QUAD’s Paracinema Film Festival returns this May for four days of cult and genre cinema

Paracinema, Derby’s film festival exploring cult and genre cinema, returns to the QUAD venue for 2025, serving up four days of screenings and talks from the 2^nd-5^th May.

The festival will feature a number of preview screenings ahead of general release, including Ryan J Sloan’s tense thriller Gazer and Lorcan Finnegan’s The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage in the lead role. Alongside this there will be a range of talks and director interviews, including Jaz Wiseman and BFI film historian Dick Fiddy discussing the legacy of legendary TV studio ITC and an interview with director Jake West alongside a screening of cult classic vampire movie Razor Blade Smile.

The four days will also feature a range of movies enjoying rare screenings in the UK, including Brian De Palma’s thrilling musical Phantom of the Paradise and the restored French horror movie Night of Death. Alongside this will be a series of new movies from Britain and around the world, with the Festival offering a spotlight for exciting movies that are destined to become cult classics and favourites in years to come. Among the line-up are dog-themed anthology film Life’s A Bitch, American superhero comedy The Dark Crusader, intriguing documentary on Spanish cinema Exorcismo and comedy-slasher-musical Chainsaws Were Singing from Estonia.

Alex Davis, Festival Co-Ordinator, said: ‘Paracinema serves up a thrilling array of films each year, across a wide range of genres and styles, and is the perfect chance to see a range of movies you’re not likely to see elsewhere! Whether you’re looking for a movie from the archive, a pre-release preview or one of the many films that screen with us before going onto bigger things, Paracinema truly has something fore everyone – especially the adventurous cinemagoer!’

Adam J Marsh, QUAD’s Head of Film. said: "They say everyday is a school day, and this May we will be practising that mantra with two talks that highlight elements of the Paracinema programme. First Jaz Wiseman (ITC Entertained The World) presenting a talk about ITC Entertainment followed by a special cinema presentation of two of the jewels in ITC's crown The Prisoner and Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased). Then secondly Clelia McElroy from Monstrous Flesh will present a talk on the history of female vampires, followed by a newly restored version of Razor Blade Smile (1998) with director Jake West along for a Q&A."



Paracinema Film Festival runs from 2^nd-5^th May at QUAD, and full event passes are £50/£40 concessions, offering access to all the screenings at the event. Individual talk and film tickets are also available from https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/season-festival/paracinema-film-festival/, with more information on the event available at https://paracinema.co.uk