ORGANISERS of the 15th Chagford Film Festival are gearing up for an unprecedented range of events and the launch show will feature a producer from the award-nominated film I Swear.

Graeme Mackenzie, line producer on the highly acclaimed, multi-British Academy Film Awards-nominated hit about John Davidson, which highlighted challenges of those with Tourette Syndrome is special guest at the pre-festival ‘taster’ fund-raising event on August 30.

There have been hints, not yet confirmed, a member of the cast may also be appearing.

Other special guests include a producer from the 1990s class Transporting and an Oscar winning sound designer.

The launch event is being held at the Globe Inn Cinema and will herald celebrations for the 15th anniversary year of the festival which runs from September 21 to 26.

A festival spokesman said: ‘The festival is celebrating its 15th year of bringing outstanding cinema, industry talent and community spirit to the heart of Dartmoor.

‘It also plays an important role in supporting the local economy.

‘The influx of visitors during festival week brings increased footfall to Chagford’s shops, cafés, pubs, restaurants, and accommodation providers, benefiting businesses throughout the community.

‘As the festival celebrates this significant milestone, organisers would like to thank the volunteers, sponsors, supporters, and audiences who have helped make Chagford Film Festival such an enduring success.

‘This year’s programme promises to be one of the most exciting yet, with a wide-ranging selection of films and events designed to appeal to different audiences.’

This year’s festival is receiving support from Film Hub South West through the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery as well as Chagford Parish Council, West Devon Borough Council and Chagford Community Trust.

Festivalgoers can look forward to local interest films, classic favourites, international screenings, documentaries, family activity and special events, alongside opportunities to hear from special guests within the film industry.

Among the highlights confirmed so far are Les Liaisons Dangereuses on opening night, the National Theatre Live starring Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner in a striking new National Theatre staging of Christopher Hampton’s celebrated drama.

There will also be a showing of Jo in The Water with special guest Jo Bateman, the powerful new documentary following Devon sea swimmer Jo Bateman as she takes on one of Britain’s biggest water companies in a David-and-Goliath fight against sewage pollution.

Jo will discuss her extraordinary story and the campaign for cleaner rivers and seas.

Andrew Macdonald, producer of classic film Transporting will be another special guest discussing the making the cultural impact of Danny Boyle’s electrifying adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel which remains one of the defining British films of the 1990s.

Actor Tom Finn will lead a specially created horror walk around Chagford ahead of a screening of An American Werewolf in London, John Landis’s cult horror-comedy following two American backpackers whose journey across the moors takes a terrifying and darkly funny turn.

The screening of closing film, The Invite as Olivia Wilde directs and stars alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton in this new comedy about two neighbouring couples, will be followed by a special guest discussion featuring Oscar-winning sound designer Niv Adiri.