Flatpack Festival 2022: what is the Birmingham festival, when does it take place - and how can I get tickets?

A five day pop up film festival is returning to the streets of Birmingham for the first time in three years.

According to the organisers, Flatpack Festival 2022 will have comedy, cocktails, chemistry, punk puppet shows, cinema walks and so much more.

Here’s everything you need to know about the festival, and why it has everything you need to unplug, unwind and let loose.

When is Flatpack Festival 2022?

The 2022 edition of the festival takes place from 17 to 22 May.

Who is in the lineup?

The line-up for the festival is jam packed with exciting events, including a world premier of an instrumental showcase.

The ICHI Anime Show sees Japanese one-man-band ICHI perform brand new scores to a series of seminal Japanese anime shorts from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

Belgium band Frankie’s Laguna Beach is an interaction between live music and mechanically powered installations that create a scene where shrill guitars, noise, screeching, worn-out puppets, fishing line and wood play the leading parts.

Ranging from utter failure to tropical idyll, the cheerful naivety of Laguna Beach is always disarming.

Following on from Frankie’s Laguna Beach performances, the festival’s Saturday night knees-up takes the form of a beach party.

Flatpack hosts the world premiere of their commissioned score by instrumental ‘dream-pop-post-folk-neo-everything’ band Haiku Salut and jazz pianist Meg Morley. They will be performing Billy Wilder’s penned silent classic People on Sunday (1930).

For the full line-up, visit the Flatpack website

How will the festival end?

The festival wraps up with an Awards Ceremony with eight awards including an Audience Award. The Short Film competition shows more than 40 films from all around the world with the usual dose of absurd humour, outstanding animation in all shapes and sizes.

What is Wonderland?

Running alongside the festival is the unmissable exhibition ‘Wonderland’  which explores how cinema has shaped the streets, social lives and dreams of Brummies over the past 125 years.

It’s presented by Flatpack Projects and Birmingham 2022 Festival in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Associated events include a walking tour exploring key cinema sites in Birmingham city centre, a conversation with DJ and entrepreneur Cecil Morris about the legendary blaxploitation and kung fu nights he hosted in the 70s and 80s and a Wonderland Pecha Kucha evening at the festival hub where a range of guests will share their cinema stories.

What has the festival said about this year’s lineup?

Sam Groves, Flatpack programmer said: "This year’s festival line-up is as eclectic as ever, celebrating the breadth of film and the moving image right across the spectrum.

“I love the idea you could turn up to the festival and see some Laurel & Hardy with live piano accompaniment, followed by some brilliant new shorts, drop-in to a 16mm AV performance, head to a punk puppet show, watch a new sci-fi feature and end up at a beach party!

“Coming to a festival should be a ride where you get your mind blown and your perceptions changed, and I hope that’s what’ll happen for audiences this year."

What is Flatpack?

Based in Digbeth, Flatpack Festival is known for its eclectic and surprising programming of live performances alongside archive shorts and feature films.

This year, the much loved BAFTA-qualifying short film programme returns with 40 films from 17 countries along with extraordinary live audiovisual performances.

A spokesperson for Flatpack said: “Flatpack is a mobile arts organisation which exists to show amazing work, bring people together and develop new ideas.

“We love film in all shapes and sizes, particularly where it bumps up against other artforms, and get a kick out of transforming spaces to create unforgettable events.

“Every May bank holiday you can find us taking over venues across Birmingham with the "magnificently eclectic" Flatpack Festival, while throughout the year we pop up all over the place with everything from family activities to al fresco horror.”

Can I get tickets?

Tickets and bookings for Flatpack Festival 2022 events can be made through the official website of the festival