Streatham free film festival rolls into ninth year

With everything from blockbusters to documentaries, the Streatham Free Film Festival is back for its ninth year.

No fewer than 23 films are available for a range of audiences from September 14 to 28, all free to watch and completely volunteer powered.

The festival will open with an outdoor screening of Wonka on September 14.

The Free Film festival boasts blockbusters such as Oscar winning Barbie – for which dress-up is encouraged – a 30th anniversary screening of Leon, big hits such as Monster’s Inc, and the quirky Marcel The Shell With Shoes On.

The musical Sister Act will appear at the New Covenant Church, with Dirty Dancing closing the festival at The Rabbit Hole.

Pre-film dance lessons and a fun-filled after party are set to take place on the same day.

In terms of laughs, the festival offers hilarious comedy American Fiction, which satirises racial stereotypes in literature and is promised to be a “cinematic stick of dynamite”.

The action-packed The Fall Guy will also be screened at The Manor Arms, featuring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

For those looking for history, the harrowing film Zone of Interest brings audiences back to Germany in 1943, whilst Memory Box explores the interconnected lives of three women in 1980s Lebanon.

Documentaries such as Copa 71, which tells the story of the first Women’s World Cup, the sweet British documentary A Bunch Of Amateurs, and Sundance film festival finalist Gaza, a 2019 portrait of everyday life within Gaza, can also be found at the festival.

Some more unusual events are promised, such as the dog-friendly screening of mockumentary Best In The Show, planned at the Woodfield Pavilion.

The gory, Nazi-bashing, Finnish movie Sisu is also set to air at The Bull, whilst Lisa Frankenstein, described as Heathers meets Tim Burton meets Twilight, will screen at The Railway Pub.

Wes Anderson is planned to make an appearance with his latest film, the coming-of-age story Asteroid City.

A pre-festival Film Quiz will take place at The Rebel Inn on Tuesday, where players can test their creative, musical, and general knowledge of film in teams of 6. Entry is only £3 per person.

Pictured top: Outdoor screenings at Streatham Free Film Festival 2023 (Picture: Streatham Free Film Festival)