Keighley Arts and Film Festival

First established in 2019 to help boost funding for the arts in Keighley, the festival was a huge success.

PAST FESTIVAL EVENTS

We wanted to boost the amount of arts funding coming into Keighley, and raise awareness that we have been under-represented nationally.

One of the local events that inspired KAFF was RATMA International Film Festival, Keighley’s film-shorts festival that has been running since 2013. Now, as a part of Keighley Arts and Film Festival they have doubled the public venues around town where they show films during the festival and we can’t wait to see where this collaboration leads in the future.

To find out more about what they do, and how you can get involved visit: https://www.ratmafilmfestival.com/


2021 FESTIVAL

Events

 

09/10/2021 12:00 pm –
09/10/2021 4:00 pm
FESTIVAL

Intimate 2020

A new Covid-proof festival experience, featuring poetry by Nabeela Ahmed, local musicians Blue Cat Crib, and storytelling from Sue Dyad.

Keighley Art and Film Festival launched with a bang in October 2019, this year we are going for something more… well, intimate.  The full 2020 programme can be enjoyed here or you can visit our dedicated Facebook and Youtube pages to join in with the conversation.

Blue Crib Cat

Awesome Cover songs and videos just for us! Blue Cat Crib are super talented local musicians, Rose Wheeler and Bryan Diggle.

They kicked off the festival for us with their cover of Cars by Gary Numan. Listen to their super electronic version, made anew for a different time.

They recreated One Dance by Drake as a lock down lament with a live sound feel; a humorous look at the things that occupy our minds when we have time on our hands.

Ever thought of combining Clocks by Coldplay with Lord of the Rings? No? Well Blue Cat Crib did! That wee person looks familiar – oh and there’s a ring… what can it all mean..?
 
In their last cover for the us, Blue Crib Cat presents Shallow by Lady Gaga. Made entirely from the voices of Rose Wheeler and Bryan Diggle,  Rose says the song perfectly echoes society’s dilemmas “… are you happy in this modern world? Are you tired trying to fill this void?”
Three Poems in Three Languages

Nabeela Ahmed

Spoken word poet, Nabeela Ahmed created four sets of beautiful poems to guide us through these troubled times. Nabeela reads in three languages, Urdu, English and her mother tongue, Pahari. 
 
Join us for a live online chat with Nabeela, as she talks about her poetry on Friday 6th October 2020. 

Nabeela’s first set, Social Injustice features three poems- ‘Isms’ in English, ‘Khusre Naamarad’ in Urdu, and ‘Zoar Naal Bolo’ in Pahari. You can find out more about Nabeela and her work through her Instagram page nabeela_ahmed.

The second set is all about Coronavirus, They Say Corona Doesn’t Differentiate at All is in English and Urdu, and Changa Corona Aaya Eh in Pahari. Pahari (the word means of the hills and mountains), is the name of a language from the Lower Himalayas. More than seventy percent of the Pakistani population in Britain is from these regions of Kashmir who speak this language in their homes.

Nabeela’s third set, Childhood features images from Kashmir and Bradford, and her fourth set is all about Love. The video for Love features beautiful photographs of flowers taken by Nabeela.

Murky Tales of Keighley Folk

Sue Dyde

Sue Dyde has written and presented these four tales, based on true life. Be amazed, saddened and full of wonder in turn. Who would have thought it!

Rodneys’ Murky Tale We start with the first of Sues Tales that describes the lowly start of poor Rodney. In the end he seems to have all he needs materially, and yet is plagued by a soul not quite at ease. 

Mrs Thewlett’s Murky Tale Mrs Thewlett takes her class of children to Keighley Library, where she divulges fascinating information from Keighley’s industrial past. 

Teresa’s Murky Tale Told with wry humour, this is truly a tragic tale of deception with a dark conclusion.

Annie’s Murky Tale What really happened to Annie, we will never truly know, but be prepared to have your heart touched by the plight of Annie, and to always wonder about those strange circumstances. 

RATMA International Film Awards

Film Awards: 2019 / 2020

Here is a round up of fabulous films from our festival partners, RATMA, The River Aire Ten Minute Awards.

RATMA International Film Festival, Keighley’s film-shorts festival that has been running since 2013. To find out more about what they do, and how you can get involved visit: https://www.ratmafilmfestival.com/

Bring Him Home by Luke Suri

Winner of the RATMA Lockdown Festival 2020

Wings by Casey McDonald

Winner of the Animation category, RATMA 2019

Mr Indifferent by Aryasb Feiz

Runner up in the Animation category, RATMA 2019

Yorkshire Day by Louise Rose

Winner of the Made in the Aire Valley Competition, RATMA 2019
Festivals

KAFF 2019

Our Window on the World

The 2019 festival, Our Window on the World was amazing. We had over 1000 visitors across the events, and several of our highlights came from your guidance and ideas. As a result of our focus groups other organisations based in Keighley, like The Musicians Centre and ICLS applied for funding themselves to run amazing workshops and performances as a part of it.

For the film enthusiasts RATMA showcased their winning short films all over the town and local filmmakers Scott Coultard and Munnie Lee made the Why Keighley? documentary, looking at what brought people from different cultures to Keighley.

The artists amongst us were able to join in the Mini People project, run by Penny Rowe from Penny’s Community Arts, and join in Lisa Holme’s Stained Glass window photography project.

Drama came from Irene Lofthouse who took people on Mill Walks around the area, and Sue Dyde, from Shoutdrama who put on the Time Train extravaganza.

There was dancing in the shopping centre from several groups, including Life Aquatic’s flash mob, and Tribal Wind’s magnificent dance troupe. 

Made possible through funding and support from Keighley Council, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Arts Council England, Keighley Big Local, Lottery Heritage Fund and East St Arts.

It was an incredible team effort! Thank you to everyone who was involved.