CINEMA fans are set to descend on Wallingford as a celebrity-backed film festival kicks off.

The five-day film festival, the first of its kind in the town, will focus on human rights issues.

The narrator of a documentary film about American death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal will be giving a talk about the movie.

Hollywood actor Colin Firth’s wife Livia Giuggioli-Firth, the producer of In Prison My Whole Life, which examines the life of the ex-Black Panther, was due to attend but has cancelled her visit.

Instead narrator Will Francome will be at the screening, together with Emma Anderson, the chairman of the Wallingford branch of Amnesty International.

Abu-Jamal was sentenced to death for the 1981 killing of a Philadelphia police officer and is one of the world’s best-known death row prisoners. In Prison My Whole Life, being screened on Sunday, will launch the festival, being staged at the Corn Exchange by the Wallingford School of Art and Art History.

Ms Anderson, 42, said: “This is the first time the school of art has staged a film festival and proceeds will go to Amnesty International.

“Livia was due to come along, but after Colin Firth won the Oscar for The King’s Speech she found she was far too busy.

“We are disappointed that she can’t make it but delighted that Will Francome is coming along to talk about the film.”

Monday’s film is Machin, based on the true story of a group of Sri Lankans who travel to Germany on the pretext of taking part in a sports tournament.

On Tuesday Pray The Devil Back To Hell, an account of a group of women demanding peace for Liberia, is being screened.

On Wednesday the festival will show Nobody Knows About Persian Cats, a drama following a young girl and boy travelling to Tehran to meet other underground rock musicians.

The festival closes on Thursday with Fezeka’s Voice, the story of how a group of children based in Cape Town were inspired to win a trip to the Salisbury International Arts Festival.

The films are made by Brightwide, founded by Mr Firth.

Admission costs £6 for all films, which start at 7.30pm. Those under-15 pay £4.

For more information, see the cinema tab on cornexchange.org.uk