A look ahead to the Bradford International Film festival

The Bradford International Film Festival (BIFF) has taken place at the UK's National Media Museum since 1995 and over the decades has grown into one of the country's most respected and eclectic celebrations of cinema. During this time, the BIFF has welcomed many illustrious names from the world of filmmaking, including Lords Attenborough and Puttnam, John Hurt, Jean Simmons, Malcolm McDowell and Ken Loach. The festival organisers have recently announced exciting additions to this year’s line-up, including Calvary, Looking for Light: Jane Bown and Believe. The festival will run from 27 March until 6 April 2014.

Calvary is the follow-up film to John Michael McDonagh's hugely succesful debut The Guard, Calvary features all of the dark humour of its predecessor and another captivating performance by Brendan Gleeson at its heart.

Kelly Reilly and Brendan Gleeson in Calvary

Set against the landscape of Sligo, Gleeson stars as a priest in a small parish who, whilst taking confession, is alerted to the fact that he will be murdered... in one week.

Over six decades, Jane Bown became one of the most renowned and influential photographers of the famous - everyone from Samuel Beckett, Queen Elizabeth, the Beatles and Bertrand Russell became her subject.

Looking for Light: Jane Bown

In Looking for Light, Bown herself becomes the focus of attention in a film which provides a definitive portrait of one of the UK's highest achieving yet least assuming photographers.

Finally, a late addition in the BIFF tribute to Brian Cox, Believe is a funny and fictional tale of the legendary Sir Matt Busby and a young boy who had lost his way.

Brian Cox

After an act of petty crime, 11 year old Georgie finds himself on the wrong end of Matt Busby's anger. Upon discovering the boy is a gifted footballer, Busby decides to take him under his wing as part of his ethos for "training lads for life."

About The Bradford International Film Festival:

The BIFF has consistently showcased rising talent and has an international reputation for identifying and introducing new voices in the medium. A festival with a genuine and ongoing commitment to its local community, the BIFF has steadily established itself on the European and global festival circuit thanks to its distinctive programming and unparalleled projection facilities. The festival represents cinema in a great variety of forms, genres, formats, and selects many new independent films from around the world that are exclusive to the festival. The BIFF also champions distinctive new works and offers platforms for filmmakers to showcase their work alongside an array of European and international peers in the world's first UNESCO City of Film.

All films are programmed and exhibited with great care and attention and festival programmers are interested in creating the best and most interesting contexts possible.

Bradford was designated UNESCO's first City of Film in summer 2009, an honour now shared with Sydney, and the strength of the city's film festivals was cited as a major factor in UNESCO's decision to bestow this title. Having been conceived by Bill Lawrence, the festival is now under the joint direction of Tom Vincent and Neil Young, working with a team of programmers and organisers to deliver this important element of the city and region's cultural calendar.