Samsara, an unconventional film by Director Lois Patiño, which encourages viewers to close their eyes during viewing, is set to show at the Keswick Film Festival.

The film was picked by critic Peter Bradshaw as one of his top 25 films to watch in 2024.

Exploring Buddhist rituals around the journey of the soul of a lady in Laos after her passing, it promises a spectrum of hues, seen through the viewer's eyelids, rather than the screen.

Festival Director Ian Payne said: "I can’t wait to see Samsara.

"It is going to be a visual treat and to experience it on Rheged’s giant screen will be spectacular.

"We’ve not shown anything like it before."

The festival, showcasing Samsara among others, spans three different venues, including the theatre by the lake, the Alhambra, and the Rheged Centre.

Another noteworthy film among Bradshaw's top 25, 'Scala!!!', a documentary about London's notorious cinema club in the 1980's, also hits the screen in Alhambra.

Directors, Ali Catterall and Jane Giles, will be in Keswick to share about their creation.

The festival has seen significant interest in tickets and passes, particularly for the European premiere of "Between the Lights".

Mr Payne said: "I am really pleased with the amount of interest we have already seen for tickets and passes, particularly for Between the Lights, our European premiere, where Directors, cast members and crew will be attending, to get their first sight of this local feature."

The Keswick Film Festival will run from February 29 to March 3.