Popcorn at the Ready: Indie-Lincs International Film Festival Returns for 2025
Lincoln’s movie lovers rejoice as Indie-Lincs International Film Festival 2025 returns to the city on Thursday 30 January for a three-day festival, screening of more than 40 original and independent films from across the globe, all at Lincoln Arts Centre.
Now in its ninth year, Indie-Lincs enables everyone to watch films made by independent filmmakers. This year’s selections feature well-known faces from cinema and television such as actor and theatre director Richard Wilson (One Foot in the Grave and Merlin), Ruth Sheen (Vera Drake and Brassic), Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders and Edge of Tomorrow), Steve Oram (Sightseers and D.I. Ray), and Daniel Mays (Rogue One and The Bank Job).
During the festival, audiences can enjoy a selection of high-quality short and feature length documentary, drama, and animated films, including filmmaker Q&A sessions, networking events, and an awards ceremony.
The festival will open with Red Herring (UK), a personal and touching documentary about the fragility of life. Director Kit Vincent walks the line between humour and grief to helm this love letter to the relationships that keep him going after a terminal diagnosis. A Q&A with Director Kit Vincent will follow the film.
This year’s selection of short films includes the unforgettable UK drama, Wild Animal, a psychological thriller, the dark animated film In Loving Memories (UK), and thoughtful student documentary, Girly (USA). Feature films include kitchen-sink drama, Sweetly it Turns (UK), and The Connections (GER) which follows the parallel lives of siblings living in separate countries.
In addition to films screenings, attendees will be able to attend industry talks with guest speakers including film director Moin Hussain who will be screening his directorial debut, Sky Peals, which was filmed in Yorkshire and premiered at the Venice Film Festival. BBC Writers Room Development Executive Simon Nelson will be sharing tips and advice on how to write for the BBC, and the team from Film Hub Midlands will discuss the BFI NETWORK short film funding scheme.
The festival is run by University of Lincoln School of Creative Arts lecturers, Dr Mikey Murray and Chris Greybe, with a team of volunteer coordinators.
Mikey Murray, Senior Lecturer in Film Production and Screenwriting, at the University of Lincoln, commented: “Lincoln has built a reputation as a location for big budget films such Napoleon and Peterloo which is fantastic. Our festival is building on the city’s name as a destination for filmmakers to both film and showcase their work. Lincoln has a keen audience for independent film, and we show films you wouldn’t ordinarily get the chance to see. We can’t wait to share our programme and welcome the community to the festival.”
The festival’s awards ceremony is a particular highlight, as audience members can vote for their favourite film. This year’s judges include actors Pauline Lynch (Trainspotting), Robin Laing (Outlander), Jeremy Wooding (creator of Peep Show), and renowned film academic Professor Mette Hjort.
Indie-Lincs is an International Film Festival that champions low and micro budget feature length and short films. The high-quality programme of independent films is bolstered by friendly networking events where industry guests, actors, filmmakers and the audience can all be found together discussing their work and the programme of films.
The festival is open to all, with day and weekend passes available. Day tickets are £15 (£10 live pass), and a full weekend pass is £22.50 (£15 live pass). Age restrictions apply. For more information on tickets, call 01522 837600 or visit www.lincolnartscentre.co.uk.
To find out more about Indie-Lincs International Film Festival, visit: www.indie-lincs.com or contact Angela Waddell: indie-lincs@gmail.com or Mikey Murray: mmurray@lincoln.ac.uk
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