IF you are hungry for more than a visual feast when you go to the flicks, you will be pleased to hear that Screen Bites - the country's only food-themed film-fest - is about to celebrate its third birthday.

The event will open in Bridport Electric Palace on Wednesday with the region's first screening of two films showcased at the Slow Food on Film Festival in Italy.

The short L'Age de Raison, the story of a Jewish child's exploration of religious food regulations, will be followed by the award-winning The Real Dirt On Farmer John about a maverick American farmer.

Screen Bites, which runs in conjunction with Dorset Food Week, will visit 14 venues this year and will include two family matinees of the popular animation, Hoodwinked, at Cranborne on Sunday, and on Sunday, October 28, at Thornford.

The films are followed by tea, cakes and Barfood Farm ice cream.

As you would expect, all the foodie films are accompanied by tastings of delicacies from local food producers and Slow Food members, including Denhay, Olives Et Al, Leakers Bakery, Washingpool Farm, Honeybuns, Clipper and Barford Farm.

At many of the events there will also be displays by local farm shops, and a chance for audiences to meet and talk to food producers.The festival runs until November 3, with a grand finale at Sturminster Newton's new Exchange, where there will be a chance to see Waitress, shown courtesy of Fox Searchlight in advance of its general release.

Other films include Moonstruck, Last Holiday, Volver, Tortilla Soup, Mystic Pizza, A Touch Of Spice, Mistress Of Spices and Chocolat.

All film evenings begin at 6.45pm, with tastings, and the screenings begin with films from the Savouring Europe series made by Robert Golden, chairman of Screen Bites.

Visit screen-bites.co.uk for more information or, to book, call 01963 32525 or email screenbites@ thanksgiving.demon.co.uk