An annual film festival returns for its fourth year this weekend.

The fourth annual Chorleywood Film Festival takes place from Friday, March 13, to Sunday, March 15. Co-presented by Chorleywood Film Club and Chorleywood Bookshop, it opens on Friday evening with Judy, featuring Renee Zellwegger’s spellbinding performance as Judy Garland - a performance which swept the Best Actress awards board this year.

On Saturday afternoon there will be a special session showcasing and celebrating the filmmaking talents of local 7-18-year-olds who have entered short films in the 2020 Mini Movie Makers and Young Filmmakers Competitions. All the entries will be shown and awards presented to the winner in each of the four age group categories.

Leading British film directors David Yates (Harry Potter 5-8 and Fantastic Beasts 1 and 2) and Graham Ralph (The First Snow of Winter, The Forgotten Toys, and The Magic Roundabout) were joined on the judging panel by local filmmaker Eleanor Dolan – and all will be there in person to announce the winners and present the awards. In addition, Eleanor’s new short film, The Brass Elephant In The Room, will receive a special screening during the afternoon.

Saturday night’s film, The Keeper, is a riveting romantic sporting drama based on the incredible true story of Bert Trautmann, the German PoW who overcame post-war anger and prejudice to become Manchester City’s goalkeeper, playing in the 1955 and 1956 Cup Finals and becoming a sporting icon in the process.

The Festival concludes on Sunday afternoon with a family-focused finale, the latest Shaun the Sheep movie, Farmageddon. Audience members are being encouraged to come dressed as any favourite film or cartoon character, with a prize for the best child’s costume.

All screenings and events are held at the War Memorial Hall, Chorleywood. For more information visit cwfilmclub.org