The Sydney Film Festival is taking place this June with a striking line up of film, ranging from mainstream movies to features, documentaries, shorts, restorations and retrospectives. To mark the occaision, UKHotMovies.com brings you a Dummies Guide to the southern hemisphere's largest celebration of the silver screen.

Cambridge- home of the University of Cambridge, one of the oldest universities in the world as well as one of the largest in the United Kingdom- has become known for more than its academics. For almost thirty years, the Cambridge Film Festival has been one of the most important and exciting cultural events in the region.

Since its beginnings in 1977, the Cambridge Film Festival has prided itself on the works screened at the festival, and after 25 years, the festival retains its reputation for excellence. Although Cambridge was cancelled from 1997 until 2000, the festival was re-launched in 2001. Since that time, the festival has become even more prestigious in the UK, hosting numerous premieres each year.

The Cambridge Film Festival has been growing yearly, with 2004 attendance above 15,000 people. In addition, thousands of others attended outdoor screenings hosted throughout the Eastern region at such locations as Norwich, Ipswich, and Ely. However, the most successful Festival to date was the one held in July of 2003 when attendance topped 20,000 as cinema lovers attended and celebrated 50 UK premieres, over 200 films and events, and 6 outdoor screenings.

Praises for the festival have come from many different angles throughout the years. The Guardian described Cambridge as "a match for the Edinburgh and London film festivals" with "peerless arthouse programming." Additionally, The Times claimed that the Cambridge Film Festival "easily outclasses its metropolitan rivals." Derek Malcolm, the famed journalist and critic also praised the festival saying that it was "one of the best programmed festivals in the country."

Although fictional movies such as Before Sunset and Callas Forever premiered at the 2004 festival, numerous documentaries were premiered as well, with a total of 24 screened during the festival. Documentaries are becoming increasingly popular and are making a name for themselves in the industry.

Recent premieres hosted at Cambridge include such films as Pirates of the Caribbean, Goodbye, Lenin!, Spirited Away, Talk to Her, Bowling for Columbine, Cats and Dogs, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Barton Fink, Reservoir Dogs, Thelma and Louise, and the Three Colours trilogy

Hundreds of famous actors, actresses, directors, and other film professionals attend the Festival each year. Some of the names include Cate Blanchett, Richard Harris, Joel Schumacher, Jane Birkin, Peter Greenaway, Alex Cox, Timothy Spall, special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Philip Kaufman, Jeunet et Caro, and Hanif Kureishi.

Not only does the Festival feature major films, short films, and documentaries, but also it hosts a Children's Film Festival. Of all the major film festivals, Cambridge is by far the most fun. A festive atmosphere is created by the presence of major actors, actresses, and directors along with many parties and receptions hosted by the Festival. However, much of the fun of the Festival comes from the workshops and fun, educational events as well as relaxing outdoor screenings and classic drive-in movies.

One interesting addition to the 2004 Cambridge Film Festival was A Critical Condition: The State of Film Journalism in the UK, a forum focused on examining the role of critics in the UK film industry. Many film lovers complain that they have been convinced not to see a great movie due to the opinions of a film critic. Both critics and the public met in order to examine and critique the role of critics in film and their impact and contribution to the larger market and culture. The public was able to discuss their opinions with the critics who play such a role in determining the quality of films.

A Historical Overview of the Cambridge Film Festival

After being re-established in 2001 after a halt in the program that had been a major event since 1977. Since 1977, Cambridge has become one of the most important film festivals in the UK. The festival began its history in the heart of Cambridge in the Market Passage. Although Cambridge was in competition with other larger film international film festivals, Cambridge eventually made a spot for itself in the world of film festivals.

Cambridge was created to serve a dual purpose. First, founders wanted to have an outlet for screening the best of the best in new international film. Secondly, the creators of the festival wanted to rediscover important, yet ignored, films and their makers; many great films are discontinued or unwatched for many years, and the Festival sought to remedy this situation at least in part.

Eventually, the Market Passage became too small for the thousands of film lovers who began to attend the Festival; today, the Festival is held in the Arts Picturehouse. With three screens and advanced technology, the Picturehouse is recognized as the most profitable and advanced film venue in the region as well as a centre for film presentations and education.

Today, the Festival states that its "mission is to showcase the very best international cinema to the widest possible audience, by premiering and previewing outstanding new work as well as acknowledging cinematic classics through retrospectives and revivals." The Festival has used educational and entertainment events to spread the word to movie goers about both old and new films.

The UK's top independent film company, City Screen, produces the Cambridge Film Festival; they also control the Picturehouse network. Due to this relationship, Cambridge has access to and receives myriad benefits offered by the company. For example, City Screen allows the Festival to have continuing relationships with both film distributors and film makers as well as easy access to cinema customers throughout the country.

In 2004, the Cambridge Film Festival also took over the Birmingham Screen Festival; they were awarded the job due to their previous success at creating successful, popular events. The eight day festival was a huge hit with screenings of movies, television shows, games, and multimedia productions.

Film Festival Highlights

1977: Cambridge Film Festival started out on a high note as screenings included such great films as with screenings of Kurosawa's Dodeska-Den, Visconti's Conversation Piece and Rosi's Illustrious Corpses.

1979: This year the Festival premiered Herzog's Nosferatu, Bergman's Autumn Sonata, and Altman's A Wedding.

1984: Paris, Texas was screened this year, receiving rave reviews.

1990: Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanours premiered during the Festival this year.

1991: Scott's' Thelma and Louise and the Coen Brothers' Barton Fink made their premieres during the Festival.

2003: This was a year of over 50 film premieres with some of the most popular being Pirates of the Caribbean and Goodbye, Lenin!