Programme For 20th Anniversary Edition Of Birmingham’s Flatpack Festival Announced

Ready to take over Birmingham once again this May, as it celebrates 20 years (Friday 8 May – Saturday 16 May). Flatpack Festival has revealed a stacked programme for its upcoming 2026 edition, with screenings and events set to take place at much-loved venues such as Mockingbird Cinema, Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Pan-Pan.

Kicking off proceedings will be a fascinating deep dive into the origins of legendary comedian Charlie Chaplin, courtesy of the UK premiere of granddaughter Carmen Chaplin’s documentary Chaplin: Spirit Of The Tramp. Marking a new Flatpack season called Film Lives, that enables industry figures to pick a film that holds a special place in their hearts whilst providing insight into their respective journeys. Award-winning cast director Shaheen Baig (Rose Of Nevada/My Father’s Shadow/Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man) will be dropping by for a special screening of Stephen Frears’ My Beautiful Laundrette, a film that recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.

This year’s Flatpack programme is hardly lacking in fresh world cinema either. Highlights include the beautifully crafted hand-drawn animated offering A Magnificent Life from The Illusionist director Sylvain Chomet, shedding light on French polymath Marcel Pagnol. Mads Mikkelsen reteams with Riders Of Justice director Anders Thomas Jensen for another madcap effort in The Last Viking, meanwhile Juan Daniel Fernandez Molero offers up a Peru-set supernatural fable with Punku.

Closer to home and a firm favourite of ours from this year’s Glasgow Film Festival. Leisa Gwenllian delivers a powerhouse performance as she brutally exposes the shortcomings in social care, via the big-screen adaptation of Gary Owen play Effi O Blaenau which is entirely in the Welsh language. Not long removed from his terrific turn in the BAFTA-winning I Swear, Peter Mullan leads the biting historical satire The Fall Of Sir Douglas Waterford, whilst Canadian duo Seth and Peter Scriver navigate their family history in animated doc Endless Cookie.

Many a staple of Flatpack Festival will return for its 2026 edition. Including a double helping of Reel Brum, a monthly community initiative which continues to go from strength to strength as it compiles together the best short films from their events over the last 12 months. The young filmmaker strand ‘Short & Suite’, designed to showcase emerging talent from the East and West Midlands, as well as a new edition of Birmingham’s quarterly premiere animation showcase Overlap.

Special screenings aplenty too, with vocal quintet Black Voices marking 25 years at the Grosvenor Road recording studios through the brilliant Aretha Franklin concert film Amazing Grace. Stunt man Philip Ray Tommy will present a showing of iconic actioner The Raid directed by Gareth Evans, alongside teasing audiences about his own Birmingham-set debut feature Lotus.

Move over Pink Pony Club, as actress and writer Natasha Killip invites you into the world of Kitty Clap Klub in this exciting new TV pilot. Marwood himself Paul McGann will be on hand to introduce a performance of one the great Brit comedies Withnail And I, whilst the festival is set to leave you shivering with anticipation on closing night, thanks to an open-air screening of Tim Curry classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Want to experience all that Flatpack has to offer this May? Boasting 80+ events this year, The Flatpass is making a comeback, giving you full festival access with prices at £90 for concessions and £120 full price.

For tickets and a full look at the 2026 programme. Head on over to flatpackfestival.org.uk