The Cornwall Film Festival is open for entries from across the globe. Enter the competition now!
We are looking for bold, innovative, and genuine stories! Our festival is not only a way to show established filmmakers' work, but also to give visibility to those who are emerging.
Every feature & short film will have an in-person screening, films that have opted-in will also have an online screening.
Short Film Competition 2025
The Short Film Competition comprises the lineup of short films across seven competitive sections from local, national and international filmmaking talent. It features the most innovative and adventurous ideas from filmmakers whose short films demonstrate distinctive and genuine storytelling, stylistic boldness, strength of form, and the ambition to use the medium in a way that resists cliché. We screen around 60 short films.
Feature Film Selection 2025
Big names, big talent, The Feature Film Selection will feature six Narrative previews, six unique ways to celebrate the art of storytelling. and an additional four Non-Narrative stories that demonstrate integrity, energy and unique voices. Scary, funny, sexy, controversial and provocative after-dark features together with bite-sized bits for night owls and the terminally curious for all of your sex, gore, and funny bone cravings. Core ten acclaimed International standout features from filmmakers from around the world.
Our previous expert judges have included Die Hexen (composer, You are Not My Mother), Andy De Emmony (director, The Last Kingdom, Four Kids & It), Kate Cheesman (director, Doc Martin, Call the Midwife), Joss Agnew (director, The Man Who Fell To Earth, Poldark), Clare Tavernor (director, My Life as a Rolling Stone, Huey Morgan's Latin Music Adventure), Pat Kelman (CEO, 606 Distribution), and many more.
British film director Mike Leigh is the festival's patron.
We want to encourage under-represented groups in our short programme so therefore we can offer a 25% waiver code to queer, BIPOC, women & disabled filmmakers in 2025.
TECH TOP TIP: When submitting your film please make sure it is at 24 frames per second (fps)
Your Short Film’s Journey at CFF:
1- Your film will be judged and rated by our pre-selectors.
2- Once pre-selectors have watched all the films, our industry professionals will curate the selected* work into different screening blocks.
3- The winner and runners-up of each category will be placed in the competition for Best Festival Short Film and other awards.
*you will only receive a “selected” notification if your worki= is going to be screened in a cinema or auditorium.
Awards & Prizes
The top percentage of filmmakers in each category will have their work screened at Cornwall Film Festival events in 2025.
Each category winner will receive a trophy, with nominees receiving a discount on a weekend pass, including screening, talks and masterclasses.
Our Main Award Categories in the competition are:
Best Student Short
Best Regional Short
Best International Short
Best Cornish Short Film
Best Experimental Short Film
New Wave Jury Winner
Films selected as part of the official selection will also be eligible for our sub-awards recognises performance and visual talent.
These are:
Best Actor
Best Ensemble Performance
Cinematography
Good Screenwriting in a Short Film
Directors Choice Award
Best Music in a short