Northampton Film Festival: Still Making a Scene and Inviting everyone to Join In
With support from our Film Exhibition Fund (Look out for announcements sharing our funds reopening soon), Northampton Film Festival prepares to roll out the red carpet for its 5th Birthday! This year's theme focuses on "Still Making a Scene".
Returning from 28 February to 8 March 2026 to some of Northampton's most iconic venues, including Delapré Abbey and the Royal Theatre, as well as the University of Northampton NSG's Spinney Theatre and Northampton Film House, to share a slate of films honouring their ethos of rebels, revolutionaries, misfits, mavericks, creatives and changemakers.
According to Becky Carrier, Founder and Festival Director:
“For this year’s festival, we’ll be really making a scene as we celebrate all that we’ve achieved in five years, and the many individuals and organisations that have helped us do so - from sponsors, partners, the creative community and the county’s young people. Shining a spotlight on the culture and creativity of Northants is our driving force, and we believe it’s worth shouting about. That's why we are still making a scene and inviting everyone to come out and join us. We promise it will be a lot of fun.”
Northampton Film Festival celebrates International Women's Day
Northampton Film Festival is bringing a host of stories to the big screen this March, which showcase women as filmmakers, storytellers and sportspeople, with the winners of the annual film competition being announced on International Women’s Day.
The programme includes:
- A showcase of ‘Women In Film’ on Monday 2nd March at Northampton Filmhouse, including short film ‘Swim Sistas’ from Northampton Director Catherine Joy White: a poetic love letter to water, sisterhood, and the enduring strength of Black women across generations.
- Screening the Short film ‘Dear Heart’ as part of the Local and New Filmmaker programme at the University of Northampton on Tuesday, 3rd March: an intimate glimpse into the mind of an ordinary 63-year-old woman who knows that being outdoors and active every day is the cure for succumbing to life’s ‘stop cards’.
- A screening of a feature-length documentary on Wednesday, 4th March at Northampton Filmhouse about the original rebel girls of football, ‘The Corinthians’ Ladies FC from Manchester, who formed a team in 1949 at the height of the English Football Association's 50-year ban on women playing. They took on the all-male establishment and won.
Watch ‘The Corinthians’ trailer here.
Events to look out for:
28 Feb, Delapre Abbey
‘Still Making a Scene’ red carpet Opening Gala
1st, 2nd, 4th Mar, Northampton Filmhouse
Rebels and Revolutionaries - themed films
Misfits and Mavericks - themed films
Creatives and Changemakers - themed films
3rd Mar, University of Northampton
Free networking event for creatives, filmmakers and game designers
3rd – 5th Mar, Northampton School for Girls’ Spinney Theatre
Free National Careers Week events for schools and colleges
8th Mar, Royal Theatre
Free Young Filmmakers Awards
Red carpet Evening Awards Ceremony
Films to look out for:
Project Rockclimber - A feature-length documentary about Northants’ Disabled Adventurer Nick Wilson and his journey to become the first person with a disability to reach the peak of Mt Snowdon on a prototype power mobility chair called ‘The Rockclimber’.Watch the trailer here
The Corinthians: We Were The Champions – The incredible true story of the women’s football team from Didsbury that defied the Football Association’s 50-year ban on women’s football by going on a global winning spree. They were one of the most successful women’s teams ever, touring internationally and unofficially representing England against Germany as far back as 1957. Winning 50 trophies over 20 years. Watch the trailer here
The Stork – Starring Tom Rosenthal (Friday Night Dinner, Plebs), Paul Chahidi (The Night Manager, Wicked Little Letters) and Siobhan Finneran (Downton Abbey, Happy Valley). After a mishap leads to the unsuccessful delivery of a very important package, the courier and the intended recipient's parents find themselves in a ‘sticky situation’ and must find a way to replace the order's content - Norwegian Semen! Not for the bashful or fainthearted, this laugh-out-loud short film raises questions of endearing parental love in the midst of navigating a chaotic world they don’t truly understand. Watch the trailer here
Swim Sistas - By Northampton filmmaker Cat White, looks at Black women across generations and their connection to swimming. Featuring Olympic swimmer Alice Dearing, rugby player and BBC Traitors contestant Jasmine Boatswain, athlete Lexi Sandiford and Roni Bruno, who learned to swim at the age of 54, it is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Naomie Harris. Watch the trailer here
Northampton Film Festival 2026 has been made possible with support from Northampton Town Council and Film Hub Midlands through funds from the National Lottery.
Film Hub Midlands support people to watch, show, and make films in the Midlands. Northamptonshire Community Foundation have also supported the festival’s Young Programmers scheme.