Total Arts Film Festival is ‘dream come true’ for many participants
Big Trouble Little Pictures: The Total Arts Film Festival is back for 2025 and taking place next Tuesday and Wednesday (24-25 June).
Held at the Cambridge Junction, the festival has been described as “a joyful celebration of powerful short films and music videos by young artists and filmmakers from communities in and around Cambridge”.
The event is curated by Total Arts – the Junction’s fortnightly group for disabled young artists – and showcases work from the arts centre’s creative learning programmes, including collaborations with specialist school settings and community groups.
Now in its eighth year, the festival has grown into a popular two-day celebration held at both The Light Cinema (where the films are screened) and Cambridge Junction, where the awards for the best films are presented.
Big Trouble Little Pictures will showcase the filmmaking talents of more than 100 young people who have taken part in projects over the past year.
The event will also feature behind-the-scenes footage that captures the creative journey behind the films.
Beth Bailey, head of creative learning at Cambridge Junction, says: “We cannot wait for this year’s film festival!
“Eight years on and still growing – it’s the highlight of the year!
“We have worked with so many talented young creators this year and we can’t wait for them to experience all their hard work on the big screen and connect with other young filmmakers sharing the platform.
“Big Trouble Little Pictures 2025 – let’s go!”
The event is to be hosted by long-term participant Oliver Turner, who also appears in one of the films – Glitch, which was made by Total Arts.
“Every year, I go up on stage and present the awards and welcome everyone, and tell everyone to go to the Junction opposite [The Light Cinema] for the after party,” he explains.
On the subject of Glitch, Oliver adds: “The film is about an event that puts Total Arts into lockdown for a while, and we gradually lose our sanity…”
Oliver, who has hosted the festival for around seven years, believes the event is unique because “all sorts of youngsters are able to make films for the first time ever and have them shown on the big screen”.
He adds: “For them, it’s a dream come true.”
Katie Black, creative learning producer at the Junction (part of her role is running Total Arts), also appears in Glitch, noting: “I think I make a few cameos – I usually do!”
Total Arts – one of the Junction’s long-standing open access programmes – has been going for around 15 years and Oliver has been involved with it for coming up to a decade.
Katie has been a key part of it for about 12 or 13 years.
How is the 2025 edition of the Total Arts Film Festival different compared to previous editions?
“In terms of the trajectory of the Film Festival, it’s kind of built every year,” replies Katie, “and I think this year is the year we’ve had our most independent submissions from young people.
“So I think it’s different this year because as we’ve made films with various groups, they’ve created almost their own cinematic universes – so there’s some sequels this year.”
Throughout the festival, audiences can enjoy speeches, award ceremonies, and a relaxed disco hosted by The Funky Club, alongside screenings of the music videos and films made by the next generation of artists and filmmakers.
The event will feature films by Melbourn Cabin, The Croft, St Peter’s Cabin, The Darwin Centre, Red Balloon, Sakara, LambChop 47, Olive AP Academy, Total Arts, and Total Arts Mini Bytes.
Big Trouble Little Pictures: The Total Arts Film Festival will be on at Cambridge Junction (J2) and The Light Cinema opposite next Tuesday and Wednesday (24-25 June).
Visit junction.co.uk.
