The festival is happening on Friday 14th August (New Vic Theatre), Saturday 15th August (Middleport Pottery) and Sunday 16th August (Burslem Scout Hall).
The festival’s screening schedule covers documentaries, short and feature length films with a connection to the Potteries and Staffordshire and Q&A with film directors, producers and participants.
Among the films available to watch are the 1940’s classic The Proud Valley, the Oscar winning The Silent Child and Running Naked which was produced by University of Staffordshire and largely filmed in Stoke Town Centre.
Co-organiser Rose Hunter said:
“Our area has a fantastic history, and this festival has been organised to celebrate it. The Potteries and its people feature in so many films and documentaries that we could have run this festival all week, but we hope that the schedule we have put together celebrates the area we all know and love. And we can put the other films on next year!”.
The Potteries Film Festival has been organised by volunteers who have raised money through donations from trade union branches, campaign organisations and fellow film enthusiasts so that all screenings are FREE to attend. They have also been supported in putting the festival on by New Vic Borderlines, Ray Johnson from Staffordshire Film Archive and Legendary filmmaker Ken Loach.
While all the screenings are free to attend, people are kindly being asked to book their tickets in advance.
Free tickets can be ordered here: https://linktr.ee/potteriesfilmfestival
For enquiries, please contact Rose Hunter on nsmwag@gmail.com or Joe McCluskey on joemccluskey1983@gmail.com
Festival screening schedule:
Friday 14th August 2026 at New Vic Theatre
18.30 – The Jolly Potters (45 mins)
20.00 – The Proud Valley (76 mins)
Saturday 15th August 2026 at Middleport Pottery
12.00 – Go See Fanny Deakin (90 mins)
14.00 – The Strike (60 mins)
17.00 – The Silent Child (17 mins)
17.30 – SoulBoy (80 mins)
19.00 – Running Naked (92 mins)
Sunday 16th August 2026 at Burslem Scout Hall
12.00 – Iron Ladies (97 mins)
14.30 – The Battle for Orgreave (52 mins)
15.30 – Q&A with Kate Flannery (Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign) and Dan Draper (Director of Iron Ladies)
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