THE inaugural Mayhem Film Festival, celebrating music in film, takes place at Bridgwater over the weekend of Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th May.

The programme of talks, films, workshops and live music is being held at Bridgwater Arts Centre, The Engine Room and Scott Cinemas, while, During the day, outside in the town, attendees and passersby will be entertained by musicians.

Opening the festival at Scott Cinemas Bridgwater is the classic 1935 film Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The film’s score features 14 glorious songs by Irving Berlin, who won Academy, Grammy and Tony awards during his career.

For families there’s a screening of The Sound of Music, with a competition for the best fancy dress, while for the over-18s there’s a chance to dress up and ‘step to the right’ at The Rocky Horror Show.

The festival is catering for a range of music tastes. For jazz lovers there is Bird, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Forest Whitaker, while for R&B fans there’s Alan Parker’s The Commitments and for those who appreciate classical music there’s Immortal Beloved starring Gary Oldman as Beethoven.

Bringing both classical music and family audiences together will be Lotte Reiniger’s beautiful animation, Prince Ahmed. This free screening on Sunday 19th will have the soundtrack played live by harpist Elizabeth-Jane Baldry.

Mayhem Film Festival is co-ordinated by Somerset Film and Bridgwater Arts Centre and supported by funds from Animating the Town fund and BFI Film Audience Network.

A full programme of events and tickets is available via www.mayhemfilmfest.co.uk