UNTHINKABLE Film Festival
An autumn exhibition of experimental filmmaking and video art, bringing together works by legendary director John Smith alongside short films from underground filmmakers, bedroom creatives, and visual expressionists. Rejecting conventional narrative structures, these works use editing and the moving image much the same way an artist uses a brush, creating images and experiences rarely seen elsewhere.
In an industry often dominated by commercialism and high production values, this programme seeks not only to demonstrate that powerful filmmaking can be created with nothing more than a cheap camera and a strong idea, but also that this stripped-back, grounded approach often produces the most groundbreaking work. It is here that you’ll find the tricks and techniques that may become defining features of cinema a decade from now.
John Smith Screening
- Girl Chewing Gum – 12:00 Runtime: 70:00
- Being John Smith – 27:00
- The Black Tower – 23:00
- Associations – 07:00
These films run on a continuous loop throughout the day.
About UNTHINKABLE Film Festival
Unfiltered stories. Unpredictable stories. Underground performance.
Hull’s UNTHINKABLE celebration of short filmmaking and contemporary art returns this autumn. The festival will be running for an entire month, from the 11th September to 11th October 2026, and is set to partner with venues across the city to bring bold cinema, experimental art, and the unexpected to Hull.
Championing local filmmakers and artists has always been UNTHINKABLE’s priority, simultaneously platforming them alongside international creatives. After running an open call for Hull + Humber artists to respond to the prompt Adrift with nothing but what I can carry, and for locals to submit their short film with a guarantee to be screened, UNTHINKABLE is ready for its fourth year of film, art, and music.
Programme
UNTHINKABLE programme brochure
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