Manchester Film Festival will take place this year, from July 1st until July 18th, and will see the participation of non-other than Patti Smith, Arlo Parks and the screening of a new film starring Cillian Murphy. The main focus of this event is the reflection upon universal ideas such as love and human connection, especially in a post-coronavirus world. Tickets will go on general sale here from May 20th.

According to the festival’s press release, this 18-day event will offer ‘a unique snapshot of these unprecedented times’ and plays ‘a key role in the safe reopening of the city’s economy’. The guest of honour, Patti Smith, will perform on July 7th and July 8th as a festival’s exclusive, and celebrating her first in-person performance since the COVID pandemic outbreak. Similarly, Arlo Parks will take the stage on July 9th for her biggest headline show ever, and will be accompanied by a string section.

The worldwide premiere of ‘All of This Unreal Time’, starring Cillian Murphy, with the soundtrack by Jon Hopkins and The National’s Bryce Dessner and Aaron Dessner, will take place between July 2nd and July 4th, along with an immersive installation. ‘I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to make this work during turmoil and sadness of 2020,’ the actor said. ‘It has been a great journey of collaboration working with these uniquely talented artists to bring [writer] Max Porter’s beautiful words to life.’

MIF’s artistic director John McGrath stated: ‘People have been through a lot and we’ve often had to move on from one knock to the next, pick ourselves up and keep moving forward. I think the festival provides a space to acknowledge that, and to share experiences.’

The venues are still to be confirmed. You can find the full programme on MIF’s official website.