HOLLYWOOD, Bollywood and the era of silent film will grace the first ever Cheltenham Film Festival.

Movie-goers will also have the chance to watch their favourite films outdoors at an open-air cinema, which will be brought to the town for the three-day festival in October.

Founders Martin Pilkington and Adam Clarke revealed details of Cheltenham's latest major festival at the Queen's Hotel. It included proposals to put a big screen in Montpellier Gardens so families can watch a PG film. Audiences will be invited to bring a picnic and blanket for the films, which will have no entry charge.

The festival has already attracted talk show host Sir Michael Parkinson, who says he cannot wait for the festival's debut from October 1 to 3.

Sir Michael said: "As a long-term fan of the Cheltenham jazz and literature festivals, it's wonderful to hear that a new film festival will be added to the line-up in 2010."

The Town Hall will host an independent cinema, including an exclusive glimpse at the famous Pinewood Studio where Clash of the Titans and Quantum of Solace were produced.

It will also show Bollywood, Latin American and East Asian films in the 300-seat world cinema.

The Prince's Hall, at Cheltenham Ladies College, will show classic cinema, including silent film, and the Parabola Theatre will hope to stun audiences with innovative movies produced by London Film School students and work by the National Star College. Disability in film, represented in hit movie Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, forms part of the diverse festival programme. The Echo is the official media partner of the event. Editor Kevan Blackadder said: "All our other festivals have grown from small beginnings and I think there is every chance that this idea can grow to become a significant event for the film industry."

Director Martin Pilkington, a former Churchdown School pupil, said he aimed to attract more than the typical festival fan. "I know that young people have all sorts of talents that simply need a little encouragement to thrive," he said. "My long-term objective is to create a leading film festival in England, that earns its stripes as a key part of the Cheltenham festival calendar while offering a fresh alternative that attracts a wide range of audiences."

Creative director Adam Clarke, a graduate of the University of Gloucestershire, said the programme for Cheltenham Film Festival would establish it as an "explosive inaugural event." For details, visit www.cheltenhamfilmfestival.com.

OPINION, P8