“Magnificently eclectic”
- Time Out

“Joyously inventive”
- Guardian

“Britain’s most exciting and innovative film festival”
– Lonely Planet

“Like the perfect mixtape”
– Electric Sheep magazine

Dreamt up in partnership with Colmore Business District, Film Bug is a festival within a festival, with screenings and performances taking place in various city centre venues across the district from Wednesday 14th to Friday 16th March. The programme (and Flatpack as a whole) will be kicking off at Birmingham Cathedral on Wednesday night with Another Fine Mess; the UK’s leading silent film pianist Neil Brand, accompanying a thigh-slapping selection of silent comedy shorts including some Laurel and Hardy escapades and their lesser-known female equivalents, Anita Garvin and Marion Byron.

On Thursday and Friday there will be a whole host of short film programmes from KINO 10, IdeasTap, Flip Festival, and Underwire Festival. Just Film Co-Operative, Birmingham International Film Society, Stirchley Happenings and Juniper Cinema will all be hosting film screenings, including the Ealing comedy, The Lavender Hill Mob, the classic mod film, Quadrophenia, and there’s a chance to see Mercury Music Prize nominee Kit Downes and his quintet performing live scores to animation at the Birmingham Midland Institute.

Other Film Bug venues include the Old Joint Stock, the Jekyll & Hyde, BCU School of Art (Margaret St), Café Costes, Urban Coffee, and The Old Royal. All screenings will be free, excluding Another Fine Mess and the Kit Downes performance. For a full rundown of events in the season use the Film Bug tag.