Is this film festival just for industry or can the public come too?

The event is for everyone. You can attend just to watch films and/or engage with the industry aspect which includes industry talks and masterclasses, networking and socialising. 

The films we screen are all short films, but rest assured they are of the highest quality. In the past we have screened films that have gone on to win major awards like the OSCAR's or BAFTA's. We regularly share films from highly respected festivals such as Cannes, Berlinale, Toronto, Venice, Rotterdam, Locarno and more.

Should I buy a ticket or a festival pass?

If you intend to only watch one or two programmes of films then buying individual tickets will be the cheapest way to attend, but if you want to watch more programmes (or engage with the industry events) a festival pass will be the cheapest option. 

Can I get a refund for my ticket or festival pass if I can no longer make it to the event?

We can't offer refunds for tickets or festival passes as our cinema has a limited number of seats and if you have bought that seat we can't resell it to other people at the last minute. 

What do you mean by a programme of films?

Bolton Film Festival is a short film festival so we put films together to form a programme, usually working out around 90 minutes in length. If you buy a ticket, you are purchasing access to watch one of the programmes. If you buy a festival pass, you are purchasing access to watch as many programmes (or industry events) your pass allows. For example a Wednesday Pass would allow you to watch all the programmes and industry events for that day. 

If I buy a ticket and I enjoy the festival experience, can I upgrade to a Festival Pass?

Yes. If you take your proof of ticket purchase to our box office we will upgrade you to a festival pass and deduct the cost of your ticket. Our box office is one floor below the Light Cinema at KUDOS gallery.

Where can I find theevent schedule?

Click on the programme icon in the header and you'll find detailed daily listings for each day and each programme by clicking on the day or the programme.

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When is your box office open?

We are a volunteer led organisation (not for profit). Our box office is only open during the festival dates (Wed 2nd Oct - Sun 6th Oct) and is situated one floor below the Light Cinema at KUDOS gallery. For all enquiries related to ticketing or access needs please contact staff@boltonfilmfestival.com

Can I watch the films online at home?

Yes. If you are based in the UK you can watch the vast majority of the programme from the comfort of your home. As the films are unseen and new releases some of the filmmakers choose to only show them in the cinema, so if you only want to watch one specific film be sure to check with the filmmaker that its available (or contact us). 
 

Can I watch films outside of the UK?

No - the films are restricted to watch only in the UK based on your I.P address. The exception is if you are a film-maker in competition or a registered industry delegate.

I have not received a confirmation email from FilmChief. How do I access the festival online?

FilmChief automatically emails your pass confirmation to your email. If you did not receive it please check your email spam folder. If the email is not in your spam folder, then try logging in with your email address and normal password to access Bolton Film Festival online edition. https://boltonfilmfestival.filmchief.com/

If you still are having trouble then contact us by e-mail at info@boltonfilmfestival.com

I don’t remember my password. What should I do?

If you don't remember your password you can reset it here. https://boltonfilmfestival.filmchief.com/reset-account?redirect-from=sign-in

Once you've reset your password, head back to the festival and try logging in again. If you are still having trouble accessing your account, don't hesitate to contact us at: info@boltonfilmfestival.com

Are all the films rated?

Films are given ratings by our local council but will only be displayed on our website when we receive them. We don't print them in our printed brochure due to the nature of the event, which is relatively last minute. We feel that most of the films would be rated 12 or 15 but there are “Family” films for a younger audience that are clearly indicated as a programme. We recommend to pay special attention to film descriptions across the festival; some films delve into challenging content — such as war, slavery or gun violence — and the description will help you make a decision based on your household. We also publish trigger warnings across the programme, but not against individual films.

With my online festival pass can I watch films at any time or are they scheduled?

The films are scheduled to begin at set times, typically four or five 90 minute programmes will begin each day. You then have 48 hours to watch the films in the programme from the start time. So for example if a programme begins at 2pm on a Wednesday you have until 2pm on Friday to watch the films. You can watch the films as many times as you want to within the 48 hours they are available. 

If you are a film-maker in competition or an industry delegate you can watch any of the films on demand at the industry videotheque area for the entire duration of the festival and for one month later.

Can I watch on my TV?

Yes, with an online festival pass you can "Cast" to a smart TV. Or alternatively you can run a HDMI cable to your TV from a laptop or computer.

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Can I watch a film more than once?

Yes you can watch a film as many times as you like, but only within the 48 hour screening window.

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Do the films have closed captioning online?

We have at least two programmes of films each day with closed captioning. These are marked with a “CC” icon. When playing the film hover to make the video controls visible. On the bottom right the “CC” icon will turn the captions on and off.

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Does my web browser affect streaming?

No you shouldn’t have any problems what ever browser you are using.

 

How do I adjust the volume on the web player?

1. Hover the cursor over the video you are currently watching to make the video controls visible.

2. On the bottom right the sound icon controls the volume.

3. To control how high or low the volume is, hover the cursor over the volume bar and click the left side to lower the volume or the right side to raise the volume.

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Why does the image quality of the films change sometimes?

The quality of the image depends on a few factors:
 

1. This is most likely your internet speed. The player will auto-adjust to your internet speed. Your internet speed may change periodically based on how many other users are on your home network, the time of day, etc.
 

2. The quality of the image depends on the quality of the source we receive. In most cases we endeavour to receive the best quality files from film-makers we can.

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I couldn't find an answer in the list above to my question. Now what?

Drop us an email to info@boltonfilmfestival.com or staff@boltonfilmfestival.com and we'll get back to you as quickly as possible.