THE countdown to St Albans’ first film festival is almost over and all that is left to do now is decide which events to go to.

A mixture of movie stars, directors, stunt men and musicians will be wandering the city’s streets and hosting talks and screenings.

The Herts Advertiser has selected some film festival highlights sure to entertain over next weekend.

Friday, March 8

The unreleased feature film Vinyl will open the film festival at 1pm in The Maltings Arts Theatre. Starring Phil Daniels and Keith Allen, the movie follows the story of a washed-up rocker who fools record labels and the rock music world by released his new pop-punk single under a fictitious teenage band’s name.

Roy Scammel, otherwise known as ‘stunt man extraordinaire’ will be speaking at the Hare & Hounds pub at 6pm. The 80 year old has performed stunts and acted in a plethora of films, including Flash Gordon, Dr Who, Alien, several James Bond movies and he was even Malcolm McDowell’s stunt double in A Clockwork Orange. He will give a talk and a workshop and lucky ticket holders will also be able to meet this real life action hero.

To toast the beginning of the festival there is an opening launch party at Café Rouge from 7.30pm. The ‘glamorous VIP evening event’ will feature live entertainment, special film festival guests and a variety of screenings.

Saturday, March 9

The main short film competition screening will take place at an undecided venue from 1pm. Kicking off at the same time will be the music video finalists at the Horn. Daria Khulesh, who made the national news recently with her homage to Tom Cruise’s St Albans curry house visit, will be performing the song Tom Tom from her film festival entry, along with other acts playing their submissions live.

From 8pm at Costa Coffee in the Maltings there is a special effects demo which promises audience participation. Mike Peel from Roger Creations has worked on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Casino Royale, and V for Vendetta.

Sunday, March 10

‘Combat for Screen’ at the Pioneer Club from 10am will teach wannabe stunt fighters how to faux fight for films. Fight director Lewis Penfold has worked on Alexander, Kingdom of Heaven and Poseidon. The documentaries in the running for a festival gong will premiere at St Albans School at 11am.

‘Surreal Cinema’, an immersive cinema experience “not for the fainthearted” will run sessions every 20 minutes at the Clock Tower and The Bootpub from 1pm.

Stanley Kubrick – A life in Pictures has been selected as the closing film for the festival and features a narration by St Albans one-time celebrity guest Tom Cruise. This will be showing in the Maltings at 4.30pm.

To wrap up the city’s first film festival, a closing awards ceremony and party is taking place at Havana at 7pm. Guests can see the winners accept their trophies and rub shoulders with all the festival’s special guests.

n For more information on the film festival and to see a comprehensive guide visit http://www.stalbansfilmfestival.com/