Returning for its fifth year, the Cunard British Film Festival is back with an exceptional new line-up of new British films and restored classics. This year, 17 films are in the official selection, including several Australian premieres and Oscar contenders. The festival kicked off with the premiere of Breathe, an inspiring true story starring Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge) and Claire Foy (The Crown), complete with a pre-film reception including Pimm's cocktails, wine, popcorn , British dishes – not exactly something that tickles your palate in the most exquisite ways – and live music by an excellent swing band. Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, another festival highlight set in the late 80s, the film follows aging Hollywood actress Gloria Grahame (Annette Bening) and young aspiring actor Peter Turner (Jamie Bell), as love blossomed between them during the last years of his life. Directed by Paul McGuigan and adapted from Turner's 1984 memoir, this real-life drama is the romantic tale of an extraordinary relationship. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Before the film, guests have been invited to join festival organizers for a short reception during which they will be treated to chocolates with almonds, cranberries and Inca berries. from the new Loving Eat range, accompanied by white peach cocktails and ginger wine from Sofi Spritz. Nicole Kidman holds court in How to Talk to Girls at Parties – the new film from John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus). Set in 1977 in Croydon, London, it is a science fiction rock'n'roll romance based on a story by Neil Gaiman; Kidman plays a rage-filled punk named Queen Bodicea. From director Armando Iannucci – the Scottish-born and Oscar-nominated creator of Veep – comes The Death of Stalin, which dispatches the Soviet tyrant and his band of schemers. Steve Buscemi (Fargo), Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent) and Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter) are part of the cast. The documentary Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards offers a detailed portrait of shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, a shy subject brought to light by British fashion journalist Michael Roberts. Adapted from the novel by Deborah Moggach, Tulip Fever boasts a cast of Academy Award winners, including Alicia Vikander, Christoph Waltz and Dame Judi Dench. The drama set in the 17th century is a story of lust, greed, beauty and deception about a young artist who falls in love with a married woman while painting her portrait. Returning to the cinema after the success of Brooklyn, Saoirse Ronan plays in On Chesil Beach, the story of a young couple on their honeymoon in the 1950s, based on the book by Ian McEwan. Alan Judd's novel about Kaiser Wilhelm II's final days in exile during World War II, The Exception, was also made into a film. Starring Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music, Beginners), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) and Lily James (Baby Driver, Downton Abbey), the drama explores a German soldier's mission to infiltrate the life of the Kaiser. Goodbye Christopher Robin looks at the relationship between Winnie the Pooh author AA Milne (played by Domhnall Gleeson) and his son, the real Christopher Robin. Celebrating the life and work of Eric Clapton, A Life in Twelve Bars is a documentary featuring interviews, clips, photos and stories, including archival interviews with Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison and BB King. Spanish director Isabel Coixet (Paris, Je T'aime) presents The Bookshop, based on Penelope's novel :.