Unmissable Autumn film festivals

We pick out five film festivals to make sure you feel inspired this autumn.

BFI London Film Festival 
5 to 23 October on BFI Player, worldwide

Enjoy a film festival from the comfort of your own sofa with the BFI London Film Festival. With the very best new films from around the world available for everyone to watch, we recommend checking out their Shorts section and adding Transparent – a dazzling tribute to contemporary dance artist Siobhan Davies – and The Ritual to Beauty – the meaning of beauty is experienced through three generations of Dominican women – to your watchlist. There is so much to choose from so enjoy taking the time to scroll through the line-up and discover your new inspiration. The institute’s #generationnow programme includes a thought-provoking selection of short films exploring what it means to be a young adult in the world today.
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Raindance 
26 October to 5 November, London 

Celebrating it’s 30th edition in just a few weeks, Raindance has secured it’s position within the film festival calendar thanks to its unwavering support of first time, emerging independent filmmakers. Within its full and vibrant programme, there’s a dedicated section to shorts and music videos, where themed daily screenings (Radical Agendas, Horror and Abstract Notions) and accompanying Q&A’s are ideal sources of inspiration for your next creative project. 
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2022 Lumière Film Festival
15 to 23 October, Lyon 

Held in Lyon, the birthplace of cinema, this is one of the largest festivals to celebrate classic cinema and a wonderful excuse to enjoy, learn from and be inspired by some of the best films in the medium’s history. Now in its 14th edition, the Lumière Film Festival holds a whole host of events and screenings, including big classic in black & white, cult flicks and the Tim Burton all-nighter, who is the Lumière Award honouree for 2022.
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Banff Mountain Film Festival
Throughout the year, worldwide

The most reputable international film festival about mountain culture, sports, environment and adventure and exploration, Banff kicks off its world tour in the stunning Canadian Rocky Mountains with more than 60 live events as well as talks, exhibitions and of course plenty of screenings (80 films will be shown, to be exact) too. The festival will be hitting the UK this October; the festival’s healthy online programme is also a brilliant resource. 
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Austin Film Festival and Writer’s Conference 
27 October to 3 November, Austin

A festival largely for script and screenwriters, the Austin Film Festival was one of the first to focus on the writer’s contribution to film and television aiming to build a bridge from craft to career. With eight nights of film screenings plus four days panels, workshops and networking, if you’re in or close to Austin and passionate about writing this is a must-attend event. 
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