'FANTASTIC women' will be a feature of Skipton Film Club's new season at the Plaza Cinema, which starts on Sunday.

"Now in its third season, Skipton Film Club aims to present an exciting range of films – including great examples of contemporary world cinema, independent cinema and films from the past that we think are still essential viewing for film fans today," said Paul Valentine, a member of Skipton Film Club.

The season starts on Sunday with Guillermo Del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

The winner of four Oscars back in March – including Best Director and Best Picture – and featuring a terrific performance from Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water is a genre hybrid that mixes elements of science fiction, musical and romance, all wrapped up in a Cold War narrative set in the early 1960s.

October’s screening is also an Oscar winner – for Best Foreign Language Film.

A Fantastic Woman, directed by Chilean master Sebastian Lelio, is a study of love and loss, featuring a mesmerising performance by Daniela Vega as a transgender woman fighting for acceptance after the death of her lover.

Paul said: "In fact, our season features a host of 'Fantastic Women' of cinema – whether actors – Sally Hawkins, Saoirse Ronan – or directors – Debra Granik (Leave No Trace), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Nora Twomey (animation The Breadwinner) and two great British female directors in Lynne Ramsey (You Were Never Really Here) and Sally Potter (The Party).

"Add to this the iconic performance by Louise Brooks in Pandora’s Box – the silent classic from Weimar Germany – and we feel we can rightly say that our season also acts in part as a celebration of women’s contribution to cinema – too often one that is ignored by the critical mainstream.

"We also welcome the back to form Spike Lee, with a screening of his entertaining but controversial new film BlacKkKlansman – one of the most talked about films of this year and one that we are all waiting to see.

Throw in the exciting Australian ‘outback western,’ Sweet Country, and our annual Halloween double bill of Hereditary and the classic Night of the Living Dead on Friday, October 26, and we feel that our programme has something for every film fan – right here in Skipton on the first Sunday of every month at The Plaza.

"We would also like to point out that our films are open to members and non-members alike – everyone is welcome."