From Mansfield’s mining heritage and a Christopher Eccleston-led drama to bold female filmmaking and a comedy about a catastrophic encounter with ketchup, the Festival Director behind Nottinghamshire's biggest film festival has revealed his five personal must-sees from this year’s programme.

Mansfield Town Film Festival (MTFF) returns to Mansfield Palace Theatre from 25–27 September 2026, bringing more than 120 films to the town across three packed days of independent cinema, filmmaker Q&As, workshops, networking, VR experiences and special events.

Now a registered charity and celebrating its first year as a BIFA-qualifying festival, MTFF26 will welcome filmmakers and audiences from across the UK and around the world to Mansfield. 

With day passes costing just £10, Festival Director and Founder Jay Martin hopes local audiences will use the festival as an affordable opportunity to take a chance on something new. Jay says, “Trying to choose five films from more than 120 is almost impossible, and I could probably give you a completely different five tomorrow. But I wanted these choices to demonstrate just how broad MTFF has become. There are films that will make you laugh, films that will challenge you, films that might break your heart and films from filmmakers whose names I genuinely think audiences will be hearing much more of in years to come."

We’re All Black Down Here – Directed by James Mellors

Set in racially divided 1950s Britain, the film follows an Afro-Caribbean miner struggling to find acceptance above ground and screens on Friday as part of the Mansfield, Above and Below strand.

Woman, Dying – Directed by Vittoria Rizzardi Peñalosa

A life-drawing class is interrupted by an unexpected incident in Woman, Dying, screening on Friday as part of MTFF’s Beautiful Things Fall Apart strand. 

Signal – Directed by Zak Jarvis

Saturday brings some recognisable faces to Mansfield Palace Theatre with Signal, starring Emmy Award-winner and two-time BAFTA nominee Christopher Eccleston, alongside BAFTA winner Jack Rowan. The film follows railway signalman Ray, whose routine night shift becomes a desperate race to save a life when he spots a distressed young man trespassing on the tracks.

Dirt – Directed by Isabella Speaight

On Sunday, Dirt forms part of Every Version of Her, MTFF26’s strand dedicated entirely to films about women, directed by women.

Five months after being abandoned, a mother and her young son are living through suffocating grief. When her emotional withdrawal puts him in danger, she is forced to confront her pain and begin rediscovering connection, sensuality and joy.

Lost In The Sauce – Directed by Lee Deane

And proving MTFF26 isn’t all grief, social commentary and existential crisis, Jay’s final selection concerns something considerably more dangerous: ketchup. In Lost In The Sauce, Matt accidentally squirts ketchup over the back of an innocent stranger – sending his mind spiralling through an increasingly disastrous series of catastrophised scenarios. The film screens on Sunday and is also nominated for Best Student Short at the 2026 Mansfield Film Awards.

Jay hopes Mansfield audiences will use the festival weekend to go beyond the films they already recognise and discover something completely new. He added: “You absolutely do not need to be a film buff to enjoy MTFF. For just £10 a day, you can experience film after film, meet the people who made them, take part in Q&As, explore our VR Cinema and discover stories from Mansfield, across Britain and around the world. That affordability is important to us. Film festivals can sometimes feel like spaces you’re supposed to already know how to navigate, and MTFF was created to challenge that."

“We’re bringing more than 120 films and some incredibly exciting filmmakers to Mansfield for three days. Some already feature household names; others have been made by people right at the beginning of their careers."

“Come and take a chance on them. You might just discover your new favourite filmmaker before everybody else does.”

Mansfield Town Film Festival takes place at Mansfield Palace Theatre from 25-27 September 2026. Day passes cost £10, with tickets on sale now at www.mansfieldtownfilmfestival.com