Raising the curtain on ASFF’s sixth anniversary edition is the Opening Night at York’s own riverside arthouse cinema and live performance venue, City Screen. The event features a dynamic taster of top films from the festival’s Official Selection, followed by an after-party. Guests will receive a complimentary drink, as well as an ASFF VIP Bag filled with goodies.

A specially curated programme of short films from the Official Selection, these screenings are designed to show the best of short film to young people aged 11-14. These young festivalgoers can nominate their favourite film for the York Youth Vote Award. This programme will inspire young people to develop a life-long relationship with cinema.

Here is your chance to view the films that kicked off ASFF 2016. The Opening Night films present a range of genres and filmic styles from comedy, drama and animation to thriller, fashion and music video. The presentation is a great introduction to ASFF for first-time festival visitors – a chance to see in one screening the breadth of films on offer.

Speak with the programmers behind leading UK and international festivals and tune in to what they are looking for at this unique networking event. This is a prime opportunity to chat to creatives from organisations including London Short Film Festival, British Urban Film Festival, Glasgow Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Encounters, and more.

Immerse yourself in the fashion film arena at the London College of Fashion’s drinks reception. This is your chance to speak with creatives from one of the country’s leading institutions and to learn about steps being made by the ever-popular genre towards new stylistic ways of storytelling within an atmospheric location. Limited Capacity.

Located in York’s vibrant Latin Quarter, 1331 is the ideal place to start the weekend ahead. Alongside its role as a festival venue and ASFF’s official restaurant and bar, 1331 is a go-to place throughout the festival, playing host to the festival’s Friday Night Party, where you can connect with friends old and new in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Last year saw ASFF celebrate its fifth anniversary, and with it came a dynamic and distinctive array of short lm. We’re providing audiences with an opportunity to view or rediscover highlights from 2015 with screenings of winning films, from Best of Fest winner Petros Silvestros’s A Confession, to Shezad Dawood’s Towards the Possible Film.

Get to know the creatives at the heart of ASFF 2016 at York Theatre Royal on Saturday night. Sponsored by Creative England, this event invites filmmakers and guests to network with artists from the Official Selection. This is your chance to expand your contacts and liaise with industry professionals, fellow filmmakers and a vast array of creative practitioners.

The National Centre for Early Music plays host to the festival’s closing ceremony, offering an elevated and historic finish to ASFF’s four-day run. Festival Winner, Northern Film School Award for Best Screenplay, category winners and the People’s Choice will be announced and congratulated within NCEM’s medieval hall. An ideal way to wrap up a memorable weekend. Book early.

The perfect platform to interact with film aficionados and experts alike, this year’s networking sessions offer a professional, yet relaxed environment in which to discuss both current and future projects, and to establish new connections. Returning to the Dean Court Hotel, a stone’s throw from the beautiful York Minister, ASFF welcomes representatives from instutions throughout the UK.

ASFF 2016 sees a series of independently curated guest showcase screenings from cultural organisations throughout the UK. This year’s guest institutions include London College of Fashion, Plymouth College of Art, the University of York, Ffilm Cymru Wales, Northern Film School and Northern Ireland Screen. The Showcase Screenings are free with a valid Festival Pass.

ASFF’s Videotheque provides an opportunity to experience the entire programme in one location. Held within the recently refurbished Explore York, this new festival resource invites ASFF pass holders to delve into our Official Selection catalogue, plus specially curated line-ups. Missed a film? Looking for something particular? See it at the Videotheque.

Join us for an intimate Q&A session with this year’s Official Selection filmmakers as they discuss topics such as Funding Your Film, Working with Actors, and Realising your Dream. Hosted by York contemporary art gallery According to McGee, and with visiting filmmakers every day, the Panel is an ideal way to kick off your day of screenings and festival events, networking over a cup of coffee.

The landmark documentary and acclaimed film Battle of the Somme presented a pivotal moment in World War One history to audiences across Britain in 1916. To mark its Centenary, the festival partners with the Imperial War Museum, London, to bring audiences a unique showing of the film within the walls of the York Army Museum.

New for 2016 are ASFF’s specially tailored baby screenings for parents and carers of babies from 0 months to two years old. As an inclusive festival, we have organised showings in a relaxed and welcoming environment where you can park your buggy and enjoy great film. Films are selected for adult viewers and rated 15 max.
Free with Festival Pass.