Creative Connection from Through A Different Lens - Celebrating 5 Years

Through A Different Lens is celebrating five years of screening independent film with a special night at the Reading Biscuit Factory on Wednesday 2 December. The evening is called Creative Connection, and it follows the same format they've been running: a selection of short films followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers themselves, so you get to hear the stories behind what you've just watched.

If you haven't come across them before, Through A Different Lens is an organisation that's spent the last five years hosting and screening independent short and feature films, with a focus on underrepresented stories and talent. It's not just about the screenings, either. Over that time they've run film festivals, worked on film sets, and developed outreach for the creative industries, championing diversity both on screen and behind the camera. This particular night is a way of marking that five-year milestone.

The Q&A is the part that really sets it apart from a standard cinema trip. Rather than just watching the credits roll and heading home, you get to pick the brains of the people who actually made the films. It's a chance to ask about how they got the project off the ground, the challenges they ran into, and what they were aiming for. If you're into filmmaking yourself, it's a good place to see how other people are working.

Practical details: the screening runs from 6:15pm to 8:15pm, with doors opening at 6:00pm, so you've got plenty of time to get settled before it starts. The venue is the Reading Biscuit Factory, 1 Queens Walk, Reading RG1 7QE, and there's a bar on site if you fancy a drink. One thing to keep in mind is that the session is for over-18s only. Tickets are paid, and there are no refunds, so make sure the date works for you before you commit.