Rotary Club of Sherborne Castles

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Rotary Club of Sherborne Castles

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We are a network of volunteers working locally and internationally to improve lives.

20/10/2026

Sherborne International Film Festival (SHIFF) 2026
15–18 October 2026

The Sherborne International Film Festival (SHIFF) 2026 brought the community together, welcoming over 400 attendees to meet, share ideas, enjoy world cinema and support a worthy cause.

As the lights went down, time slowed and audiences were transported across the planet and through history — from 19th-century French kitchens to the wild expanses of the Amazon, from 1980s Berlin behind the Wall to rural Provence, the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and the spirit world of Japan. A celebration of film’s power to open our eyes to different cultures, places and perspectives.

Thanks to the generosity and support of our audience & sponsors, and the support of Winstones Book Shop and Sherborne Schools Group, the festival raised £3,600 for the End Polio Campaign. With the generous support of the Gates Foundation, this contribution will be multiplied to more than £10,000, helping to support the global effort to end polio.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, to our sponsors and other contributors, which helped make SHIFF 2026 such a success.

Hays Travel Porter Dodson Apex Brewing Co. Dorset The Grange at Oborne Hidden Needs Trust Wilson-Layton Orchards Estates Sales & Lettings - Estate Agent and Letting Agent Winstone's Books Sherborne Sherborne Group Enterprises End Polio Now

We look forward to seeing you in 2027!

19/10/2026

MUSIC TO END POLIO

What began as a conversation over coffee between a few local people turned into an extraordinary fundraising concert for End Polio Now on Sunday 18 October at Sherborne Preparatory School.

Roderick Dunk and musicians from the London Palm Court Orchestra were joined by local performers Andy and Yvonne Fawbert, with support from The Simply Dire Choir. Together they delighted the audience with a wonderfully varied programme of favourites from stage and screen.

Every performer generously gave their time to support this important cause, including some whose lives have been touched directly by the devastating effects of polio, a disease that can cause lifelong paralysis.

Marjorie and David Pearson, whose initial conversation sparked the idea, were overwhelmed by the talent, generosity and community spirit that brought the event to life. Thanks to the support of performers, volunteers and audience members, the concert raised nearly £5,000 for End Polio Now. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's matching programme, this will help generate almost £15,000 in total towards the worldwide effort to eradicate polio.

While polio remains anywhere in the world, it remains a threat everywhere; it is only a plane ride away. The fight is not over, but thanks to everyone who contributed their time, energy and support, we are one step closer to a polio-free future.

11/10/2026

The Taste of Things

Thursday 15 October, 7.30pm

Ouor headline Sponsor: Hays Travel

🍷🍽️ Opening Night at SHIFF 2026
Join us for the festival's opening film, The Taste of Things (La Passion de Dodin Bouffant), a beautifully crafted French drama celebrating food, friendship, artistry and love in nineteenth-century France. The film follows renowned gourmet Dodin Bouffant and his gifted cook Eugénie as their shared passion for food slowly deepens into something more. [rcsc.org.uk]
With an opening night drinks reception from 6.30pm, it's the perfect way to begin four days of outstanding international cinema at The Powell Theatre.

📍 The Powell Theatre, Sherborne
🌍 Supporting Rotary's End Polio campaign

10/10/2026

The Lives of Others

Sunday 18 October, 8.00pm
🎭 A gripping finale to SHIFF 2026.

Sposnored by Dilys Wilson Layton

Set in East Berlin during the Cold War, The Lives of Others follows a Stasi officer assigned to spy on a famous writer and his actress partner. As he becomes increasingly drawn into their lives, everything he believes is challenged. [rcsc.org.uk], [en.wikipedia.org]
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, it's a compelling and deeply human drama to bring the festival to a close

09/10/2026

Post 6: Fitzcarraldo
Sunday 18 October, 5.00pm

Kindly sposnored by Orchards Estates

🚢🌴 How far would you go to achieve a dream?
Werner Herzog's legendary Fitzcarraldo follows an eccentric visionary determined to build an opera house in the Amazon rainforest. What unfolds is one of cinema's greatest epics, exploring ambition, obsession and the extraordinary limits of human determination.

An unforgettable big-screen experience that truly deserves to be seen in a theatre.

08/10/2026

Manon des Sources

Saturday 17 October, 8.00pm

Sponsored By Apex Brewing Co.

🌿 The story continues...
Following directly from Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources follows Manon as she uncovers the truth behind her father's fate. Set against the stunning landscapes of Provence, this acclaimed sequel is a powerful story of revenge, forgiveness and redemption.

Many critics consider the two films together among the finest achievements in French cinema.

Apex Brewing Co. Dorset

07/10/2026

Jean de Florette

Friday 16 October, 8.00pm

🌻 A French classic celebrating its 40th anniversary. Sponsored by Porter Dodson

Jean de Florette tells the story of a city man who inherits a Provençal farm and dreams of starting a new life, unaware that powerful local interests are working against him. A moving tale of greed, resilience and human nature, it remains one of the greatest French films ever made.

Watch the first half of a remarkable two-part story before returning for Manon des Sources on Saturday night.

Porter Dodson

06/10/2026

Spirited Away

Saturday 17 October, 5.00pm

✨🐉 A magical adventure for all ages.

Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning masterpiece Spirited Away follows ten-year-old Chihiro as she becomes trapped in a mysterious spirit world and must find the courage to save her family. Filled with unforgettable characters and breathtaking imagination, it remains one of the most beloved animated films ever created. [rcsc.org.uk], [en.wikipedia.org]
Whether you've seen it before or are discovering it for the first time, this is cinema at its most magical.

Enormous thanks to The Hidden Needs Trust for sponsoring this film.

05/10/2026

City of God
Friday 16 October, 5.00pm(Sponsored by The Grange at Oborne)
🎬 One of the most acclaimed films of the 21st century.

Set in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, City of God follows the lives of young people growing up amid violence, ambition and hope. Told through the eyes of an aspiring photographer, this electrifying Brazilian masterpiece remains one of world cinema's defining achievements.

We're especially proud that this screening is sponsored by The Grange at Oborne.

📍 The Powell Theatre, Sherborne
🌍 Raising funds for End Polio

03/10/2026

🎬 Sherborne International Film Festival is coming soon!

Get ready to enjoy a brilliant celebration of film, creativity and storytelling at The Powell Theatre, Sherborne. From exciting new voices to inspiring cinematic experiences, the festival offers something for every film lover.

The Rotary Club of Sherborne Castles is delighted to support this fantastic event, bringing our community together through culture, creativity and a shared love of cinema. As well as celebrating great filmmaking, the festival will help raise funds for Rotary's End Polio campaign, supporting the global effort to eradicate polio once and for all.

15-18 October. Find out more, book your tickets and join the celebration! https://rcsc.org.uk/our-key-events/shiff/

🎥 🌍 🎬

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Sherborne

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https://rcsc.org.uk/

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