Still taken from Ways of Water by Diana Scarborough.

As part of the exhibition, Living Water: Poetry, Art and the Fight for Clean Rivers, we are screening 10 short films commissioned for the Rivers of Film festival in 2025 across two events. Half of the 10 films will be shown at Part One at Cambridge University Library (28 May) and the other half at Part Two at Pembroke College (25 June). A ticket for both events is required if you wish to enjoy all 10 films.

At both screenings, expect powerful films that present the birth of river goddesses, a deep dive into personal relationships with river systems, an exploration of healing grief with water, and more. Recommended for all lovers of water, rivers, river beings, and the health of the element that keeps this whole ecosystem healthy!

Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance to talk about their process and their responses to the brief, with a Q&A and introduction facilitated by Rivers of Film curator James Murray-White. You are invited to arrive in advance of the screening to enjoy the University Library’s part of the Living Water exhibition.

This event is part of the Cambridge Nature Festival 2026 (23 May to 30 June), a celebration of Nature on our doorstep. The Rivers of Film festival was commissioned by Cambridge Past, Present & Future as part of the RiverCamCAN (Climate Action Through Nature) Project and was funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Living Water is hosted across two sites at Cambridge University Library and Pembroke College: www.lib.cam.ac.uk/livingwater.

Please note that the capacity at the University Library screening is lower than the one at Pembroke College. Book early to avoid disappointment.