Cambridge Festival of Film

Sit back, grab a snack and enjoy some inspiring films from past Cambridge Festivals. From a chat with a NASA Astronaut to politics, science and more...

2024

Cambridge is imaging a better future for us all

A fascinating series of short films with researchers at Cambridge who are imagining the future. These films share an insight into the researchers and their work.

How will AI affect the democratic process?

With elections due in many countries in 2024, including the UK, a panel of experts - Dr Ella McPherson, Associate Professor of the Sociology of New Media and Digital Technology at the University of Cambridge; Dr Melisa Basol, Research manager at Moonshot, a social impact business focused on ending online harms; Jonnie Penn, best-selling author and AI researcher at Cambridge; and journalist and author Chris Stokel-Walker - will discuss what role AI will play and how we mitigate any risks. Observer columnist Professor John Naughton, a senior research fellow in the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities at Cambridge University and Director of the Press Fellowship Programme at Wolfson College, Cambridge, chairs.

Cambridge Conversations: What climate change can do for you

Much public talk about climate change is framed around an ever-diminishing time window within which climate change must be stopped. In this conversation, PhD supervisor Professor Mike Hulme and supervisee Madeleine Ary Hahne explore other ways of framing the challenges and opportunities of climate change.

Nothing Ever Just Disappears: Exploring the gay imagination

Radical cultural historian and activist Diarmuid Hester and poet and Booker Prize judge Mary Jean Chan, both from the University of Cambridge, are in conversation in and around Cambridge about Diarmuid's new book, Nothing ever just disappears: Seven hidden histories, on how the gay imagination deals with place and displacement through time and place.

Misinformation, statistics and lies

Kamal Ahmed, former BBC Economics editor and editor-in-chief of the News Movement, is in conversation with the University of Cambridge's Professor David Spiegelhalter and award-winning journalist Marianna Spring, about the manipulation of statistics in an era of misinformation and how we can all be better at spotting false narratives.

Race and society: Have we made any real progress since Black Lives Matter?

Professor Jason Arday will be in conversation with Dr Claire Hynes about race and society, about where we are now, where progress has been made and how much further there is to go. Chaired by Darren Lewis, Assistant editor and columnist of the Mirror.

From science fiction to science fact

What is the relationship between science and science fiction when it comes to our knowledge of the life, the universe and outer space? Astronomer Royal Professor Martin Rees is in conversation with Una McCormack, best-selling author of sci-fi novels, including novels set in franchises such as Dr Who and Star Trek, and former Anglia Ruskin lecturer.

Cambridge Conversations: Beyond the lecture theatre with George the Poet

George the Poet will be in conversation with his Sharath Srinivasan about education, life lessons and how he incorporates his sociology studies into his award-winning podcasts, spoken word performances and his research on the socio-economic potential of black music.

How can we fix the NHS and social care?

With the NHS and social care on emergency support, this panel - comprised of Professor Mike Kelly, University of Cambridge; Thara Raj Director of Population Health and Inequalities at an NHS Trust in Warrington; Dr Geoff Wong from the University of Oxford; and author Emily Kenway - will debate potential ways out of the crisis.

Hunger: how what we eat - or can't eat - affects our mental and physical health

Professor Mintz Habib, Founder of the Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development at the University of Cambridge, and biologist Professor Giles Yeo, author of books including Why Calories Don't Count, are in conversation about the long-term impact of diet and hunger on our physical and mental development.

How do wars end?

As regional conflicts spread, this panel discussion of experts will consider the big question of how wars end from a historical, political and cultural point of view. With Professor Sir Richard Evans from the University of Cambridge; Dr Uilleam Blacker from University College London; Professor Kristin Bakke from University College London and Professor Ayse Zarakol from the University of Cambridge.

The metaverse: pros and cons

We've all heard about it, but what is the metaverse, will it actually happen and how could it change our lives? A discussion between Shannon Pierson and Matteo Zallio from the University of Cambridge and Michelle Lim, Cambridge consultants.

Lecture from Anglia Ruskin University

Watch back lectures from Anglia Ruskin University including if we can really live to 100 and beyond, the monarchy in the modern age and the psychology of shopping.

Cambridge's Changing Railway Landscapes

How have Cambridge's railway lines shaped the modern city? This immersive documentary, created by volunteers of local-community organisations for 2024 Cambridge Festival | Festival of Film, flies you to changing railway landscapes – old and new – around the city.

What is a Herbarium? The scientific and historical treasures of the Cambridge University Herbarium

Take a quick dive into the fascinating world of the Cambridge University Herbarium. This giant archive of plant diversity contains 1.1 million dried plants collected worldwide over 3 hundred years, as well as thousands of botanical art pieces. Have a glimpse at some of our most iconic specimens and illustrations, and learn about the work we do behind the scenes to facilitate research and education in the fields of Natural Sciences and Humanities.

Does Mill Road Matter? Local History and Museums in the 21st Century

Roger Lilley looks at the relationship between a local history museum and a local history group and the opportunities presented for their interaction. Roger will be talking about the Museum of Cambridge, its history, trials and tribulations and future development. He’ll be talking about the way it can interact with local history societies and in particular with the Mill Road History Society. He’ll look at their legacy to the Museum, Capturing Cambridge, and how the Museum has used that resource to widen its outreach and collect more resources.

Diversity in the Immune System

We are all different and so are our immune systems. Join Professor Adrian Liston and learn just how different our immune systems can be and what makes them so.

The Force Awakens: Quantum Collisions

In this highly interactive talk, Professor Ben Allanach (Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge) will describe how the accelerator and its experiments work generally, and also give more specific details about the discovery of the Higgs boson.

How do you map the archaeological heritage of South Asia?

This talk, given at the Cambridge Festival on 21 March 2024, introduces the Mapping Archaeological Heritage in South Asia (MAHSA) project, which is documenting the endangered archaeology and cultural heritage of the Indus River Basin and the surrounding areas. Our collaborative approach combines the analysis of legacy site documentation with digitised and georeferenced versions of historic Survey of India maps and remote-sensing satellite imagery, and machine learning to document archaeological and heritage sites and train the next generation of archaeologists to help ensure that we end up with a sustainable heritage resource for future generations.

How can we prepare students for a different future?

Christine Özden, Cambridge's Global Director of Climate Education, convened a panel representing sixth forms in Cambridge and Cambridge Zero, the University's climate change initiative, to discuss how education can prepare students for a different future.

Illustrated books and humour in Cambridge University Library’s Liberation collection (1944-1946)

Recording of a public talk given on 19 March 2024, as part of the Cambridge Festival. It highlights books from the Chadwyck-Healey Liberation Collection which consists in about 3,300 books in French on the Second World War, the Occupation and the Liberation.

Showing Different Angles of AI and Emerging Technologies

Sharing the latest on AI, blockchain and metaverse with audience to show its power and encourage future generations to make the best use of the technologies and get them interested in engineering.

2023

What impact is populism having on the media? Is it affecting how and what journalists write? How can we ensure reporters don’t self censor in an age where accurate information is vital?

In this talk, broadcaster Emily Maitlis chats with PhD student Ayala Panievsky and Dorothy Byrne, President of Murray Edwards College on the future of news.

Cosmologist Thomas Hertog and Professor Stephen Hawking's final theory

A new book by Thomas Hertog, On the Origin of Time, takes you on a quest to understand questions bigger than our universe, and offers a bold and stimulating new take on its fundamentals.

Are we moving to a new world order?

Gary Gerstle speaks to FT journalist Rana Faroohar about his latest book, The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era, which won the 2022 FT Business Book of the Year Award.

A fascinating series of short films with researchers at Cambridge who are imagining the future.

These films share an insight into the researchers and their work, with an introduction by the Acting Vice- Chancellor Dr Anthony Freeling.

Why are girls and young women suffering levels of stress and anxiety so far in excess of those their mothers and grandmothers experienced?

Two of the country’s leading thinkers in this area Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Tamsin Ford highlight the problems but examine some potential solutions.

NASA Astronaut Kayla Barron gives an insight into life in space

Speaking with Dr Matt Bothwell from Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy, Kayla discusses her journey to NASA, her experience at Cambridge and the reality of being in space.

What is collective intelligence and can it help us work better together?

Neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow and award-winning science writer David Robson in conversation about Dr Critchlow’s latest book, Joined up thinking which illuminates the new science of collective intelligence, showing how two heads can be better than one, how to work, play and grow with intelligence and explaining the tricks that help us work best collectively.

Are big tech companies acting like colonialists of the past?

A panel discussion chaired by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's Chris Mann including experts Sebastián Lehuedé (Centre of Governance and Human Rights, Cambridge), Alina Utrata (POLIS, Cambridge), Professor Jaideep Prabhu (Cambridge Judge Business School) and Dr Jennifer Cobbe (Department of Computer Science, Cambridge)

How can we make sense of today's turbulent politics?

The Guardian’s John Crace and David Runciman, professor of politics at the University of Cambridge and host of the popular and well regarded Talking Politics podcast, converse about the struggle journalists, let alone academics, face to keep up with and make sense of the turbulent nature of today’s politics.

We know that climate change is speeding up and that it is a threat to the future of the planet, but are our political structures able to adapt to the pace of change?

A panel discussion with Professor Laura Diaz Anadon (Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance, Cambridge), Professor Peter Sutoris (University of York), Samira Patel (Scott Polar Institute, Cambridge), Dr Ramit Debnath (Cambridge Zero) and chaired by Dr Emily Shuckburgh, Director of Cambridge Zero.

What is Britain's place in the 21st century?

The last years have been ones of great upheaval for the world, but particularly for the UK. Brexit and its ongoing implications, including for devolution of power, the death of the Queen and the future of the Commonwealth have all contributed to discussions about how Britain sees itself today amid shifting global geopolitics. What do all these developments mean for Britain’s place in the world in the 21st century?

Professor Ha-Joon Chang and food archaeologist Martin Jones talk about Professor Chang’s new book Edible economics: A hungry economist explains the world.

The book makes challenging economic ideas more palatable by plating them alongside stories about food from around the world and shows that getting to grips with the economy is like learning a recipe: if we understand it, we can change it - and, with it, the world.

The war in Ukraine and climate disasters have focused people’s minds on issues of food security. Can researchers help to address the practical and political problems and what does history teach us?

A panel discussion with Professor Tim Lang (City University London), PhD student Anoop Tripathi (University of Cambridge), Professor David Christian Rose (Cranfield University), Dr Emelyn Rude (University of Cambridge) and Dr Nazia Mintz Habib (Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development)

Explore a different side of Cambridge in just 20 minutes with the Museum of Technology

Exploring the city's industrial heritage (and more): time-lapsed, accelerated, rotated, colour-inverted and mirrored, accompanied by an ambient soundtrack of audio recordings from around the city.

Romanticism is best known as a movement celebrating political and imaginative liberty - the human mind freeing itself from the shackles of tradition.

Dr Mathelinda Nabugodi drew on her current work in progress, The Trembling Hand: Reflections of a Black Woman in the Romantic Archive, which examines objects found in the archives of the major Romantic poets: unexpected treasures such as Wordsworth’s teacup, Shelley’s baby rattle, or Byron’s carnival mask.

How can the powerless make their voices heard?

Dr Véronique Mottier examined how the powerless can make their voices heard. Drawing on research interviews with care survivor activists in several countries, this talk at the Intellectual Forum explored the ways official apologies were experienced by the victims to whom they were addressed. It also asked what the personal cost of storytelling is, and whether reparative justice can ever be fully achieved.

What is the future of online safety?

The Online Safety Bill gives social media companies a duty of care towards their users as a means of mitigating the wide range of harms their business activities appear to produce. But even as the Bill is making its way through Parliament, the technology landscape continues to evolve. With advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), increasing adoption of web3 technologies like blockchain, and big tech investing billions in building the all-encompassing virtual world known as the metaverse, this panel event asked: how should policymakers respond?

While practical quantum computers, with their fascinating future possibilities, remain quite a distance away in the future, quantum sensors are a reality today.

In this talk for the Cambridge Festival, Professor of Many-Body Physics Ulrich Schneider explained how we can turn this apparent limitation into a new tool to explore the universe and fundamental physics.

The Era of Global Risk

This event launched an ambitious new book – The Era of Global Risk as part of the Cambridge Festival 2023. This volume curates 11 specially commissioned essays that give a comprehensive and accessible overview of the emerging science of existential risk studies and is edited by SJ Beard, Clarissa Rios Rojas, and Catherine Richards of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER), with Professor Lord Martin Rees.

‘Eleven’: The Rising Global Population and the Future of Humanity

United Nations projections show the global population reaching 11 billion and the world economy growing 500% by the end of this century. Paul Hanley, journalist, author of the award-winning book ELEVEN and Bahá’í, considers how we got into this predicament and maps a way forward.

Polarisation, hate speech, and the role of artificial intelligence

We live in a time of extreme polarisation in many areas and parts of life, and modern technological advances have without a doubt played a crucial role in this development. In this talk, Stefanie Ullmann aims to give an overview of the current risks as well as opportunities posed by artificially intelligent systems in the context of online (de)polarisation.

Artificial Intelligence: can systems like ChatGPT automate empathy?

Smart speakers, virtual personal assistants, and automated dialogue systems such as Siri, Alexa, and ChatGPT are being used ever more extensively in our digital societies. This talk will explore the difficulties of defining ’empathy’ before explaining in an accessible manner how state-of-the-art dialogue systems such as ChatGPT work, and summarising some of the techniques that are being used to make such systems seem more empathetic.

Women, climate change and fieldwork

Climate change disproportionally impacts regions in South Asia. We saw this during the past year with heatwaves, floods and cyclones battering already struggling communities in the region. What is not often talked about is the role of women in combating the causes and impacts of climate change, whether from within communities, in the field or in policymaking.

Queer futures

By bringing social scientists and an LGBTQ+ young people’s charity into conversation, we explore what it might mean to ‘queer’ the future.

What really influences what young people eat?

Dr Eleanor Winpenny, Dr Tiago Canelas and Mr Struan Tait from the MRC Epidemiology Unit shared their research from the UK and abroad on young people’s diets and the influence of changing home, institutional and built environments.

A mathematical toolkit for pandemics

Professor Julia Gog (Cambridge) discusses optimum solutions, difficult decisions, and how mathematics provided a powerful tool for "framing thinking" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting Wellbeing: The Role of Pets

Professor Diane Coyle and Professor Gordon Harold discuss the role of their pet dogs, the Twitter sensation, rescue dog Sophie #sophiefromromania and new pup, Geldart. Diane and Gordon discuss how pets can help support mental wellbeing.

Living in a Dream Exhibition

Immerse yourself in the mysterious world of dreams and depersonalisation through a unique blend of cutting-edge AI & VR tools. Join us as we explore the fascinating connections between the waking world and the dream realm.