THIS year's Stroud film festival will feature movies by directors based in the area. 

Events around the town will give audiences a chance to meet these directors and talk with them about their films.

Local director Marc Jobst’s latest role has been the screen adaptation of one of the world’s most popular Manga series, One Piece.

This hugely ambitious production, made for Netflix, has been widely acclaimed and Marc will explore some of the challenges of telling stories on screen in Action, Adventure, Character at Lansdown Hall on February 10. 

The following week on February 17 director Zara Balfour introduces the premiere of her short drama Morning Star. 

Set in 1940s Malta, this screening will be followed by a Q and A with Zara and members of the production team.

She said: "I’m delighted to be part of the festival and it will be a special moment to screen the film in front of a Stroud audience."

The award-winning sound designer Tom Jacob is once again part of the festival.

On the same double bill as Zara, he will give  insights into the unique production process behind Tender Loving Care  and how  the score for this short film was made.

A little later in the festival award winning editor Pip Heywood and Horsley resident presents his latest films in Nature and Time, films which  look closely at our surroundings.

This event which is at the Museum in the Park, also includes work by another local film maker Scott Anthony.

See the programme at - tinyurl.com/ytruuu95

The following Week Sam Pope will be at Trinity Hall for a Festival Premiere of his film Black Dog Way.

Shot in Gloucester, this intriguing documentary explores a range of current issues and the film is followed by discussion with Sam and the production team

Stroud Illustrators Collective will be running a number of exhibitions of ‘Film Posters Re-imagined’ on show throughout the festival at Lansdown Gallery, the Sub Rooms, Stroud Brewery and The Prince Albert. 

This year there’ll also be a chance for local people to make their own films as part of Stroud’s 90 Second Film Challenge.