PREPARATIONS for the first Holmfirth Film Festival are well under way.

The week-long celebration of moving pictures has been organised by film fan and Huddersfield University lecturer Stephen Dorril.

Mr Dorril said Holmfirth was the ‘birthplace of British cinema’ and said it was the right time for the town to begin its own film festival.

He said: “There is a pool of talent in the Holme Valley. There are a number of people making films, involved in the film industry, lecturing on film – hopefully we can expand that network and use it to create a creative hub in Holmfirth for film.”

A whole day of the festival will be dedicated to short films about the Holme Valley, ending with a film competition dubbed Beyond Summer Wine.

Former BBC Film presenter Barry Norman will be giving a talk and Oscar-nominated films A Prophet And The White Ribbon will be shown.

Free events, including transport for older residents, will also be held.

The festival also has a focus on British cinema, featuring a special James Mason day, a 50th anniversary showing of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and screenings of contemporary British films.

The festival runs from May 22 to 29. There are details at www.holmfirthfilmfestival.co.uk