CROSSING THE SCREEN is an international film festival.
It aims to showcase innovative and independent forms of visual art from all over the world. The Festival is devoted to discovering and celebrating unique voices and up-and-coming new cinema talents, who are not afraid to transcend traditional storytelling.

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST SUSSEX SHORT FILM
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST ANIMATION SHORT FILM
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate
 
CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST STUDENT SHORT FILM.
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

CROSSING THE SCREEN AWARD - BEST INNOVATIVE NARRATIVE/DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION
'Crossing The Screen' statuette award + Certificate

RULES:

1) Only online Submission will be accepted, either through the Official Website or our film festival platform partner.
2) All submissions are final. No refunds are provided in any circumstance. Once submitted, if selected, a film cannot be withdrawn from the competition.
3) Entries MUST be less than 45 minutes (for short films) and 120 minutes (for feature films) and must have been produced within 2 years prior to the Festival’s event date.
4) Multiple entries are allowed, up to a maximum of three (3) films for filmmaker.
5) Crossing The Screen welcomes all genre and kind of films. However, the Festival reserve the right to disqualify, without refund of the submission fees, any film that promotes any form of discrimination based on religion, race, gender, ideology or political orientation.
6) The Festival does not require a Premiere status. If the film has been featured in other film festivals, it is still eligible for Crossing The Screen. Films are also eligible if they have screened at a theatrical exhibition, anywhere in the world, where tickets have been sold. However, films that have been previously broadcasted on television or the internet (e.g Youtube, Vimeo) anywhere in the world, before the festival dates, will be disqualified. This will not include online film festivals.
7) Foreign language submissions must be submitted with English subtitles. Crossing The Screen reserve the right to disqualify, without refund of the submission fees, any Film that contains significant non-English spoken dialogue that does not include accompanying on-screen English subtitles.
8) It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure clearance from the copyright holders of any copyrighted materials included within the submitted Film. Crossing The Screen will not be held responsible for the unauthorised inclusion of any copyrighted materials within or relating to the submitted Film. The Festival also reserve the right to disqualify, without refund of the submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Film with any unauthorised inclusion of any copyrighted materials.
9) The decisions of the Selection Committee (for the Official Selection) and of the Jury members (for the awards and cash prizes) are final and non-negotiable.
10) Selected Filmmakers will be notified no later than 28 days before the festival. The award and the cash prize is non-negotiable and not transferable.
11) Films must be available to be screened during the Crossing The Screen festival. Should your film be selected, you will be required to provide a Quicktime ProRes file and a DVD or Bluray Disc. All the screening material MUST arrive at least 14 days before the festival start.
12) Crossing The Screen reserve the right to use extracts from submissions for festival publicity and marketing purposes. The Festival reserve also the right to publish in any media, reviews, articles or stills from any of the nominated finalists.
13) Winning and selected films will be highlighted within the platform.
14) By submitting their films, Applicants agree to the GENERAL AGREEMENT below.

General Agreement:

I have read all of the Rules for submitting material to Crossing The Screen.
I understand them and will comply with these rules. I warrant the submission of my original work and there are no disputes regarding the ownership of the submission. I also warrant the submitted material does not defame or invade the rights of any person living or dead and I fully indemnify Crossing The Screen against any claim made for such violations of law.
To the best of my knowledge, all of the statements herein are true and correct. I understand that failure to adhere to the Crossing The Screen rules will result in disqualification and forfeiture of any entry fee.
Crossing The Screen reserves the right to use clips from accepted entries, up to two (2) minutes in length for publicity purposes. I agree to hold Crossing The Screen harmless from and defend them against all claims, demands, losses, damages, judgements, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims by third parties, whether or not groundless, based on any film submitted by myself to the Festival. Once submitted, I agree to the Festival screening my film at a time and date of the Festival’s choosing during the Festival.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Zahra Azadpour

    “Crossing the Screen is a wonderfully organized and filmmaker‑friendly festival. Their communication is warm, timely, and highly professional, and the programming reflects a thoughtful appreciation for independent cinema. The team treats every film with genuine respect, creating a supportive atmosphere that makes filmmakers feel valued. I’m truly honored that my film was selected for this festival.”

    May 2026
  • One of the most human and filmmaker-friendly festival experiences I’ve had.

    From the moment Town Glitch was selected, the team stayed in constant communication and treated the film with genuine care and professionalism. What impressed me most was how seriously they respected independent filmmakers, not just as submissions, but as artists.

    They offered a live screening, premiere support, invitation letters for UK visa purposes, accommodation assistance, Q&A opportunities, filmmaker video introductions, and continuous updates throughout the process. Even though I couldn’t attend physically from India because of my next feature film schedule, they still made me feel fully included in the festival experience.

    Joe and the team were incredibly patient, supportive, and responsive throughout every step. Their communication never felt automated or distant. It felt personal.

    What also stood out was their passion for cinema itself. You can tell this festival genuinely cares about building an atmosphere where films are experienced properly with audiences, discussions, and emotional connection.

    For filmmakers wondering whether smaller or independent festivals can still create meaningful international opportunities: this festival absolutely can.

    I genuinely hope to collaborate with them again in the future, and I highly recommend filmmakers from around the world to submit their work here.

    May 2026
  • Thank you for screening our short stop motion animation Cell Buddies and giving us the opportunity to share it with your audience. Unfortunately we could not attend but the communication was excellent and we followed it on social media.

    May 2026
  • Leonie Watkins

    A fantastic film festival with so much heart and love equally for the local and global filmmaking communities. Dom, Manfredi and the team pour their souls into making this inclusive and engaging festival a must-see event for cinephiles and filmmakers alike. We had a wonderful time and so enjoyed the programme, of which our film RABBIT EARS was a part. I look forward to supporting this festival in the coming years, whether as a filmmaker or as an audience member.

    May 2026
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Leonie.
    It was a real pleasure to meet you and to share your film with our audiences in Eastbourne.
    We can’t wait to welcome you back in the future :)

  • I absolutely loved Crossing the Screen Eastbourne International Film Festival! It was such an honor to receive the award for Best Animated Short Film for JUS D’ORANGE at the 2025 edition. The festival team is incredibly welcoming, and I truly feel I can call Crossing the Screen a home in many ways. Wishing the festival all the best for many more editions to come!

    September 2025