ARTISTIC, impressive and thought-provoking films will be screened in Oldham as the fourth edition of the Sahar International Short Film Festival returns to the town on Saturday,

Taking place at the Oldham Library Performance Space between 1pm and 5pm, there will be 20 short films screened from countries including Iran, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Peru, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and the UK.

Genres of films to be screened include animation, drama, narrative, experimental, science fiction, comedy, supernatural thriller, horror, and documentary and there will also be Best Film awards by audience vote and by the Panel of Sahar film critics.

The festival director, Mandana Ansari said "The international foreign short films give an opportunity to the local audience to learn about life and culture in other countries, faced with circumstances which they may never have experienced.

"Some of the films we can describe as "art films" - artistic works which are unconventional, often experimental and frequently projecting a sense of social realism, which expresses the director's point of view, sometimes using symbolic content, and focus on the thoughts, dreams, or motivations of characters, which usually come from under the skin of their societies story."

Martin Gleeson, one of the organisers of Sahar added: "We do not say that the audience won't be entertained - there are some comedies and dramas in the programme, which the audience will enjoy.

"However, some other films are focused on the war zones in which viewers can experience the struggles of people living under austere conditions.

"So people coming to the festival can expect to be both entertained and educated about the lives of people around the world."

More details about the films are available online on Facebook and at http://saharfilmfestival.wixsite.com/sahar-film-festival/home

Admission is free of charge and films are suitable for age 15 and above.

Contact by email sisff2017@gmail.com