Film festival celebrates 10th anniversary

The 2025 International English Riviera Film Festival Awards is to mark its 10th anniversary later.

This year's awards ceremony and screening will take place at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Torquay from 13:00 GMT.

Festival director John Tomkins said it had grown from a day-long event in 2015 to a year-round programme of screenings and workshops culminating in the awards ceremony.

Mr Tomkins said: "Its been amazing, from a humble beginning using a bingo screen in a local hotel. Ten years later we're an international festival and we've got film makers flying in from Los Angeles."

Mr Tomkins said previous award winners had gone on to have international success.

"There's a real buoyant scene of filmmakers in the South West, the price of technology has come down so if you want to make a film you can," he said.

"We aim to put the South West on the map as a place where the film industry can make films, a picture-perfect location with a wealth of filmmaking talent ready to join the world stage"

The award categories this year include best film, best South West film, best animated film, best documentary film and best music.