Submissions for our international categories have now closed. It is still possible to submit to our local category until February 23rd.
Buntingford Shorts provides a unique opportunity for students to have their work viewed and critiqued by industry professionals (in previous years we have had Paul Cornwell of various Derren Brown productions and also Paul McEvoy, director of FrightFest UK), along with networking opportunities on the finale evening. Students are welcome to submit school/university coursework or any of their other creations from any genre listed below, we love to see the wide range of ideas and inspirations everyone has to offer!
Check out our website / YouTube channel to view previous winners - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGUrx_p_5MtX7ZHQtal93Kw.
This year we will be hosting our festival over 2 nights:
Friday 12th April - Open to any student filmmaker currently attending any school, college or University living in Hertfordshire and surrounding counties. This awards evening will be hosted live in-person at a venue in Buntingford TBA with judges present to give direct feedback to the filmmakers and award prizes (see below).
Evening Format - All 5 shortlisted filmmakers will be invited up in turn to discuss the inspirations behind making their film and any anecdotes from the creative process. Each film will then be shown in full before our panel of judges provide live feedback to the filmmaker. Once all 5 films have been shown the judges will make their final decisions as to the top 3 placing local films and award each of the winning filmmakers with their prize money.
Saturday 13th April 2023 - Open to any student filmmaker from around the world. The finals evening will be streamed live via our YouTube channel with clips from shortlisted finalists in each category. Judges will also be present and give feedback / prizes to any shortlisted entrant.
Evening Format - Each category will be visited in turn and excerpts of the 3 shortlisted films will be shown. After this our panel of judges will provide live feedback to filmmakers watching live via our YouTube channel. We will then announce and show the winning film in full. We will also show the winner of the local awards evening. All winning filmmakers will be contacted after the event regarding their prize money.
Thank you to the team of amazing sponsors that make Buntingford Shorts possible: Yellow Technology, HD Print, Content by Gem, The Old George Studio, Evolving Spaces and Buntingford Film Club. For more information on these generous local businesses please visit our website.
Hertfordshire (and surrounding counties) Evening - Friday 12th April 2024
Entrant submits their film of any genre from those listed under worldwide evening to 'Local Award'. All local submitters will automatically be considered for the worldwide categories.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 placing films.
Worldwide Evening - Saturday 13th April 2024
Cash prizes will be awarded to the best film in each of these genres:
Drama (includes action, historical, narrative, political and social)
Comedy
Documentary
Animation
Music for Film
and Horror (includes thriller and suspense)
Please get in contact if you are not sure which genre your film falls into.