Mansfield Palace Theatre

From reformed criminals to grieving superheroes, teenage rebels to unlikely war romances—this high-octane strand is packed with stories that punch hard, run fast, and never look back. All screenings are rated for an 18 and above audience.

Best, Michael (13:01) – Directed By Sol Taibi

Michael Best is a man trying to better. Fresh out of prison he wants to try and live a better life and prove his loved ones wrong that he is a good man. With plenty of bridges to build, he sets off in hope to right his wrongs.

Captured For Life (12:46) – Directed By Fiona Hughes 

Told through the eyes of Denise playing as a child in the Scottish Highlands, we’ll discover how her parents saved more than just each other when they fell in love in a POW camp during World War Two.

Soft (9:45) – Directed By Scott Driver 

Two men meet in a cafe after a botched jewellery store heist.

Her Unseen (15:00) – Directed By Lux Karpov Kinrade, Roxanne Rapp 

After the death of her mother, a young woman must balance the expectations of her home life with her new role as a superhero, while being endlessly compared to her male counterpart.

Arcade (13:27) – Directed By Ruari Chambers 

A hedonistic drifter attempts to celebrate the birthday of his estranged, straight-laced younger brother the only way he knows how.

Knackered (7:51) – Directed By Django Pinter 

A Welsh language dark comedy about two girls trying to hide a dead body on a sheep farm.

Furious (20:00) – Directed By Thomas Vernay

Lola, 17, joins an educational detention centre reserved for teenage girls in the heart of her native countryside. Despite the tensions, she admires the bond that the other girls have. But around the centre lurks a terrible threat.

DL Rising Stars (Local Student Shorts) – Saturday July 26th 11:30AM – 1:00PM

These are stories of subtle courage and everyday upheaval—where love, loss, identity, and defiance intersect in ways that whisper change into the world, one deeply human moment at a time. All screenings are rated for an 18 and above audience.

Aren’t We Havin’ A Good Time (19:09) – Directed By Derry Shillitto

Peter a popular singer/stand-up entertainer of the seventies and eighties, resides in a care home in Nottingham as a result of Alzheimer’s dementia. Kezz his naturally-gifted event host of a grandson, assumed he was all but lost to the condition, until... during a routine visit, he's suddenly shocked and astonished to learn that due to the remarkable effects of music on the minds of those living with dementia - Peter still has the ability to perform his past songs.

The Removed (8:38) – Directed By Rebecca Rose 

Examines the lifelong effects of forced adoption and one woman's search for a lost past.

Theo’s Friend (10:48) – Directed By Joshua Black 

Ready for the repercussions, a defiant Theo wears makeup to his college team's football training. Mayhem ensues, testing his resolve and courage to embrace his true self.

A Hunter Grabs Their Rifle (3:00) – Directed By Thanos Korakakis 

A hunter tracks a deer through a snow storm.

With All Due Humanity (24:59) – Directed By Kacper Checinski 

In an employment office undergoing restructuring, Hélène, the deputy director, receives an alarming e-mail from a desperate unemployed woman. 

The Mermaid Wife By The Apex Singers (4:18) – Directed By Lydia Wonham 

Beneath the serene hills of the Shetland Islands, mermaids dwell in underwater palaces made of coral and pearl. One moonlit night, as they danced on the shore, a Shetlander stumbled upon them and stole a mermaid’s seal skin, trapping her in the human world. 

Do You Have Kids? (5:57) – Directed By Tom Gentle 

Confronted by an old acquaintance, Lee is taken aback by the question, “Do you have kids?” It’s a friendly question tossed casually into conversation, but for Lee it has a complex and difficult answer. 

Four Door Dante (13:37) - Directed By Daniel Rands 

Caught between a rock and a hard man, long-time loser Dante finds himself embroiled in a gruelling endurance contest in order to pay back a debt. As time runs out, he must decide whether to keep running or face his problems head on.

Join us in the Directors Lounge.

Celebrate bold French storytelling in this intimate strand. From neurodiverse ambition to working-class grit, fractured fatherhood, eerie obsessions, and sun-starved solitude—each film ignites resilience, humanity, and unexpected hope. All screenings are rated for an 18 and above audience.

The Invulnerable (24:45) – Directed By Lucas Bacle 

While caring for his sick father, Marcus, 17, has only a few days left to submit the short film needed to apply for his dream film school.

The Man Of Sh*t (21:44) – Directed By Sorel França 

Struggling between college and a job in a luxury hotel, Fernanda wonders if she will ever achieve something meaningful in her life. The arrival of The Man of Sh*t will give her an unexpected opportunity.

My Little Girl (15:00) – Directed By Chloé Jouannet

Alex (45), recently divorced, accompanies his daughter, Jade (15), to a twirling competition. Before long, the single father is faced with a situation he never thought he'd have to deal with before...

Him (10:26) – Directed By Matthias Couquet 

François is meeting his friend Pierre in a café. The latter claims to be followed by a stranger, who watches him from a distance, motionless, without Pierre ever managing to approach him. Pierre is sure of it: he's getting closer, relentlessly, and he has bad intentions.

Solarians (20:00) – Directed By Clarence Larrivoire 

Vadim is an underground car park attendant, desperately in need of sun and company. He goes to the tanning salon where the blue light of the UV tints the blues with a sunny poetry.

This screening is held in the Directors Lounge with a capacity of 30.

From athletic triumphs and queer awakenings to cosmic crises and raw relational truths—each film in this female focused strand champions resilience, vulnerability and audacious strength with power in every frame. All screenings are rated for an 18 and above audience.

A Strong Woman (23:42) – Directed By Theo Gee, Will Atherton

A documentary celebrating the strength of three record-breaking female athletes. Beyond their incredible lifts, it explores their resilience, dedication, and ability to shatter societal perceptions of female power in sport and life.

Polaroid (14:12) – Directed By Irene Corts Curto 

Four friends reunite during a summer weekend after Julia's return from a trip. While playing a
game, Julia kisses Marta. Could it be that Julia has reconsidered her sexuality? Will Marta dare to find out if there's something more than friendship between them?

+++ - Katie Crie (4:10) – Directed By Marlène Génissel 

It's the height of summer, you can't hear the birds something has changed, Katie Crie, She found my lifeless body in the alley. A real mystery to the neighbourhood.

Skelter (11:00) – Directed By Ma Morgan

A coming of age drama that takes place over a day at a fairground. The film follows Nip as she spends her last day working at the show, leaving a wealth of memories, friends, and rides behind her.

Hindsight (15:00) – Directed By Sophie Jane Corner, Alex Moxon

A story of an intense relationship from both perspectives. We see Finn and Billie through spoken word monologues, movement and a more naturalistic dialogue communicate their feelings towards their relationship, one so full of love but grasping at straws to keep.

Indefinitely (6:00) – Directed By Aloha Lee 

The night of a legendary comet coincides with a disastrous tsunami. An astronomer has been waiting for this comet all her life. Meanwhile, the lighthouse keeper rushes everyone off the island before the big wave swallows the town--and his lover.

Karateka (16:40) – Directed By Florence Fauquet 

Gabrielle and Alix are about to compete in the finals of the regional karate championship. But when Gabrielle discovers that she is having her period when she wasn't expecting it, things get complicated and the fight becomes unequal.

Step into a kaleidoscope of perspectives, where identity, imagination, and introspection collide. Kaleidoscopic Minds brings together a vibrant collection of short films that explore the intricate layers of self, society, and the surreal. All screenings are rated for an 18 and above audience.

Empty Your Pockets (19:56) – Directed By Tara Aghdashloo 

Hassan is a young airport customs officer who must secure an advance on his salary to afford his mother’s medication. As the dark side of his job becomes more clear, Hassan must decide what matters to him the most, and what cost he is willing to pay.

Sophie’s Note (4:25) – Directed By Antonio G. Wagner

A university student must do whatever she can to convince her professor to deem her eligible for a makeup exam after she oversleeps and misses it; even if it means having to use tricks and lies.

Lamia (13:40) – Directed By Daniel Thomson 

During the Spanish Civil War, a desperate deserter on the run enters an ominous forest. Inside, he encounters a wandering soldier and a mysterious maiden who lead him into the inner depths of insanity, love & death.

Follow The Stickers (16:52) – Directed By Matthew Watts

Ever noticed a lamppost covered in stickers? Ever wondered why all those stickers are there and where they all come from? Well, wonder no more!

Lunch Hour (1:00) – Directed By Keith Allott 

A hangry teacher forgets his lunch and employs desperate measures to satisfy his appetite.

Filter (9:42) – Directed By James Oates 

A woman sits alone in a perfect bar. Her desire to fit in turns into infatuation with another. Night after night, she reinvents herself but is always a step behind. Overwhelmed by the surreal world she finds herself in, she has no choice but to face her obsession.

See And Don’t See (5:39) – Directed By Olive Jones 

The voices of single mothers are often neglected and left unheard, this film showcases their unique and multi-faceted experiences. Narrated through spoken word over dreamlike imagery and an ethereal score featuring sounds of the body and placenta.

Do You Want To (6:30) – Directed By Andy Berriman 

Under the sheets, Connor and Jake’s domestic bliss is put to the test. It’s bedtime, and someone’s in the mood – but do they actually know each other back to front, inside and out?... Porn, Plato, and power tools feature as they seek the answer in this silly, heartwarming romcom short.

I’m Interesting I Swear (11:14) – Directed By Shir Ariya 

A self-involved writer struggles to pitch herself to the world as she gets upstaged by the far more interesting stories unfolding around her.

This screening is held in the Directors Lounge with a capacity of 30.

Dive into deliciously twisted tales of sinister secrets and absurd encounters. From vampiric mummies to guilt-haunted gravediggers, vengeful wolves to slapstick nudists—this strand revels in the gleefully macabre. Humanity, stripped bare. All screenings are rated for an 18 and above audience.

Exhibit B (13:09) – Directed By David Gregory 

For their fourth anniversary, popular vloggers Rob and Carla set out on a romantic trip to a remote wilderness. Although cracks begin to show in their relationship they aim to capture every moment for their devoted followers. But what begins as a carefree escape soon spirals into something far more sinister.

No Trespassing In Transylvania (5:09) – Directed By Michael Dorfman, Maxwell Dorfman, Emmett Dorfman 

A group of mummies stumble onto a vampire's property.

Blood Ties (18:51) – Directed By Hakim Atoui 

A brother and a sister unable to confess a secret. A mother who blames them for their ingratitude and absence. A dysfunctional medical-assistance robot. Lunch is served, bon appétit!

The Corpse (4:32) – Directed By Jishnu Nandanan 

A mortician preparing a body experiences the shock of her life.

Grave (2:54) – Directed By Oz Durose 

A gravedigger, haunted by guilt, is chased down by the secret he would rather keep hidden.

Little Finger (15:00) – Directed By Gianluca Granocchia 

Valerio can no longer feel emotions. His only passion is blowing up anthills with homemade bombs. To survive he works as an entertainer at children's parties by dressing as a wolf. When a new animator wearing a costume identical to his steals his job, Valerio plans revenge that will prove to be a new beginning.

Return To Skye (4:58) – Directed By Scott Johnson 

A Scottish clansman survives the Battle of Culloden (1745) and returns home to bid farewell to his wife, and wee child, before fleeing for his life. He and his wife agree that his ancestral home, the Isle of Skye, will provide him refuge from the pursuing British.

Lazar (18:14) – Directed By Rafe Bird, Michael Bird 

In the early 17th century, a self obsessed bard flees for his life from a posse of lawmen led by a self righteous Constable into Sherwood forest, only things are not quite as they seem when interrupted by… a wood nymph?

World Naked Bike Tour (9:37) – Directed By William Bradford (Animated Shorts)

A nude cycling event is hounded by a right-wing picketer attempting to sabotage it.... cartoon Slapstick Ensues! Inspired by the international event "World Naked Bike Ride"

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