STROUD Film Festival returns for its third year with an exciting mix of films and events which will run from Sunday, March 5 to Sunday, March 19 at venues across Stroud and beyond.

Following the success of the first two festivals, this year's will again aim to appeal to a wide range of film tastes.

There will be film related events, such as the chance to explore Stroud’s animation history with an evening of films by Halas and Batchelor.

Classic short animations and the feature Animal Farm, all made in Stroud, will be screened at a Stroud Film Society event introduced by Vivien Halas.

The festival will also support Museum in the Park’s concurrent Halas & Batchelor exhibition, telling the story of Britain’s most influential animation company.

A unique event will be a charity screening at Vue Cinema, Stroud, on March 16 of The Good Grief Project's documentary A Love That Never Dies, by local film makers Jimmy Edmonds and Jane Harris, whose son Josh died in 2011. The film makers will also be talking about their new film.

The Good Grief Project aims to provide the bereaved (and the non-bereaved) with the creative, practical and therapeutic tools to help them voice their grief and to better understand and communicate their feelings.

The festival will show newly released film Toni Erdmann, the award winning comedy which will be screened at the Electric Cinema, Wotton-under-Edge who are a partner in the festival for the first time.

Several events at the Subscription Rooms and Lansdown Hall include the opportunity to meet and hear from film makers and then see films which aren’t yet available on general release or online.

The festival will also feature the annual Stroud Community TV Awards, with screenings of short films made by and about people from Stroud. This will be a free event at Lansdown Hall.

Included this year for the first time will be a themed screening. Held at a secret location transformed for the night into the style of the film, Strictly Cinema will be a chance to dress up, eat appropriate food and more.

Films for young people and made by young people are both on this varied programme, along with an afternoon about Opera and Film at Atelier, and a combined Indian meal and screening of The Lunchbox at the Malthouse Bar and Kitchen.

The festival closes with Versus, the recent documentary about iconic director Ken Loach and a practical film making workshop.

It all starts with a launch event at The Prince Albert on Sunday, March 5 with a chance to find out more about the festival, alongside music and entertainment connected with film.

The festival is a collaboration of venues which show films in the town, Lansdown Hall, Open House, the Subscription Rooms and Atelier, along with The Electric Cinema and the Vue Cinema.

If you would like to be involved in a festival event, volunteers are welcome to contact organisers at info@stroudfilmfestival.org

  •  For programme details visit stroudfilmfestival.org.
  • Go to thegoodgriefproject.co.uk for more on this UK bereavement charity.