Mansfield Town Film Festival (MTFF) has announced the launch of Reel Futures; a brand-new short film screening season delivered in partnership with West Nottinghamshire College (WNC).
Women's Voices will celebrate stories by and about women that challenge expectations, celebrate resilience, and explore identity, power and perspective.
Reel Futures, taking place at the college’s Create Theatre at the Derby Road campus, has been developed as part of MTFF’s charitable mission to widen access to the film and television industry for working-class and under-represented talent.
Taking place across four themed events between March and June 2026, the season is designed not as a one-off enrichment activity, but as the first stage in a clear talent pipeline connecting education, industry-facing experience and participation in Mansfield Town Film Festival 2026, which will take place 25-27 September 2026.
Each Reel Futures event will feature 90 minutes of curated short films drawn from recent MTFF programmes, followed by a 45-minute hybrid filmmaker Q&A, allowing students and audiences to engage directly with creators both in person and remotely from around the world.
The season will open on Thursday 19 March 2026 with Women’s Voices, marking International Women’s Month. Subsequent themes include Working-Class Stories, LGBTQIA+ Voices and Best of MTFF.
Jay Martin, festival director and chair of trustees for MTFF, said: “Reel Futures exists because we believe students in Mansfield deserve to see what a real film festival looks like, how it operates, and how they can become part of it.
“Too often, access to the creative industries depends on who you know, where you live, and whether you can afford to take risks.
“Reel Futures is about removing some of those barriers. It’s about confidence, connection and showing young people from working-class backgrounds just like me, that spaces like this are for them.”
He added: “We’re not just screening films. We’re demystifying the industry and opening conversations with filmmakers, whilst creating pathways into the film industry.
“Crucially, we’re creating a clear progression route into MTFF26, whether that’s through attending the festival, volunteering, joining a student selection jury, or even screening their own work in a professional context.”
Reel Futures will take place at West Nottinghamshire College's Create Theatre, on Derby Road, Mansfield.
As part of the partnership, MTFF has offered a full film and TV department visit to MTFF26, giving students the opportunity to experience a live film festival in operation.
The festival’s September timing also creates the opportunity for Year 1 final major projects to be screened within a professional festival environment, completing a clear educational journey from inspiration to public exhibition.
Beyond screenings, students will be invited to join a volunteer student selection jury for a strand of films at MTFF26, gaining practical insight into programming and critical evaluation. Film students will also be documenting the events through photography, vox pops and highlight videos, providing portfolio-ready experience.
Programme area leader for media Jon Hall said: “The upcoming ‘Reel Futures’ programme that Jay from MTFF has developed in partnership with the college’s media department, places working class lives at the heart of an exciting festival of creativity, enabling students to access content that will broaden their horizons and enrich their social perspective immeasurably.
“We are very lucky to host this series of groundbreaking events and hope that it becomes a permanent fixture on the college calendar.”
For the wider region, Reel Futures contributes to skills development, talent retention and increased cultural participation, aligning with Mansfield’s growing ambition to position itself as a creative and cultural hub.
The first event, Women’s Voices, takes place on Thursday 19 March 2026.
To book your tickets for any of these shows at West Nottinghamshire College, please visit https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/create/t-mjjoogn