Blog: Film festivals

Founded in 2001, WOW Wales One World Film Festival has long been the only UK festival dedicated principally to films from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, while also holding the status of the longest-running festival in Wales.

For 23 years, the IMDb-qualifying festival has brought a wide range of the very best international films to cinemas across Wales. Its annual programme of feature, documentary, and short films showcases thought provoking, eye-opening films from places you rarely get to see on screen.

With attending filmmakers such as Patricio Guzmán, Helen Iles, Ken Loach, Mark Cousins, and more, WOW has also established itself as the longest running film festival in Wales.

Taking place every year in March, WOW brings the best of Welsh or UK premieres of international cinema in Aberystwyth Arts Centre and other cinemas across Wales.

International and feminist, the festival champions diversity, equality and the inclusion of voices outside of the mainstream. Every year at least half of the programme’s films are made by female filmmakers, and, since 2023, WOW's team is 100% female-led and diverse.

WOW Wales One World Film Festival, in collaboration with environmental advocates and filmmakers, proudly presents our commitment to driving measurable environmental change and fostering climate literacy among future generations.

In 2021, we revamped our 'Green Screen' initiative, evolving it into the dynamic 'Ecosinema' strand. This transformation was marked by our inaugural Ecosinema mini-festival online, setting a new standard for eco-themed storytelling within our festival.

Keeping Ecosinema as a film strand in the festival, WOW continues to showcase eco-themed films in cinemas and often collaborates with organisations such as The Landworkers Alliance and the 'Creating Safer Space' project to deliver special screenings, Q&As and panel discussions to its audiences.

Submissions for our 2025 Festival are now open!