Godsent Ogbebor
RTF Marks 10th Anniversary in Worcester
The Realtime International Film Festival (RTF) has rounded off its 10th anniversary in Worcester, delivering a major boost to the city’s tourism and creative economy while confirming Bristol as the next host destination for its 2026 edition.
The festival, which ran from October 17 to 19, celebrated independent cinema across the world, showcasing 200 films from 51 countries and welcoming an average audience of 900 attendees at venues including The Hive, Swan Theatre, The Guildhall and Freedom Auditorium.
Worcester Mayor, Cllr Dr. Matt Lamb, applauded RTF’s return to the city, revealing that more than 100 filmmakers were visiting Worcester for the first time due to the festival’s growing global appeal and its impressive reviews on the international submission platform, FilmFreeway.
The mayor also supervised the announcement of 31 award winners during the closing ceremony and presented medals to over 70 nominees. Performers including Questle, Aasritha, Kome and Osazuwa electrified the red carpet opening night, which featured a black-tie event at Freedom Church.
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A major anticipation-driver for this year’s edition was the unveiling of the trailer for “Ambient Nemesis,” a collaborative film involving creators from multiple countries. In an interesting twist, the Mayor of Worcester played one of the film’s lead characters, Dr. Miller.
Beyond screenings, the festival offered cultural tours that introduced guests to Worcester’s history through visits to the Worcester Museum, The Guildhall and The History Pod. The first day ended with a lively Afro-Portuguese themed after-party at The Origin Restaurant.
Festival founder, Stan Ohikhuare, reiterated that RTF was built to empower independent filmmakers, especially young talents and underrepresented voices.
He noted that the festival remains self-funded “for the sake of independent cinema,” while strengthening opportunities in the Midlands through a creative film economy. He also announced that proceeds from ticket sales were donated to the Mayor’s charity, Acorns.
Associate producer, Nnanna Adim, confirmed that Bristol will welcome the festival in 2026, with expectations of even higher attendance based on this year’s international turnout. Submissions for the next edition have already opened.
RTF also continues to work toward creating a distribution platform for films screened at the festival since 2016, ensuring independent creators find long-term value for their work.
The 10th edition was judged by a global panel led by Mr. Israel Wekpe and featuring respected figures including Jahman Anikulapo, David Schifter, Alessandro Jedlowski, Ikenna Ezenyirioha, Tunde Onikoyi, Fidelis Duker, Alexis Chaviaras, Cleopatra Starrets and Hendrik Harms.
Awards and Recognitions, some of the top winners include:
- Into Your Mind – Special Jury Award
- The First Grand Adventure – Best UK Feature Film
- Celestial Intersect – Best UK Short/Featurette
- She Walks a Line – Best Documentary
- Aahi – Best African Short Film (Continental)
- April – Best Midlands Film
- The Muscle – Best Director
- Before 1619: She Took Justice – Best Festival-Themed Movie
- The Masked King – Best Nollywood Feature Film
- The Funeral of Kwadae – Best African Feature Film
- Home – Best Overall UK Film
- Tales From the Atlantic Beyond – Best Francophone Film
- Bird Drone – Best International Animation
- Life, Once More – Best Ireland Film
Dozens of other finalists received nominations across diverse categories from children’s filmmaking to music videos, sound design, spoken word and student productions demonstrating the festival’s mission to remain a global platform for every style of independent storytelling.