THE last week of September will see 'the best small film festival in the world' return to Chagford.

The town will be buzzing with all things film next week, as the annual Chagford Film Festival lights up the town.

Now in its third year, the festival is going from strength to strength. Running from September 23 to September 28 in venues across Chagford, there is an amazing line up of eclectic films and workshops run by industry professionals.

Renowned comedian Tony Hawks will officially declare the festival open on September 23 when he introduces his new film, Playing the Moldovans at Tennis.

The festival is privileged to have both a Sundance Festival Award winner and a nominee introducing their films.

Flying in from Dublin before his tour of America is director Nick Ryan, who will be introducing his film, The Summit.

Andy Heathcote and Heike Bachelier, directors of documentary film Moo Man will be taking part in a question and answer session, and the film's star Stephen Hook will be a guest at the screening.

Gareth Unwin, Oscar winning producer of The King's Speech, who declared Chagford Film Festival 'the best small film festival in the world', will make his second appearance at the festival, introducing his latest film Zaytoun and taking part in a question and answer session.

Chagford's very own internationally renowned harpist, Elizabeth-Jane Baldry, will perform a live harp accompaniment of her newly composed musical score to the iconic 1922 Dracula film Nosferatu.

There will be three very different horror offerings on September 26 — film producer James Harris will be introducing his comic zombie hit Cockneys vs Zombies and taking part in a question and answer session, while there will be screenings of Hitchcock's Psycho and Peter Jackson's Bad Taste.

Other films include The Great Gatsby, Untouchable, The King and I, and a singalong screening of the Blues Brothers.

Alongside the line-up of films there will be free workshops including scriptwriting, special effects and other film themed events. There is also a fantasy themed exhibition running all week in the church as well as a window competition by local Chagford shops.

The theme for the closing gala this year is fantasy, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the film chosen to close the festival.

A dragon will provide thrills as part of dazzling street theatrics, while festival goers will again have the chance of arriving in style in a limousine.

Actor Ryan Gage, who will play Alfrid in the second Hobbit film, The Desolation of Smaug, will introduce the screening and take part in a question and answer session.