Events

About the Session

In recent years, venues across Wales have been establishing in-house micro-festivals to reach a new audience, or to cover a particular theme. One of the most popular is a pop-up Welsh film festival but how easy is it to run these events for more than one year? When we think of film festivals, we picture regular events, premieres and unique selling points. So when it comes to setting up something new, should we ask ourselves ‘is it a film festival?’ or is it actually a themed season, a weekender or even a monthly film club? Alternatively, can we slot films into existing local events like craft fairs or markets, or work with established film festivals? Hear from Cardiff Animation Festival and Abertoir Horror Festival about what it takes to run an established film festival, as well as Awen who ran the inaugural Llynfi Valley Film Festival in 2025, and share ideas with other festivals and venues across Wales.

Session Structure

• 10am – Introductions
• 10.05 – Abertoir Horror Festival
• 10.15 – Cardiff Animation Festival
• 10.25 – Awen – Llynfi Valley Film Festival in (video)
• 10.35 – Discussion points, open questions and guest input from wider festival
• 11.30 – Close

When / where:

• Thursday 3 December 2026 – Online (via Zoom)
• 10am – 11:30am

Book your place here

Our Preview Days include screenings of upcoming Welsh-made, Welsh-language and Welsh archive film releases designed to support the wider programming and reach of films with Welsh connections.

The events are exclusively for members of Film Hub Wales and members of Film Hubs around the UK and we supply all attendees with film information packs and offer networking at different member venues across the country. Film Hub Wales can also offer funding towards minimum guarantees, marketing and/or a contribution towards event costs where talent is available.

As part of the collective BFI Film Audience Network, there are a range of short and long training courses and events to help FHW Members reach new audiences, develop business models, be more accessible, make your activity more environmentally sustainable and much more.

Find the latest opportunities below.

ICO Autumn Screening Days 2026

An in-person and online event that previews key upcoming independent UK and international films to help you plan how to bring in new audiences for them.

Showroom Workstation, Sheffield (in-person) – Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 November (in-person audience development day for theatrical venues on Friday 13 November).

Online event – Monday 16 – Sunday 22 November.

BFI FAN EDI Webinars

Catch up on the latest Equality, Diversity & Inclusion webinars from the BFI Film Audience Network.

Sound of Cinema: Sprint (Programming Discussion Day)

FAN members are invited  to join in a sprint event with the Cross-FAN Programme team and experts involved to find out more and explore how you might develop your own activity as part of this UK wide programme.

Watershed, Bristol – Wednesday 2 December, 10.30am – 3pm.

Our annual event for film exhibitors across Wales.

Held in March each year, the event offers an opportunity to catch up with exhibition colleagues and find inspiration in one another’s projects, through bitesize interactive sessions. The event is also an opportunity for Film Hub Wales to update on funds that will be available to Members* for the forthcoming year.

*This event is exclusively for Members of Film Hub Wales. If you’re not a member, you can join here.

No upcoming events.

Our regular get together for exhibitors to talk about the latest films with Welsh connections, meet distributors, filmmakers and find out about Made in Wales assets.

Read more about our Made in Wales strategy here.

No upcoming events.

We’re making time to talk about films!

Join us online for our quarterly programming get-togethers where we’ll talk about a selection of the best new British independent and international film releases.The sessions are hosted by curator Rachel Pronger. There will be film tips for your upcoming programme, time to talk with peers about the films you’re looking forward to and to discover the ones you might otherwise miss. We’ll also discuss how to programme and market them.

These sessions will run quarterly to support you with year-round audience development. Exhibitors of all shapes and sizes are welcome, we’ll explore how to make the sessions useful for everyone.

About Rachel:

Rachel Pronger is a curator, writer and programme consultant. She began her career working in communications for the BFI London Film Festival, Picturehouse Cinemas and Film Hub Scotland, before moving into programming roles at Alchemy Film & Arts, Tyneside Cinema, Sheffield DocFest and Aesthetica Short Film Festival. As co-founder of feminist film collective Invisible Women she has co-curated programmes and delivered events for partners such as the BFI Southbank, Cinema Rediscovered, Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam, BalkanCanKino Athens, HOME Manchester and Glasgow Film Theatre. Her writing on film has been published by outlets including Sight & Sound, The Guardian, MUBI Notebook, Little White Lies and BBC Culture. She also regularly chairs Q&As, panels and workshops centred on feminism, archiving and film history.

Book your place (January)

When: Thursday 14th Janaury 2027, 10am-12pm
Where: Online (via Zoom)