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The Sands International Film Festival of St Andrews has unveiled additional details for its third edition, slated for April 19-21. The festival's opening night on April 19 will feature a double bill: Naqqash Khalid’s debut feature, In Camera, and a special screening of Harry Holland’s short film, Last Call. The festival will conclude with Maggie Contreras’ debut documentary, Maestra, showcasing five remarkable female conductors competing in La Maestra, the world's only competition for female conductors. Scottish actress and filmmaker Karen Gillan will participate in a talk on April 21, discussing her career on both sides of the camera, moderated by actor, playwright, and director Adura Onashile.

Sands will host insightful discussions on film-related topics, including The Art of Curation, delving into the role of film curators and the evolving landscape of taste in the digital era. Additionally, On Documentary will explore the current state of documentaries and audience preferences.

This year's family-friendly feature is the Oscar-nominated Wolfwalkers, the captivating conclusion to Tomm Moore's acclaimed Irish Folklore trilogy. Wolfwalkers is a tale of friendship, family, and standing up for your beliefs. Additionally, Rachel Lambert's poignant drama Sometimes I Think About Dying, starring Daisy Ridley as Fran, will screen on Saturday, April 20th. Through Fran's introspective journey, the film beautifully explores themes of love and longing, reminding audiences of the beauty discovered in the most unexpected places.

Other films screening at this year's festival include: Mami Wata by award-winning director C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi; Orlando: My Political Biography (Orlando, ma biographie politique) follows over 20 trans and non-binary individuals as they discuss their identities in relation to Virginia Woolf’s character of Orlando; Silent Roar is an idiosyncratic coming-of-age story; Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Savvusanna Sõsarad) by Anna Hints is an atmospheric feature-length documentary set in a traditional Estonian smoke sauna; Achilles is Farhad Delaram’s directorial debut, taking audiences on a journey between cities in contemporary Iran.

Sands prioritizes accessibility, offering live captioning for speaker events, on-screen subtitles, and audio descriptions for films where possible. A large print program is provided, and a designated quiet space is available for those feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, the festival employs a Pay What You Can pricing model and offers free, ticketed events to reduce financial and social barriers to arts and culture engagement.