About us
Who we are, what we do and why we do it
The Hellfire Film Festival is a multi-event organisation – based in Folkestone, Kent – that hosts several film-related events in the south east of the UK.
How it all came to be
Once upon a time…
The idea for a film festival was first mooted in early 2014 by a group of creative individuals after realising that although Folkestone hosts many creative festivals throughout the year – including music, art, light, book, performance and not forgetting the internationally recognised Folkestone Triennial and the Strange Love Festival – there was no festival specifically dedicated to film.
Being a filmmaker himself and having been involved in the Meniscus Film Festival (the original, not the new Australian festival bearing the same name) in his hometown of Grimsby (Lincolnshire), Gary Ingoldby-Spate started the groundwork to launch a film festival for Folkestone.
Gary and fellow filmmaker Steve Davis launched the Hellfire Film Festival in March 2016 – albeit earlier than planned – after an event at the Lime Bar Café was cancelled at the last moment. Gary stepped in at the eleventh hour with an evening of short films submitted by filmmakers local to Folkestone. That evening Hellfire Film Festival was born and Lime Bar Café would become our spiritual home.
What we’ve become
From humble beginnings to now…
Since that momentous day in March 2016 Hellfire Film Festival has grown into a multi-event organisation and with a committee of six who all share creative qualities – be it as a filmmaker, musician, creative venue owner, or marketing expert – the festival has gone from strength to strength.
Of the many events that have spawned since that first evening at the Lime Bar Café, the Hellfire Short Film Festival has become our flagship. It is a highly successful monthly event that has attracted in excess of 3,000 submissions from all over the world including from Emmy award-winning directors.
We also host the Hellfire Specials and the Hellfire Classics events that showcases feature films, short films, documentaries and music videos old and new by filmmakers around the world.
The organisers all have vast experience in filmmaking and are using this experience to promote and showcase the very best of independent cinema around the world.
What’s in a name?
Why we’re called Hellfire…
The name Hellfire derives from Hellfire Corner. During the Second World War the Battle of Britain took place in over the English Channel and the skies above Folkestone and Dover and the two towns were extensively damaged by enemy bombers.
The area became known as Hellfire corner.
We named ourselves the Hellfire Film Festival to pay tribute to those who fought and those who lost their lives to ensure the freedoms we enjoy today.
The silhouetted Spitfire in our logo also pays homage to those events between July and October 1940 that helped to turn the tide in the favour of the Allied Forces.
100
Combined years of experience
6
Team Members
3000
Films submitted
143
Countries
£4.9M
Combined budget of films submitted
Sponsored by
Our Principle Supporters
Latest News
Making Short Work of the FinalMay 30, 2018 - 2:16 pm
A laboured route to the Grand FinalMay 8, 2018 - 10:49 pm
And Cut! The Hellfire 3rd Semi Final ResultsMarch 7, 2018 - 11:28 pm
Hellfire’s A Hit, Man!February 8, 2018 - 8:29 pm
Ho Ho Hellfire Christmas SpecialDecember 19, 2017 - 11:29 pm
What makes a Christmas movie?December 6, 2017 - 4:44 pm