The festival brought some of the world's most distinctive artists working in the moving image to Norwich, including Robert Breer, Jem Cohen, Robert Beavers, Michael Robinson, Naoyuki Tsuji, Andrew Kotting, Shezad Dawood, Jim Trainor, Barbara Sternberg, Jerzy Kucia and Bill Morrison; as well as critics, photographers, writers, filmmakers and many others.

Based in Norwich, UK, AURORA was decidedly different to most film festivals. Uniquely artist-orientated and intimate in scale yet artistically ambitious and intellectually rigorous, it sought a re-engagement with the moving image as philosophical process - a 'cinema of ideas' - and explored its potential to transcend the quotidian and literal.

Anchored by a wide-ranging selection of new work, AURORA was distinctive in the UK for its interdisciplinary, technology-independent approach and artistic vision; guided not by technique, format or fashion but by the underlying philosophy of the work it showed. Importantly, it fused otherwise disparate activity such as a large film competition with guest- and self-curated thematic film programmes, seminars, debates, installation work and live performance. 

Whilst this was driven by programmatic concerns (and lent coherence by an overarching festival theme each year), it also served to generate an important dialogue between disciplines and audience alike, with a gently provocative subtext that the distinctions are perhaps more porous than the over-classified festival sector might suggest.In addition to the annual festival event itself, AURORA prouced touring programmes, DVD editions and publications. Its future plans included expanding its nascent experience with artists' commissions and exploring the possibility of residencies further.

AURORA came to an end in December 2009 following the decision by its principal funder, Norwich University College of the Arts, to discontinue its funding.

For more information about previous editions of the festival, see here.

"AURORA is an unusual event, one that recognises the untapped potential of film: a power to affect the viewer that more linear and narrative forms rarely exploit." -The Guardian

"An exceptional event" -Animate Projects

"totally artist-orientated and hungrily in pursuit of the best in manipulated moving image work" -Dick Arnall