter Film Education.