The director of Britain’s annual celebration of Jewish cinema has hailed its strongest year yet.

Michael Etherton, managing director of UK Jewish Film, said the 2012 festival had gone fantastically well, with attendance up 16 per cent on the previous year, and more than 10,000 tickets sold. With 56 UK premieres, 26 short films and a wide range of documentaries, as well as six workshops devoted to emerging filmmakers, he said there were “so many great moments” to choose from.

For the first time this year films were screened during the festival period at venues outside London, in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Glasgow. The opening gala film, Sophie Lellouche’s romantic comedy Paris Manhattan, was screened in both London and Manchester on the same night. “That really brought our audiences together and brought a sense of inclusion,” said Mr Etherton.

Mr Etherton said the team was now looking forward to the next 12 months and the 2013 festival. “It’s been really great, we’ve had wonderful feedback. Now we’re trying hard to think creatively at what is next.”