DMU x Phoenix Cinema Film Festival

Leicester might be a small city but it is most definitely not a boring place. Just recently Leicester hosted a Comedy Festival and something else is already on the way. Did you know that for several years now De Montfort University film students curate a film festival in collaboration with Phoenix cinema?

So, how did the festival come about?

It all started in 2014. Phoenix and DMU partnered up to give the opportunity for film students to experience the process of putting on a film festival from scratch, Jake Harvey writes about the history of this now annual event. This created a unique opportunity for undergraduates to apply their theoretical knowledge of the industry in real-life conditions. From choosing a theme to welcoming guests on the day of the screenings, the students are able to oversee all the processes of curation. Hosting such an event teaches about the struggles and obstacles that might occur in the process of event planning: guests withdrawing, not being able to get the rights for chosen films, or even festival cancellation due to a national lockdown, which is what happened when I was a student.

From a student’s perspective

I, personally had the pleasure of working on a film festival in my second year of studies at DMU in 2020. I must say, for me, it was the best module. Not only was it a great opportunity to learn real practical skills of the festival industry, but we also got to meet many industry people who came to share their knowledge. We were able to plan additional events for the festival next to the screenings, such as guest talks, film quizzes, events for children with activities, and more. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, our festival got cancelled. While we did not get to execute our events, all the previous stages were incredibly exciting, educating and fun!

Festival Editions and Themes

Since 2014, there have been many interesting festivals themes: Adaptation (2014), Rebellion (2015), Dystopia (2016), Sentient (2017), Wilderness (2018), Journeys(2019), more about these editions can be found in the Phoenix’s Website archive. Our 2020 edition was themed on secrets. The programme included films such as The Conversation (1974, Francis Ford Coppola, US), Mulholland Drive (2001, David Lynch, France/US), A Quiet Place (2018, John Krasinski, US). In 2021, the students were not stopped by the pandemic. Even though the physical event couldn’t have happened, they curated an online festival Blossom. This edition had themes surrounding growth and growing, and showcased films including Pan’s Labyrinth (2006, Guillermo del Toro, Mexico/Spain) and Misbehaviour (2020, Philippa Lowthorpe, UK/France).

This year’s theme

This year the festival returns! And even better, it is back in person at Phoenix. The theme of the festival has been announced. The festival, titled Codex, will be themed on puzzles, mysteries and the unknown. The festival is due to go live March 26 – April 3 2022. The programme will include Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, Steven Spielberg, US) The Imitation Game (2014, Morten Tyldum, UK/US), The Matrix (1999, Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, US), Corpus Christi (2019, Jan Komasa, Poland/France), and more. Other events include pop-ups at the Guildhall, LCB Depot, Leicester Museum and at the Green Place in Sileby. Good luck to this year’s students!

So, if you are searching for something to look forward to in the spring, mark your calendars and get ready to be puzzled and mystified at Codex!

You can follow this year’s festival edition on Instagram @codexfilmfest, Facebook @codexleicsfilmfestival and Twitter @codexleicsff.