Five quintessentially Manchester films you need to watch
Whether you’re new here or just love reminding yourself of how wonderful Manc culture is, this handful of films paints a pretty good broad strokes picture.
The world of Manchester film might be quite a relatively small one in the grand scheme of British and global cinema but, as with our world-famous music, there’s something to be said for how we depict the way of life around here.
Be it putting a positive shine on the ‘grim up North’ stereotype, rightly repping our sporting or musical heritage or celebrating the cultural heroes that have come from these parts, we have all the time in the world for Manc cinema and think it deserves shouting about more.
So, rather than waiting for others to pull their finger out, in the words of Thanos: “I’ll do it myself” – well, we will, but you catch my (our) drift.
Without further ado, here are five classic Manc films that you need to see if you haven’t already.
Five must-watch films about Manchester
1. 24 Hour Party People
First off, why not start with none other than a tribute to Mr Manchester himself, Tony Wilson? Made back in 2002, it’s quite mad how bang on and familiar this film still feels today and it’s a perfect dose of nostalgia for those who were around during this time, plus plenty of chuckles to go along with it.
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Directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring legendary local actor Steve Coogan as the iconic presenter, Factory Records owner, nightclub manager and music mogul, the comedic dramatisation of the Manc music community from 1976 to 1992 does just as much toying with caricatures as it does dive into the origins of the Madchester scene and beyond.
A quintessentially Manchester film and cast.
2. Looking For Eric
Next up is a cult favourite among not just Manchester United fans and football lovers in general but people all over Europe, especially here in Britain and with our French cousins, for obvious reasons. I mean, red or not, who doesn’t love Eric Cantona?
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Written and directed by veteran Ken Loach and starring Salford-born screen veteran Steve Evets (Brassic, Wuthering Hearts, Pirates of the Caribbean), it revolves around a Manc postman living through whose life falls apart before visions of the footballing hero help him try and get in back on track.
Eric ‘the King’s acting at its finest.
3. East is East
From one working-class story to another which also sheds a spotlight on the South Asian experience in 1970s Greater Manchester, beloved British comedy East is East is another story full of emotion, social commentary and the UK’s relationship with race.
Centring around a Romeo and Juliet-esque multi-cultural romance, the 1999 classic always pulls at our heartstrings and is, at its core, about the universally binding theme of family. Semi-autobiographical and adapted from Ayub Khan-Din’s original play of the same name, it’s a belter.
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Still such a touching story and one of the most iconic Manchester films of all time.
4. Control
Back to the music side of things, we can’t remember many more gripping Manchester-centric films than 2007’s Control, all about the life Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. Heartbreaking and brilliant.
Compellingly portrayed by Sam Riley, who himself was part of the short-lived Noughties band 10,000 Things, and lovingly brought to life by Dutch photographer and director Anton Coribjn – himself a huge fan of the seminal Manchester four-piece. It won a total of 31 awards when it released and it’s no wonder.
Find us someone who doesn’t rate this film and call them and you a liar.
5. There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble
Our fifth and final Manchester film pick is the one and only Jimmy Grimble – and as we all know, there’s only one. A staple movie for most Manc kids growing up in the ’90s and 2000s, football fan or not, everyone loves an underdog story – especially when the surroundings look so familiar.
Without spoiling too much, the 2000 film revolves around a young boy who finds a very special pair of boots and his future changes forever. One for the Blues (if you know, you know) and even this early clip alone still gives us chills to this day:
Childhood memories just come flooding back.
Honourable mentions
Now, obviously, there are more than just five films related to Manchester and it was hard to little down to just a handful, so we’ve kind of cheated and given you a few more in case you get through the list dead quick or having simply watched most of these far too many times already.
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Peterloo
A bit of a sharp mood change for sure but the 2018 dramatisation of Peterloo, one of the most important moments in this region’s heritage, it’s a local history lesson that most people have skipped and for those who have only a cursory knowledge of the massacre, it’s a pretty eye-opening watch.
Spike Island
While Spike Island itself is Widness, we couldn’t not give a shout-out to a film all about The Stone Roses and their infamous 1990 concert. In truth, we’re not going to pretend this is a five-star flick, some of the acting gets pretty sketchy and Emilia Clarke’s attempt at a Northern accent is best not spoken, but we’ve still got a soft spot for the moment in Manc pop culture consciousness it tries to capture.
A Kind of Loving
Last but not least, a lesser-known one to most for sure but A Kind of Loving is one of those your mum and dad or grandparents tell you about and you never quite see what they were on about until you watch it. Another no-nonsense kitchen sink drama filled with normal people, this 1960s feature film is shot all over the tne boroughs, with glimpses of Miles Platting, Clayton, Beswick, Radcliffe and more.
Turns out the older generation love it for a reason. Give it a go.
Public vote opens for ‘most memorable’ TV moment of the year at 2026 BAFTAs
Emily Sergeant
What was the most memorable TV moment of this past year? It’s time to have your say.
The BAFTA TV Awards for 2026 are merely months away, with the ceremony set to take place on Sunday 10 May, and now, the shortlist for the Memorable Moment Award have been announced and the public is being called on to vote for their favourite.
Each year, the Memorable Moment Award – which is currently sponsored by P&O Cruises – honours the impact of television in the UK and its power to ‘entertain, inform, and bring the nation together’.
The nominations were compiled by an ‘esteemed’ independent jury of influential TV critics, as well as TV presenter, Josie Gibson, showcasing key moments from 2025 that reflect the power of TV.
The six nominees for this year’s P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award are…
✨ Adolescence – Jamie snaps at the psychologist ✨ Big Boys – “I didn’t make it, did I?” ✨ Blue Lights – The police are warned of an ambush plot to silence a key witness ✨ Last One Laughing – Bob… pic.twitter.com/Mes4cCjwgH
So, what are the nominees for this year then? Which TV moments does the UK public get to pick from as the winner of the coveted award?
Nominations include moments from smash-hit TV shows like Netflix’s one-shot miniseries Adolescence, BBC’s iconic reality competition show Celebrity Traitors, and Prime Video’s side-splitting comedy show Last One Laughing.
The nominations are:
Adolescence (Netflix) – Jamie snaps at the psychologist
Big Boys (Channel 4) – “I didn’t make it, did I?”
Blue Lights (BBC) – The police are warned of an ambush plot to silence a key witness
The Celebrity Traitors (BBC) – Alan Carr wins The Celebrity Traitors
Last One Laughing (Prime Video) – Bob Mortimer and Richard Ayoade’s speed date
What It Feels Like For A Girl (BBC) – Byron leaves for Brighton to start uni, where she introduces herself as Paris.
The moment chosen to represent Adolescence is where main character Jamie becomes frustrated and then flies into a rage during his assessment by child psychologist Briony, while comedians Bob Mortimer and Richard Ayoade’s ‘speed date’ has been chosen to represent Last One Laughing, and of course, the moment where Alan Carr was revealed as the winner has been selected for Celebrity Traitors.
“It’s been a huge pleasure to chair this year’s jury and share in the thoughtful, passionate conversations about the standout television moments of 2025,” commented Hilary Rosen, chair of BAFTA’s Television Committee, as the shortlist was unveiled.
“From powerful drama to unmissable entertainment and brilliantly sharp comedy, the nominees reflect the creative breadth and cultural impact of best-in-class television.
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“I look forward to seeing which memorable moments resonate with the public, and the conversations they’ll spark well beyond the final vote.”
Voting is open until 9pm on Wednesday 22 April, and you can cast your vote on the BAFTA website online here.
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TV & Showbiz
Review | What we made of Country 2 Country 2026, and why Manchester should be very excited
Danny Jones
Excuse me, but it looks like we might have a new favourite festival on the cards: Country 2 Country – and it’s very rare we gig in London and enjoy ourselves anyway near as much as we do up North, but now we’re already dreaming of just how good C2C Manchester could be.
In fact, scratch that, we know it is.
Billed as Europe’s biggest country music festival, there really isn’t anything quite like it here. Yes, there’s Buckle & Boots Festival closer to home, but there’s nothing in the folk and country world on this kind of massive scale, unless you go all the way to see the actual CMA Fest over in the US.
London’s also been lucky enough to host some very big names at BST Hyde Park too, but this fully-fledged arena weekender, complete with an outdoor festival hub, town square, trading post, a barn full of line-dancers, and SO much more, celebrates every single part of that culture.
By day, the aim is to make a little country town, complete with shops, food, drink and music aplenty. (Credit: Audio North)
But… We think the North can do it better.
So too did some of the acts and punters as well, by the way; we spoke to several people on-site who’d made the trip from all over because it was closer than Glasgow, Belfast or Berlin.
Up-and-coming British country rock artist, Bronnie – who was literally hours away from a move across the pond to pursue her dreams of living the cowgirl turned music artist experience down in the Southern states – said simply: “There’s always this feeling like there’s more fun to be had up North”
Moreover, the friends she’s already made over in America’s ‘Music City’, she says, have claimed that “the vibes are just better”, apparently. Not to sound too biased, but we obviously couldn’t agree more.
However, with the news that C2C is coming to Manchester city centre and Northern England for the very first time, people are already hopping mad at the idea of a Manc debut.
That’s to say that what The O2 in London isn’t special and will always be to most punters, we just know full well that our particular region is going to take to this new annual event like a duck to water.
A lot of the people we spoke to kept repeating the same: that working class connection, simple but relatable imagery, the pure poetry you’ll find not only in Nashville but creative cousins like Manchester.
The Broadway strip in Austin may be the spiritual home of this kind of music, but we Greater Mancunians lay claim to plenty of genres and some of the biggest artistic traditions ourselves.
With that in mind, we are convinced we’re going to leave a lasting impression when our inaugural Country 2 Country Festival comes to the AO Arena next year.
Our line dancing might leave a little to be desired, but we’ve got a whole year to work on it, not to mention plenty of time to dive even further into the UK’s growing country music obsession.
You can see more pictures from our 2026 C2C gallery down below.
Country fashion was everywhereThe official CMA Spotlight Stage was one of the bestNo one shyed away from a partyKruse Brothers were one of our favourite from the weekendAlana Springsteen was incredibleAnd by the evening, it’s a proper hedonist hoedown… (Credit: The Manc)
Danny Jones -
8th April 2024 
