This month, Kent’s coastal creative hub transforms into a five-day celebration of boundary-pushing cinema as Margate Film Festival returns for its sixth edition from 26th-30th November.

Since launching in 2018, this not-for-profit festival has quietly become one of the region’s most exciting cultural events, building communities through bold independent cinema that refuses to play it safe. This year’s programme spans 40 events and over 50 films across seven venues in Margate – proof that world-class cinema doesn’t require a trip to the capital.

The festival opens with Academy Award-winner Andrea Arnold’s tender coming-of-age fable Bird, starring Barry Keoghan, complete with an exclusive introduction. The closing night brings comedy royalty as Stewart Lee joins director Michael Cumming for a Q&A following screenings of King Rocker and Oxide Ghosts: The Brass Eye Tapes.

Local stories take centre stage with the world premiere of Blue Has No Borders, exploring identity and community in Folkestone, whilst Ramsgate-born Brenda Blethyn delivers a tour-de-force performance alongside Andrea Riseborough in the eerie British thriller Dragonfly.

The international programme is equally compelling: Elegance Bratton’s electrifying documentary traces house music to its Black and queer Chicago roots (with a Margate Pride afterparty), whilst intimate portraits explore visionary composer Meredith Monk and Britain’s most provocative photographer, Martin Parr.

Live cinema experiences add theatrical magic – from Margate band AUTOHAUs scoring a 1926 silent horror classic to interactive family workshops for The Snowman. There’s even Roger Corman‘s Attack of the Crab Monsters screening at The Crab Museum.

Festival Director Kate Williamson describes the programming as “a little bit gritty, a little bit edgy, a little bit arty” – an apt summary for a festival that proves Kent’s cultural scene is thriving beyond London’s shadow.

Full programme at www.margatefilmfestival.co.uk