Supporting Cambridge Film Festival
At Isabel Hastie, we feel truly fortunate to be part of an incredibly vibrant and creative city with such a warm community. This year, we are especially honoured to be supporting one of Cambridge’s cultural highlights – the Cambridge Film Festival (CFF), produced by the register charity, the Cambridge Film Trust.
It was a real pleasure to be approached by the Cambridge Film Festival – the very first time they have chosen to advertise through an estate agency. We are delighted to stand alongside them in celebrating a cultural institution that has been bringing people together since 1977, helping to make film accessible for all.
The Cambridge Film Festival is one of the UK’s longest-running film festivals. Each autumn, it draws audiences of over 10,000 people, from film enthusiasts and industry professionals to families discovering the joy of cinema for the first time.
CFF has a remarkable track record of showcasing independent, international, and archive films, with around 100 screenings each year.
However, this festival is much more than a celebration of film; it is a platform for inspiration, opportunity, and inclusivity, seeking to transcend social barriers and unite communities. Its Industry Day provides opportunities to new, emerging talent, enabling the next generation to network and connect with industry professionals. Similarly, the Youth Lab, a free film education scheme for 16 to 24 year-olds, encourages participation from underrepresented communities, nurturing passion for cinema. Accessibility is also at the Festival’s heart, with screenings offering descriptive subtitles and audio descriptions, ensuring that cinema can be enjoyed by everyone.
At Isabel Hastie, we believe that the individuality and diversity of properties and landscapes in Cambridge is what gives it its charm. While the Arts Picturehouse is the Festival’s core venue, screenings also take place across the city in non-traditional locations, such as historical colleges, on city streets, and even in the great outdoors, making full use of what Cambridge has to offer. Past highlights from the organisation include Movies on the Meadows, a magical open-air screening at Grantchester Meadows with three giant inflatable screens, held on the August bank holiday weekend, as a prelude to the main festival in autumn. Within this main festival, many of the awards themselves pay homage to Cambridge’s stunning River Cam, with the Golden Punt awarded for the Best Discovery Feature.
CFF is also committed to protecting Cambridge’s natural beauty, to help shape a more sustainable future. The Festival strives to minimise its environmental impact by choosing accessible venues, encouraging walking, cycling, and public transport. For example, on 28 July this year, Oscar-winning film Flow was screened for free at the Meadows Community Centre, one of many local spaces transformed into hubs of creativity and community spirit.
This year’s Festival promises to be one of the most exciting yet. Running from 23 October – 2 November 2025, it will be extended to 11 days, spanning two weekends for the first time in a decade. Families can also enjoy free morning screenings during the October half-term, making it the perfect introduction to cinema for younger audiences.
At Isabel Hastie, we are thrilled to be supporting such an integral part of Cambridge’s cultural scene, an event which highlights the spirit of Cambridge, blending history and innovation. The Festival embodies everything we love about Cambridge: ingenuity, diversity and community. So whether you are new to the city or have called Cambridge home for years, the Cambridge Film Festival provides the perfect opportunity to experience the cultural richness that makes living here so special.
