The Airscreen, a giant inflatable frame incorporating a projection surface from Harkness Hall, was rigged and de-rigged for each show in a little over 25 minutes. A powered air pump quickly inflated the PVC frame, which was anchored by guy ropes to four water-filled ballast weights. No other supporting structure was required. Outdoor screenings have been a speciality of the Cambridge Festival and technicians from the Festival's umbrella organisation, City Screen, are regularly called upon by other organisations for their expertise in this area, so it is with particular pride that the Festival returns with such a spectacular event.
Revived this summer, in association with the Independent, the Film Festival provided Cambridge and its regions with the full wealth and breadth of cinema - from the very big with screenings in widescreen 70mm, to the not so big in the Shortmatic strand; from very early archive prints to debates about the digital future. The Children's Film Festival element, with its own panel of reviewers and Children’s Jury, entertained younger audiences with a host of exciting new films, parties, games and competitions. Overall, a whole programme of events, short films, and brand new features celebrated the best in international and independent film.