Coogan and Kermode at 19th Bradford International Film Festival

Bradford was designated UNESCO’s city of film in 2009, recognising its use as a setting for film locations and  historic role in the industry – not to mention its excellent National Media Museum. The city’s long-running annual film festival has contributed to this title in no small way by bringing an array of new and classic films, premieres, retrospectives and special guests to the city over the past 19 years – and this year is no exception. As well allowing residents to spot familiar places during screenings of archive films by local filmmakers, Yorkshire classic Billy Liar gets an outing, alongside vintage shorts and the best of today’s films. Highlights include Adam Buxton’s live show Bug, for fans of music videos good and bad, as well as The Look of Love (pictured), Michael Winterbottom’s racy new biopic of top-shelf magnate Paul Raymond starring Steve Coogan. If you fancy taking a more active role in film than just sitting back and watching, Big Screen Gaming Fun in City Park lets visitors use their actions to control computer game characters on a big screen, and there are also music and DJ performances by the likes of DJ Hauntology and skiffle band the Dodge Brothers – which counts film critic Mark Kermode among its members. For those who want to look deeper into film, a one-day symposium around the idea of hauntology marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of Jacques Derrida’s Spectres of Marx – accompanying film selections have a suitably spooky twist, including Decasia, a dystopian ode to creation and decay – and there’s also a chance to discuss opportunities for women in film and television production at another day-long event.

Thu 11 – Sun 21 Apr, National Media Museum, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 1NQ. Tel: 0844 856 3797, times and prices vary, www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk