For 30 years, and running, the Festival of Fantastic Films has been bringing the best collection of movies and guests from around the world to Manchester

About the Festival

Announcement

We can confirm that the Festival will go ahead in the Pendulum Hotel as advertised.

Kate has been working hard to make this happen. Although many of the details are still to be arranged we can confirm that Fraser Hines has agreed to attend.

We do intend to provide as much of our traditional festival experience as possible. To do that we need to you to confirm attendence as soon as possible.

Please contact Kate email: [email protected]

News

It is with great regret that I have to announce the sudden and unexpected death of Gil Lane Young.
He was on fine form when I met him for lunch on September 2nd, talking about the guests who were to attend this year's Festival.
It seems that he died in his sleep sometime during the following weekend.

Jim Montgomery

Update 22nd September 2021

It has been confirmed that Gil died from natural causes and his funeral will take place at Dunham Massey Cemetary at 12:45pm on Thursday October 7th

Announcement

Gil’s death has shocked and saddened us all. Thanks for the messages.
Gil was the driving force behind the festival and did most of the work, that included all membership records and finances – his death has frozen all accounts until probate is granted. It is likely to be some months before this is done and after that time it will be for his executors to discharge his estate in accordance with his wishes. Any membership paid to date are likely to be considered part of his estate and individuals wishing refunds would have to contact the executor to claim.

However we, his friends, would like to arrange an event on the weekend of the festival, ideally a smaller version of the festival. If possible in the Pendulum Hotel.

What we need to know immediately is who is attending, who has paid and who is still to pay? If there are sufficient people who are still to pay then we can hire the main room in the Pendulum and use that for the programme. We would like to honour existing paid memberships but this will limit the size and scale of the event we can offer. If there are not sufficient paying members then we would relocate to an alternative venue (city centre) and run the programme there.
We have had a number of offers of help – so the programme could be a blast from the past with movies, movies, movies or possible Q&A sessions – but right now we just want to gauge numbers/interest. We will update this website when we have more information.

Can you please contact Kate – email: [email protected] and let her know.

Contact us via the website/Facebook or email [email protected]

Guests at the pre-Covid 2019 Festival

L-R: Pauline Peart, Norman J Warren, Janina Faye, Tony, Julian Richards, Dez Skinn, Giannetto De Rossi, Sergio Stivaletti, Dana Gillespie & Gil

We would like to hear from all fans old and new. Tell us what you would like to see at the next Festival. In addition, we would like some feedback on how we can improve. Tell us what you liked or what you did not. If you have attended in the past but have not done so recently tell us why.

Contact us via the website/Facebook or email [email protected]

Festival Memories

They're gone they're gone. So borrow one from a friend, or better still offer them twice the price.

Many of the guest interviews were filmed and are available on dvd.

Click here for more information

Over 20 Years of Film Fandom

A Tribute to .... The Festival of Fantastic Films

Book by George Houston & George Gaddi

To read more Click here

Independent and Amateur Films

Contact Us

Links

If you want to receive information as soon as it is available then send an email to Gil to include you on the data base.

contact [email protected]