CHAGFORD Film Festival will bring Hollywood's glitz and glamour back to Dartmoor next month, promising to be even bigger and better than last year.

Building on the success of last year's inaugural festival, organisers have a James Bond-themed extravaganza of a week planned.

The festival kicks off with a James Bond gala opening on Monday, September 24 with a screening of Dr No, and a casino.

Throughout the week-long festival, visitors will be able to watch films from the 'golden age' of Hollywood, visit a vintage mobile cinema in the square, and attend workshops held by film industry professionals.

Highlights include the world premiere of 'The Ballad of Mary Whyddon', a film by the Chagford Film-making Group. It tells the story of a young bride shot on her wedding day in 1641 as England was on the brink of civil war.

No-one was ever charged with her murder, but her tombstone in the chancel of St Michael's Church reads 'Behold a matron and yet a maid'.

The film will be projected onto the side of the church in a nod to the Diamond Jubilee light show on Buckingham Palace earlier this year.

On Friday, September 28, everyone can enjoy a singalong with a screening of Mamma Mia, followed by an Abba tribute band in the Jubilee Hall.

The finale night on Saturday, September 29 will see the red carpet rolled out for a screening of Sean Connery's Bond film 'Goldfinger' in the Globe Inn.

The festival received a big boost in July after it was announced it would receive a grant of £23,500 from the Big Lottery Fund to build on last year's successes.

The funding will enable the group to expand the festival and make it more enterprising, by recruiting volunteers, promoting it to a wider audience through workshops, events and exhibitions, and designing and producing a new programme.

Tickets for the workshops and events will help to generate an income to help sustain the festival in future years.

Last year's inaugural festival had a varied programme of events, attracting Oscar-winning film producer Gareth Unwin to the grand finale.

Gareth was on hand to discuss his smash-hit film 'The King's Speech', which won the Best Picture Oscar in 2011.

The week also saw the world premiere of the film 'The Long Walk to Freedom', multiple film screenings and workshops with filmmakers.

Organisers are also looking for several brave daredevils to abseil down St Michael's Church as part of a Bond-themed fundraiser.

Tickets and further information on the abseil and festival are available from the Globe Inn on 01647 433485. Alternatively you can visit http://www.chagfordfilmfestival.co.uk">www.chagfordfilmfestival.co.uk