News Story
The New Black Film Collective (TNBFC), in collaboration with Film London, Newham Council, Everyman Stratford International, Aspers Good Causes Fund and Culture Within Newham, proudly presents the inaugural PictureEast Film Festival, launching with a special gala preview of Mike Leigh’s newest feature, Hard Truths.
This free, long weekend festival will take place across Newham from January 30 to February 2, 2025, showing feature films, cultural events, short film showcases and panel discussions that celebrate the vibrant communities within the borough. Uniquely driven by community input, PictureEast was developed with local residents to ensure the programming reflects their voices and stories. At its core, the festival aims to reignite Newham’s cinematic culture, addressing the closure of beloved cinemas in the area and the resulting lack of access to shared cinematic experiences.
The festival opens with Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths at the new Everyman Stratford International Cinema, kicking off a weekend of cinematic and cultural events. Highlights include a preview of The Fire Inside, the Clarissa Shields biopic; All We Imagine As Light, a Golden Globe-nominated Indian drama; On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, with a virtual Q&A from director Rungano Nyoni; a Caribbean Shorts showcase; and films created by local young programmers at The Source (formerly Stratford Youth Zone). Building on the legacy of Newham Community Cinema, a fixture in Stratford for over a decade which has celebrated occasions like Black History Month,LGBT+ History Month and International Women’s Day, PictureEast continues to honour Newham’s diverse lifestyles through powerful films and family-friendly programming, including screenings at Discover Children’s Story Centre.
There’s nothing quite like watching a film on the big screen. Bringing a wide variety of films to local residents and driven by community input, we're excited to support the inaugural PictureEast Film Festival.Moira McVean, Spotlight Project Manager at Film London
The PictureEast Film Festival will transform Newham into a cinematic hub this January.
Date: Thursday, 30 January – Sunday, 2 February 2025
Venue: Various Locations Across Newham
General admission tickets are live now (this will allow access to all screenings, except those with external ticketing)
Screening Details for the Opening Gala and PREVIEW screening of Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths:
Date: Thursday, 30 January
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Venue: Everyman Stratford International Cinema
After the loss of Stratford East Picturehouse, PictureEast is our homage to lost cinemas everywhere and by keeping it free through this festival, we are witnessing a rebirth of the big screen that serves local communities.Priscilla Igwe, Founder and CEO of The New Black Film Collective