FILM makers from across the world will share messages of peace, hope and friendship with Denbighshire cinephiles at this year’s Wicked Wales Film festival.

The Wicked Wales International Youth film and Fringe festivals return this month for their third year with more than 100 short films created by young film makers from across Wales and beyond being screened in Rhyl and Bodelwyddan.

Rhiannon Wyn Hughes, festival director, said: “The theme of the Festival this year is ‘Peace Hope and Friendship’ with the festival finishing on International Peace day. We will be receiving and screening messages of peace from young people from our partner festivals from all over the world throughout the festival and reading out messages from children schools in the area.”

The festival launches this Saturday, with a mobile community cinema hitting the shops at the White Rose Shopping centre on Saturday,. September 8 and Saturday 15 featuring screenings of Disney films Moana and the Jungle Book as well as Irish 2014 Academy Award nominee Song of the Sea.

Rhiannon Hughes Festival director said: "We are delighted to launch this year’s Wicked Wales Festival at the White Rose Centre in Rhyl, with free screenings for the community.

"This is an exciting development for our cinema bringing screenings into the town centre, and we are pleased to have the support of the Rhyl Mayor, Vales Clwyd AM Ann Jones and MP, Chris Ruane, who will be attending the opening. "

The Wicked Fringe proper begins on Friday, September 14 with the premiere of Prestatyn production company Canned Media’s short film Grandpa God, starring Coronation Street actor Bruce Jones at the Little Theatre at 7pm.

The festival will also screen four films over two celebrating British animation and, for the first time, will take part in a national film event, ‘Scalarama’, screening the horror classic Tuesday, September 18 with film making projects from partners including HIJINX and Tir Morfa Community Special School and an awards cermony at Bodelwyddan Castle with an international reception.

The festival will also feature a host of international collaborations with young film makers from Serbia, Germany, Seattle USA, Ireland and Kosovo, including the International feature Nika about a female racing driver, with lead actress Ylenia Mahnic from Slovenia expected to attend.

The Festival closes on Friday, September 21 with a closing ceremony featuring 80’s cult classic Heathers at 7pm.

For more information visit https://wicked.wales.