Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-it-s-a-truly-indie-locally-grown-film-fest">1. It&#8217;s a truly indie, locally grown film fest</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/087A3017-1.jpg" alt="Popcorn Fisheye Film Festival High Wycombe" class="wp-image-187136" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/087A3017-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/087A3017-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/087A3017-1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/087A3017-1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p><strong>The Fisheye Film Fest</strong> was founded a decade ago by two movers and shakers in the High Wycombe arts community – one had set up a local film-makers&#8217; group and the other was developing the Wycombe Arts Forum. They named the film fest after the fisheye camera lens which is designed to capture an all-round view, and FFF captures the big picture, labelling itself a &#8216;local international film festival&#8217;.</p>



<p>In its first year, the festival had an open-mic style &#8216;Show off your shorts&#8217; (short films, not booty shorts), with a view to finding and inspiring film-making talent in the local community. Now celebrating their tenth year from <strong>24&nbsp;Apr &#8211; 4 May 2025</strong>, even though the pool of talent also includes international, its heart is still local &#8211;  fully independent, run by volunteers and hosted at Buckinghamshire New University.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-connect-with-film-makers-of-the-future">2. Connect with film-makers of the future</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Awards1-2.jpg" alt="Awards Fisheye Film Festival High Wycombe" class="wp-image-187137" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Awards1-2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Awards1-2-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Awards1-2-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Awards1-2-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Do you come out of films with your friends and muse and bicker over what it all meant? Well those conversations get a whole lot better when you hear from the film-maker directly after watching the film with a series of Q&amp;As after many of the 67 short and two feature-length films that span dramas, documentaries, animations and more experimental material based on dance or poetry. There are social events for meet-and-mingling and if you&#8217;ve made your own film, there&#8217;s an even a night where you can screen it and connect with your own future fans.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-settle-in-for-a-fff-weekender">3. Settle in for a FFF weekender</h2>



<p>Over the weekend (<strong>Fri 25 &#8211; Sun 27 Apr</strong>) there&#8217;s a celebration of the &#8216;mixology&#8217; of movies and the art that makes them up – apparently we can expect &#8220;a cocktail of films based on spoken word, movement and dance brought to life with a dash of live performance&#8221;.  Whatever it is behind this extended cocktail metaphor, we&#8217;re there for it! There&#8217;s also word of a score-themed jazz band bluesing up some cult classics, plus lots of networking opportunities for makers and budding buffs, and an Awards Gala to close out the fest on <strong>Sat 3 May</strong>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-walk-the-pink-carpet">4. Walk the pink carpet</h2>



<p>Speaking of the Awards Gala, the Fisheye organisers have decided to bin the red carpet in favour of – a hot pink one! We say, top thinking – in Muddy&#8217;s world, they&#8217;d all be pink. The closing event is open to all, and everyone can get pics of themselves on the pink carpet. A selection of the best short films will be shown on a huge film wall in between Awards presentations in the Winter Garden of Buckinghamshire New University, before everyone toasts the talent.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-can-t-make-it-down-visit-the-virtual-festival">5.  Can&#8217;t make it down? Visit the virtual festival</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Fisheye2-1000x667.jpg" alt="Film screening Fisheye Film Festival High Wycombe" class="wp-image-187058" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Fisheye2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Fisheye2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Fisheye2-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Fisheye2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>We all love a trip to the cinema, but life can get in the way – so it&#8217;s good news that you don&#8217;t have to be in the room to enjoy the wonders of Fisheye. In the wake of Covid, it was the<strong> Fisheye Virtual Film Festival</strong> that saved the fest&#8217;s life, and following the return of the in-person event, the organisers decided to keep an online version running. From <strong>4 May</strong>, films will be available to watch online until <strong>18 May</strong> &#8211; you can book tickets for virtual screenings, watch and discuss films together from wherever you are.</p>



<ul>
<li><em><a href="https://fisheyefilmfest.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fisheye Film Festival</a> runs from Thu 24 Apr – Sun 4 May. Festival passes range from £5 &#8211; £25 per person for in-person events and from £5 &#8211; £20 for <a href="https://app.entertainmentoxygen.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">virtual screenings</a>.</em> <em>Check out the 2025 showreel <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHvnLh7K_FX/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.</em></li>
</ul>



<p><em>Images: Neil Marshment Photography</em></p>


Love the movies? Fisheye Film Festival comes to Wycombe

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