Join One of the World’s Leading IMDb-Qualifying Film Festivals!

Welcome to the Bristol Independent Film Festival (BIFF)—one of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic platforms for global cinema! Proudly sponsored by FilmFreeway, we are dedicated to showcasing the very best in filmmaking from around the world.

Since our launch in 2017, BIFF has received submissions from over 160 countries, making us a truly international festival. Our screenings take place at the Bristol Megascreen, a 300-seat cinema, over a 3-day period, providing filmmakers with a premier venue to showcase their work to a large and engaged audience. Our mission is to support and celebrate filmmakers through diverse awards and industry recognition.

Why Submit to BIFF? 🎬

- A Thriving Community: BIFF fosters a creative space for filmmakers to connect, collaborate, and celebrate their craft.
- Networking Opportunities: Our networking booklets introduce winners to industry professionals, complete with contact details to encourage future collaborations. Additionally, we host exclusive networking sessions where all attending winners and nominees can connect in person, fostering valuable relationships and future collaborations.
- Awards and Recognition: We honor excellence with trophies, winner’s packages, and cash prizes to help fuel your next project.
- Global Exposure: BIFF offers filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their work to a global audience. We actively connect winning projects with distribution and production opportunities to ensure your film gets the recognition it deserves.

Audience Choice Award 🏆

New this year, we are excited to introduce the Audience Choice Award, allowing our festival-goers to cast their votes for their favorite film of the festival! This special recognition provides even more exposure and the chance to connect with an engaged and passionate audience.

Why Bristol?

Recognized by UNESCO as a “City of Film,” Bristol stands alongside global cultural hubs like Sydney, Rome, and Galway. As one of the city’s largest film festival, BIFF is committed to nurturing a vibrant hub for filmmakers, offering them a stage to shine.

We can’t wait to experience your work and celebrate film at our 8th annual edition of BIFF!

We only award the most exceptional filmmakers after a comprehensive 3-stage evaluation process. Our judges assess the quality of filmmaking, creativity, and storytelling ability in each submission. This thorough process ensures that only the most outstanding films make it to the final stages.

All selected nominees will be invited to our live screening in Bristol, providing a fantastic opportunity to connect with others in the industry.

All winners will receive the prestigious “winner” laurel, a hard copy certificate, and a special engraved “Bristol Film Festival” trophy, which will be presented at our live screening on Event Date. Winners and selected nominees who are unable to attend the event will be contacted by the BIFF team to arrange for the awards to be sent to the provided address.

All selected and winning nominees will be contacted by the BIFF team on the notification date for further information.

**Rules & Terms**

Please review the following guidelines before submitting your project:

1. Films completed before 2022 are not eligible for submission.

2. Non-English films must include English subtitles.

3. Submission fees are non-refundable.

4. Student filmmakers are encouraged to apply and must provide a valid Student ID to qualify for the student discount.

5. BIFF is not responsible for broken, corrupted, or non-functioning film files.

6. Films do not need to be publicly screened to be eligible for the festival, awards, or prizes.

7. BIFF is a competitive festival, and all officially selected films are eligible for competition unless stated otherwise. Not all submissions will be selected.

8. A jury of film professionals reviews and votes on all films with a fair and unbiased approach.

9. All genres and formats are eligible for consideration in one or more competitive categories.

10. BIFF reserves the right to decline any submission deemed inappropriate. If you wish to inquire about a submission decision, you may contact us at Bristolfilmfestival@gmail.com.

11. A submission fee is required. For details on fees and payment structures, please visit FilmFreeway.

12. Each entry requires a separate fee per category. A film may be submitted to multiple categories, but each category must be paid for individually.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Tom Paul Martin

    Bristol Independent Film Festival was such a great experience. It was a joy screening 'WHERE ARE ALL THE GAY SUPERHEROES?' at their 2025 edition.

    This is a festival that really goes the extra mile when it comes to looking after filmmakers. Not only was communication great before and after the festival, but Jon, Hollie and the whole team went to great lengths to make sure myself and the other filmmakers had a great time throughout the weekend. After our screening, we ended up going on a night out with a mix of audience and other filmmakers.

    It's always great to watch our film with an audience, and on this front BIFF really excels - all the films were screened on a giant screen at Bristol IMAX, in front of an almost fully sold-out crowd! Add to this the media attention and PR they generate for each film, personalised Q&As and awards, and it's clear this is a very special festival not to be missed.

    May 2025
  • The team were so welcoming and friendly! I loved going to Bristol and the screening at the IMAX was also great. They also made a great effort for all filmmakers to meet and network which I really appreciated

    April 2025
  • Lee Mancini

    This is a cracking festival - really well organised, good audiences and a huge screen. V chuffed our film Wired won Best Director. Would recommend this festival to anyone

    March 2025
  • Brilliant festival. Very well run, super welcoming and with genuine networking opportunities. Seeing Little Brown Bird on the Bristol Megascreen IIMAX was a real joy. Giving every film a Q&A elevated it from a short being shown in a batch with others

    March 2025
  • hans lein

    Wonderful festival. Clear questions and answers, very hospitable hosts, interested audience. It felt like a warm embrace. hans Lein. Completed

    March 2025