2026 Autumn Festival: Friday 16th October – Sunday 1st November
The Autumn Festival
The Purbeck Film Festival runs every autumn during the last two weeks of October. We show screenings and host events all around Purbeck and beyond, from Bournemouth to Bridport. Our venues include our wonderful independent cinemas like The Rex in Wareham and The Mowlem in Swanage as well as village halls, stately homes, churches, sports clubs and restaurants.
This year, we’re delighted to be celebrating our 30th Festival and we’ll be looking back over three decades of great cinema in Purbeck and welcoming some very special guests to help us celebrate.
If you love the Festival as much as we do, please consider signing up for a Friend of the Festival Pass to enjoy various discounts and perks including early bird access to film bookings.
We’ve got something for everyone – take a browse through our online Film Guide below,ย What’s On page or browse by venue.
Special Guests 2026
Celebrating three decades of bringing world-class cinema to the Isle of Purbeck, our 30th anniversary festival features a distinguished lineup of guest speakers and creative talent. Headlining this milestone year is global icon Rowan Atkinson, internationally recognized as one of the most celebrated figures in film and comedy, who joins us for a special retrospective celebrating the work of legendary filmmaker Jacques Tati.
Joining Rowan is a diverse collection of industry professionals, with sessions exploring both regional stories and international cinema. Highlights include post-screening discussions with award-winning directors Philippa Lowthorpe (H is for Hawk) and Rory Wilson (Terra), alongside location manager Eddy Pearce (Ammonite, Paddington in Peru), who will discuss filming the new Sense and Sensibility Dorset. From art documentaries presented by David Bickerstaff to an insightful cinematography panel with John Sorapure (2nd Unit DoP Barbie, DoP Ted Lasso), this yearโs programme offers an engaging look behind the lens.
UK Premiere: Tinฤ
We are thrilled to launch this yearโs festival on Friday 16 Oct. with an exceptional highlight: the UK premiere of Tinฤ, marking the film’s very first theatrical screening in Britain. Set against the stunning backdrop of Swanage Bay at The Mowlem Theatre, our Opening Night Gala begins at 6.30pm with a welcome reception, followed by the main feature at 7.30pm. Directed by Miki Magasiva, this big-hearted, emotionally resonant New Zealand drama stars Anapela Polataivao as a grieving substitute teacher who forms a choir for troubled pupils. Blending humor, resilience, and transcendent Samoan choral music, Tinฤ promises an unforgettable start to our 30th-anniversary celebrations.
Une Journรฉe Jacques Tati
On Saturday, 17 October, The Mowlem Theatre hosts Une Journรฉe Jacques Tati, a dedicated day examining the genius of French visual comedy. Festivalgoers can join us for the full day or dip in for individual sessions – offering the perfect introduction for newcomers, as well as a rare chance for existing fans to explore Tatiโs work through both academic and practitioner lenses.
The event begins at 11am with an introductory lecture by Prof. Matthew Beaumont (In the Footsteps of Jacques Tati), followed by a 2.30pm matinรฉe screening of Tati’s monumental masterpiece, Playtime. Before the evening main event, attendees can take advantage of an exclusive pre-screening Supper Offer at The Salt Pig Too from 4.45pmโ6.30pm . The day culminates in a 7pm screening of Mr Hulotโs Holiday, followed by an on-stage discussion with legendary actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson, joined by cultural historian Matthew Sweet to trace a direct throughline from Tatiโs iconic character to Mr Bean and explore his enduring influence on physical comedy.
Director Philippa Lowthorpe
On Monday 19 Oct. at 7.30pm, St Maryโs Church in Swanage hosts a special screening of the acclaimed indie hit H is for Hawk, followed by an exclusive Q&A with BAFTA-winning director Philippa Lowthorpe. Adapted from Helen Macdonaldโs celebrated memoir and featuring a powerful lead performance by Claire Foy, this deeply moving drama explores grief and healing as a daughter attempts to process profound loss by training a fierce goshawk. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of St Mary’s Church, it promises a quiet, visually stunning meditation on nature, connection, and the wildness of the human spirit.
Cannes Selection
Every year, our programming team carefully selects prize winners from the international awards circuit to bring straight to Purbeck – offering a rare chance to see films that are often difficult to view theatrically outside of London.
Top among these are three standout titles from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival: Paweล Pawlikowskiโs deeply moving, Best Director-winning historical drama Fatherland (Tues 20 Oct, The Mowlem); Minotaur, the powerful Russian-set drama that claimed the Grand Prix and Soundtrack Award (Tues 27 Oct, The Rex); and Cristian Mungiuโs provocative Palme dโOr winner, Fjord (Wed 28 Oct, The Mowlem).
Director Rory Wilson - Terra
Join us for a screening of Terra wtih the Dorchester Film Society, followed by an in-person Q&A with director Rory Wilson. An award-winning British/Bermudian writer, director, and actor known for Peaky Blinders: Immortal Man, Shakespeare & Hathaway, and Riot Women, Wilson brings his debut feature to the screen fresh from its Raindance 2026 nominations for Best UK Feature and Best UK Director.
Set inside a makeshift hospital in a war zone, Terra (85 mins) is a tense, gripping character drama following three interconnected lives: a father and child desperate to escape, a nurse facing impossible moral choices, and a veteran doctor making life-or-death decisions under pressure. Confined within the hospitalโs walls, the story builds with intensity toward a shocking and moving conclusion, providing plenty to discuss in our post-screening conversation
Our 2026 Autumn Festival Film Guide