Your chance to catch up with some of the best foreign films. There is a mixture of romance, drama, family, adventure and espionage, sometimes many found in one movie. The Festival not only provides the community of Sherborne with the opportunity to see foreign films which would not otherwise be shown locally, but also to raise funds for charity. This year we are supporting End Polio Now
We are really looking forward to presenting four days of excellent foreign film entertainment and hope that you will join us. The 18th International Film Festival will be held from Thu 15 to Sun 18 October 2026 at Sherborne School, Powell Theatre, Abbey Road, Sherborne. Tickets are available online by following the links below, or from Winstone’s Bookshop, Sherborne (cash only).
The Taste of Things (12)
(La Passion de Dodin Bouffant) France, 2023
Thursday 15th October, 7.30 pm
Opening night drinks reception from 6.30 pm
Set in late nineteenth-century France, this sumptuous culinary drama follows renowned gourmet Dodin Bouffant and his gifted cook Eugénie. Their shared passion for food slowly deepens into love in a beautifully observed celebration of companionship, artistry and life’s pleasures.
Sponsored by Hays Travel (Headline Sponsor)
Independent Travel Agents
City of God (15)
(Cidade de Deus), Brazil, 2002
Friday 16th October, 5.00 pm
Set in a Rio de Janeiro favela, this electrifying classic chronicles decades of gang violence through the eyes of a young aspiring photographer. Brutal, exhilarating and visually stunning, it remains one of world cinema’s defining achievements.
Sponsored by The Grange at Oborne
Sherborne’s Country House Hotel
Jean de Florette (PG)
France, 1986
Friday 16th October, 8.00 pm
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, this beloved French classic follows an idealistic city man who inherits a Provençal farm and dreams of a new life for his family. Unbeknown to him, two neighbours are secretly plotting his ruin in this powerful tale of greed, resilience and rural intrigue. The story continues in the acclaimed sequel Manon des Sources, screening on Saturday evening.
Sponsored by Porter Dodson
A full-service law firm providing expert legal advice and support across personal, business, and specialist sectors,
Spirited Away (PG)
Japan, 2001
Saturday 17th October, 5.00 pm
Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning masterpiece follows ten-year-old Chihiro, who becomes trapped in a mysterious spirit world after her parents are transformed. Filled with unforgettable characters and breathtaking imagination, it is one of animation’s most beloved and enduring achievements.
Sponsored by Hidden Needs Trust
Raising funds for families with additional needs
Manon des Sources (PG)
France, 1986
Saturday 17th October, 8.00 pm
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the acclaimed sequel to Jean de Florette follows Manon, now a young woman, as she discovers the truth behind her father’s fate. Set amid the hills of Provence, this moving drama weaves together revenge, forgiveness and unexpected redemption.
Sponsored by Apex Brewing Co
Fitzcarraldo (PG)
West Germany/Peru, 1982
Sun 18th October, 5.00 pm
Werner Herzog’s legendary epic follows an obsessive dreamer determined to build an opera house deep within the Amazon rainforest. His seemingly impossible plan leads to an extraordinary journey that explores ambition, madness, obsession and the power of human determination.
Sponsored by Orchard Estates
Residential lettings and property management
The Lives of Others (15)
(Das Leben der Anderen) Germany, 2006
Sunday 18th October, 8.00pm
In East Berlin during the Cold War, a Stasi officer is assigned to spy on a celebrated writer and his actress lover. As he becomes increasingly absorbed by their lives, his loyalties and beliefs are profoundly challenged.
Sponsored by Dilys Wilson Layton Construction
Property renovation, design & build, refurbishments, loft conversions, garage conversions, and bespoke property extensions
Enormous thanks to Sherborne School Enterprises for allowing us to use The Powell Theatre
And to Winstone’s book Shop, for selling the tickets.