NRFF London 2026
New Renaissance Film Festival London 2026 — Where imagination takes flight
Close-Up Cinema ProgrammeThursday 24 September · 3:00–4:40pm← Full programme
A
Close-Up Cinema · Includes Q&A

What Lies Beneath

Thursday 24 September 2026 · 3:00–4:40pm

From secret desires and buried grief to mischief, ambition and fear, these films explore the hidden impulses that shape our choices—and what happens when they rise to the surface.

Total film runtime1:30:00
Whirling Dervish01

Music or Dance Short · United States · 1:00

Whirling Dervish

Directed by Terry Blade

A man’s journey from self-possession to surrender transforms an urban landscape into a space of ritual, meditation and spiritual awakening.

God of Mischief02

Comedy Short · United Kingdom · 13:52

God of Mischief

Directed by Christian Stevens

When a cheeky ten-year-old loses the role of Loki in the school play, he hatches a mischievous plan to prove he is the real god of mischief.

Duck Duck Goose03

Comedy Short · United Kingdom · 13:30

Duck Duck Goose

Directed by Harry Redding

Two struggling actors working as children’s entertainers attempt to rob a house during a nine-year-old’s birthday party, putting both their plan and friendship at risk.

Six of Cups04

LGBTQ+ Short · United Kingdom · 13:00

Six of Cups

Directed by Sasha Case

On the verge of adulthood, Olivia fights to save her closest friendship and navigate a secret love after a tarot reading changes everything.

Dancing Standing Still05

Short Short · Netherlands · 1:31

Dancing Standing Still

Directed by Drea Chuma

A poetic exploration of how grief quietly reveals itself between the tentative movement of new beginnings and the stillness needed to process change.

Favouritism06

Drama Short · United Kingdom · 13:26

Favouritism

Directed by Georgia Bellett

Five old friends awaken hungover on their annual country retreat, but a sudden crisis fractures their unity as accusations expose a tangled shared history.

Blue Bird07

Short Short · Canada · 1:20

Blue Bird

Directed by Shako

An interpretation of Charles Bukowski’s poem, uncovering the hidden softness within us and the tender act of learning to embrace vulnerability.

Between Heaven and Earth08

Historic Short · United Kingdom · 9:25

Between Heaven & Earth

Directed by Michael Peel

In 1915, newlywed Ruth Mallory joins George on Scafell Pike and glimpses the restless ambition that will shape their lives and seal his tragic legacy.

Lustlings09

Action, Thriller, Horror & Suspense Short · United Kingdom · 8:30

Lustlings

Directed by Nico Carmandaye

When a gay man wakes in the middle of the night to find his lover missing, his relationship anxieties take over.

4 Minutes Before Forever10

Action, Thriller, Horror & Suspense Short · United Kingdom · 13:49

4 Minutes Before Forever

Directed by Yoann Zak

Harmless fun becomes a terrifying countdown when an algorithm predicts a couple’s demise with unnerving precision.

Close-Up Cinema · Shoreditch

Hidden impulses.
Revealed truths.

Thursday 24 September 2026
3:00–4:40pm · Includes filmmaker Q&A

Close-Up Cinema
97 Sclater Street
London E1 6HR

Doors open before the advertised start time. Please arrive early to take your seat.

Block A · What Lies BeneathThursday 24 September · 3:00pm
Book Tickets