Women X Film Festival 2023
Celebrating female filmmakers in Darlington

Filmmakers in conversation on-stage at Women X Film Festival 2022Filmmakers in conversation on-stage at Women X Film Festival 2022

Women X Film Festival returns for its 4th edition, 9-10 September.

Women X, the North East’s festival of female filmmakers, is back for its 4th edition, taking place at the Darlington Hippodrome from 9-10 September.

Delivered by local production company Rianne Pictures, Women X has steadily developed since its launch in 2020. Now recognised as a qualifying event for the British Independent Film Awards, Women X has quickly become a fixture in the North East’s film calendar for both filmmakers and audiences.

The 2023 edition is set to be the biggest yet. Sixty-seven short films play in the official selection across ten curated programmes. Audiences can expect stories of motherhood, family, funny women and more - each followed by a Q&A.

Two Hub-funded shorts make appearances in the official selection. Mug screens alongside other stories of connections lost and found, while A Television Broadcast From Outer Space keeps suitably strange company in the festival’s collection of cinematic oddities.

This year’s festival also sees the introduction of family programming, with special screenings of The Gruffalo - including one relaxed event - taking place alongside themed activities for young festival-goers.

   We're very excited for the return of the festival this year. Through the support of Film Hub North, we're able to run two screening rooms side-by-side. This allows our audiences more choice of excellent short films, and helps to open our festival up to families with children under 5 who can enjoy our special screenings of The Gruffalo! - Caris Rianne, Women X Film Festival

Film Hub North is pleased to support Women X 2023 with National Lottery funding through our Pitch Pot Fund.

Our support will help the festival expand into a second screening room following sell-out audience demand in previous years. The second auditorium will provide space for the festival’s expansion into family programming, as well as giving audiences more chances to explore the official selection. Hub funding will also help raise the festival’s profile with local audiences, with marketing support going towards billboard placements around Darlington, press advertising and printed materials.

See the full festival line-up

Women X Film Festival 2023 is supported by National Lottery funding through our Pitch Pot Fund.

For more information on how we can help your next project, book a meeting with our team or visit our Exhibition Funding landing page.