East End Film Festival launches tonight with its biggest and most colourful programme of premieres, panels, parties, 3D cinema, live music, free outdoor screenings and unique special events across eight days and eleven East London venues.

Full details of everything that's happening across the Festival can be seen at http://app.streamsend.com/c/3426152/681/ko1QctL/KX9R?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastendfilmfestival.com but here's brief overview of just a few of the amazing things they have lined up for you. 

The East End Film Festival is fast becoming the UK's leading showcase for feature debuts, with international and UK first features vying for our 'Best First Feature' jury prizes. The festival will welcome talented emerging directors from Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Austria, India and more, who will be presenting and discussing their work.

On Friday is the eagerly-awaited UK premiere of the East End set CITY RATS starring Danny Dyer, who puts in an astonishing performance against type as a struggling alcoholic. Alongside Danny is an all-star cast who'll be in attendance for the premiere and afterparty. Also from the UK comes HELEN, the debut feature from The Desperate Optimists, which will be screened alongside a retrospective of their award winning shorts.

If panel discussions are your thing, you'll find plenty to tickle your fancy in the programme of panel events. Guests include Will Self, Brian Catling, Michael Bracewell and Iain Sinclair, who will be curating a whole weekend of films and events at the Rio, and presenting his 'Hackney Diaries', a collection of remarkable footage shot around Hackney in the 1970's.

We've hardly scraped the surface here of the packed programme, so head over to the website to browse the other exciting screenings and events on offer, which include twelve short film programmes, a ten-hour Mid-Length Film Jam presented by Cinephilia, live music to suit all tastes, week-long exhibitions, outdoor screenings, rolling seminars and so much more. 

Last but most definitely not least, don't forget to check out the fantastic new trailer made by Lucy Izzard at Slinky Pictures. http://app.streamsend.com/c/3426152/683/ko1QctL/KX9R?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastendfilmfestival.com