How to Fest

Using Your Pass

Passholders should arrive at least 5 minutes before the start of the screening for guaranteed access. Though not required, passholders are highly encouraged to reserve their tickets online in advance in order to ensure entry. Any passholder that arrives after this time may be granted entry subject to the availability of remaining seats.

No longer able to make it to a particular screening or event? Please release your ticket so it can be reserved by someone else. Head to My Tickets and click on “Manage” next to the relevant ticket. Tickets can be released up to 1hr before the listed start time.

For our special events at The Prospect Building and Wake The Tiger, holders of a Festival Pass or Industry Pass may reserve up to one free ticket each. Discovery Passholders do not have access to these events and must purchase individual tickets separately (£20 + fees).

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Individual Tickets

No Pass? No Problem! Individual tickets are available for all screenings and many of our events at £8 in advance, or free with a pass. Tickets can be ordered online through this website or at our festival box office which will be located at Watershed and open during the dates of the festival: 23–27 September.

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Ticketing Policy

Encounters guarantees entry to all ticketholders until 5 minutes prior to the start of the presentation. Ticketholders not scanned for entry 5 minutes prior to entry may be considered not present and their seat may be re-sold as a standby ticket. If a ticketholder arrives less than 5 minutes prior to the start of the presentation, they may be granted entry subject to the availability of remaining seats.

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Standby Queue Tickets

For any sold out screenings and events at Watershed we will operate a standby queue. Standby tickets will be issued on a first come, first serve basis. Passholders in the standby queue will access the event by having the QR code on their pass scanned so please have this ready. For events with individual tickets these will be sold at a standard price of £10 in the standby queue.

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Refund Policy

Encounters does not offer refunds for any paid pass or ticket sales, and any exceptions will be at the discretion of the Box Office Manager. Refunds or exchanges for technical difficulties may be possible at the discretion of the Box Office Manager.

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Safe Spaces Policy

Encounters values diversity and inclusion and strives to provide a safe space for all festival participants to enjoy their festival experience free from discrimination, harassment, violence, threats, intimidation and abuse. This policy extends to all staff, volunteers, sponsors, delegates, and other benefactors as well as audience members. Encounters reserves the right to remove or ban entry to any person or persons found to be in violation of this policy. Decisions will be made on a case by case basis. Any violations of the safer spaces policy can be made by reporting to any of our festival staff or reports may be made anonymously via email.

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Pass Pick-up

Passes can be picked up daily during the festival from the pass pickup point located in Watershed’s Waterside 2 space, open from 9.30am on Weds 23rd, Thurs 24th, Fri 25th and Sat 26th Sept.

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Box Office Hours

To purchase individual tickets in person please visit the festival box office which will be open 15 minutes before the first ticketed event of the day and is located downstairs at Watershed. The Box Office will close after the final event of the night begins.

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Voting

Don’t forget to cast a vote for your favourite films in our Audience Awards! In order to keep things strictly above board, only ticketholders are eligible to vote in each screening. Ticketholders can vote directly from your My Tickets page. You’ll also automatically receive email reminders about how to vote after the screening.

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