From a powerful drama rooted in Nottinghamshire’s mining past to Christopher Eccleston on the big screen and a hilariously disastrous ketchup incident, the man behind Mansfield Town Film Festival has picked the five films he’s most excited about this year.
With more than 120 films landing in Mansfield over one packed September weekend, deciding what to watch at Mansfield Town Film Festival can feel a bit overwhelming.
Fortunately, Festival Director Jay Martin has done some of the hard work for you.
The Nottinghamshire festival returns to Mansfield Palace Theatre from September 25 to 27 with an ambitious programme of independent films, filmmaker Q&As, workshops, networking events, VR experiences and special screenings.
This year marks another major milestone for the event. Now a registered charity and celebrating its first year as a BIFA-qualifying festival, Mansfield Town Film Festival has grown from a local passion project into one of the East Midlands’ most exciting showcases for independent cinema.
And with day passes costing just £10, it’s arguably one of the region’s biggest entertainment bargains.
“Trying to choose five films from more than 120 is almost impossible,” laughs Jay. “I could probably give you a completely different list tomorrow.
“But these choices show the range of what MTFF has become. There are films that will make you laugh, films that will challenge you, films that might break your heart and films from directors whose names I genuinely think people will be hearing a lot more of in the future.”
So, if you’re only seeing a handful of films this year, start here.
1. We’re All Black Down Here
Directed by James Mellors
If one film feels tailor-made for Mansfield, it’s We’re All Black Down Here.
Set against the backdrop of Britain’s mining industry in the 1950s, the drama follows an Afro-Caribbean miner trying to find acceptance in a deeply divided society. It’s a film that explores race, class and belonging through a lens rarely seen on screen and one that feels especially relevant in a town built on coal and community.
“This was always going to make my list,” says Jay. “Mansfield’s history is inseparable from mining, but there are parts of that story we haven’t always explored fully.
“MTFF was created to champion working-class stories and filmmakers, and this film speaks directly to that mission.”
It’s no surprise the film was chosen for the front cover of this year’s festival guide.
2. Woman, Dying
Directed by Vittoria Rizzardi Peñalosa
One of the real joys of a film festival is stumbling into something you’ve never heard of and walking out wondering why everyone isn’t talking about it.
That could well be Woman, Dying.
The short begins with a life-drawing class before taking a turn that Jay is understandably reluctant to spoil. Part of Friday’s Beautiful Things Fall Apart strand, it’s exactly the kind of bold, offbeat filmmaking festivals exist to champion.
“I don’t want to say too much because the surprise is part of the experience,” he says.
“It’s distinctive, original and exactly the sort of film I hope audiences discover by chance.”
3. Signal
Directed by Zak Jarvis
Yes, Christopher Eccleston is in it.
But don’t let the famous face be the only reason you add Signal to your watchlist.
Also starring BAFTA-winning actor Jack Rowan, the tense drama follows a railway signalman whose routine shift takes a life-or-death turn when he spots a distressed young man on the tracks.
“Having Christopher Eccleston on screen is obviously a huge draw,” says Jay. “But what impressed me most is just how good the film itself is.
“It’s tense, cinematic and brilliantly acted.”
For festival-goers, it perfectly captures one of the joys of MTFF. One moment you’re watching a BAFTA-nominated actor, the next you’re discovering a filmmaker you’ve never heard of who could be the industry’s next breakout talent.
4. Dirt
Directed by Isabella Speaight
Some films hit hard. Others quietly crawl into your head and refuse to leave.
Dirt is very much the latter.
Screening as part of Every Version of Her, a strand dedicated entirely to films about women directed by women, Isabella Speaight’s drama follows a mother and young son trying to navigate life after abandonment and loss.
Five months into a period of crushing grief, the pair are drifting apart. But when one moment forces a painful reckoning, a path towards reconnection begins to emerge.
“It’s raw and intimate,” says Jay. “But there’s something incredibly hopeful underneath it too.”
The film is also a perfect example of what makes this year’s Every Version of Her programme stand out.
Rather than presenting one idea of womanhood, the strand explores everything from motherhood and sexuality to identity, autonomy, relationships and grief through a wide range of voices and perspectives.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve assembled,” says Jay. “These films approach similar themes in completely different ways, and Dirt is one that genuinely stayed with me long after I’d watched it.”
Bring tissues. Just in case.
5. Lost In The Sauce
Directed by Lee Deane
Not every festival film has to leave you contemplating the human condition.
Sometimes all you need is an unfortunate ketchup incident.
Jay’s final pick is Lost In The Sauce, a brilliantly relatable comedy about the sort of minor social disaster that feels world-ending when it’s happening to you.
The premise is simple. Matt accidentally squirts ketchup over a stranger.
What follows is not.
As his imagination spirals wildly out of control, one awkward moment snowballs into a series of increasingly catastrophic worst-case scenarios.
If you’ve ever lain awake at 3am replaying a slightly embarrassing interaction from six years ago, this one’s for you.
“I had to include a comedy,” laughs Jay. “Otherwise people might think MTFF is three solid days of misery and existential despair.
“Lost In The Sauce is genuinely funny, wonderfully absurd and based around something most of us recognise. Your brain can take one tiny moment and suddenly convince you your entire life is about to unravel.”
The film is also nominated for Best Student Short at the Mansfield Film Awards, highlighting another key part of the festival’s mission.
“Student filmmakers are hugely important to us,” says Jay. “MTFF isn’t just about celebrating established talent. It’s about giving emerging filmmakers the opportunity to see their work on a proper cinema screen in front of a real audience.”
And who knows? Today’s student award nominee could be tomorrow’s festival headliner.
More than just a film festival
Of course, these five films are just the tip of the iceberg.
Across three days, audiences can dive into more than 120 films ranging from hard-hitting dramas and documentaries to comedies, thrillers, animation and experimental work from filmmakers across the UK and beyond.
There are filmmaker Q&As, networking opportunities, workshops, special events and the festival’s increasingly popular VR Cinema, giving visitors far more than a traditional trip to the pictures.
And perhaps most importantly, it’s all designed to be accessible.
“You absolutely don’t need to be a film buff to enjoy MTFF,” says Jay.
“For just £10, you can spend an entire day discovering stories you’ve never seen before, meeting the people behind them and experiencing films from Mansfield, across Britain and around the world.”
That affordability, he says, is central to everything the festival is trying to achieve.
“Film festivals can sometimes feel intimidating if you’ve never been to one before. People can feel like they’re not ‘film people’ enough.
“We’ve always wanted to challenge that idea.
“Some of the films feature household names. Others have been made by filmmakers right at the start of their careers. They’re all sharing the same screen.
“Come and take a chance on something you’ve never heard of. You might just discover your new favourite filmmaker before everyone else does.”
Need to know…
Mansfield Town Film Festival takes place at Mansfield Palace Theatre from September 25 to 27. Day passes cost just £10 and tickets are available now via the festival website.
Why go? Because where else can you watch a Christopher Eccleston drama, discover the next generation of British filmmakers, explore virtual reality cinema and witness a ketchup-related meltdown, all in the same weekend?
