UNIVERSITY scientists and film lovers will join forces later this month for a series of film and comedy nights about health, disability and scientific research.

York’s Centre for Chronic Diseases and Disorders (C2D2) and the Department of Theatre, Film and Television will present three evenings film and comedy, at York City Screen cinema.

Dr Sandra Pauletto, Deputy Director of C2D2 said: “These events highlight how humour and beauty can still be found even in the most challenging of human experiences. These positive attitudes are very powerful both as personal strategies to deal with diseases and as ways of talking about these topics to different people.

“Prepare to be surprised, to laugh, to become emotional, to learn new things and to be amazed by unexpected beauty. All of this in a few hours: don’t miss it!”

Taking place on Thursday, March19; Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27, the events will see films created by academics in partnership with artists and directors screened alongside commercial feature films.

They include "Jane’s Story", a short animation about a teenager dealing with a disability; "Voice by Choice" a comedy about what happens when you cannot use your own voice box; and "Tender" - a moving and uplifting Australian documentary about a town’s journey in establishing its own not-for-profit funeral service.

On Friday, March 27 there will be comedy in the Basement Bar with "Your good health: cutting-edge comedy and stand-up research".

BBC Radio's New Comedy Award winner "Lost Voice Guy" will perform, alongside talks about C2D2-sponsored research and several specially commissioned comedy sketches from York's student theatre company "Platform".

Philip Kerrigan, Outreach Coordinator for C2D2, added: “These film and comedy evenings are designed to bring together a number of projects to new audiences at a new venue.”

An exhibition will also run in the cinema from March 26 - April 8 with five two-metre high images from Symbiogenesis and new sculptures inspired by viruses from Visualisations in Mathematical Biology.

More information is available on the City Screen website at www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/York_Picturehouse.