Originally started as a Fringe event for Deptford X festival, the event is an opportunity for makers of experimental and art-based films to be screened and appreciated alongside artworks and live performance pieces by underground and cutting edge artists. The annual event also features live AV performances and music.

Darkroom festival presents a full day of experimental film and sound art. Come into the darkroom to explore works ranging from personal archive material, analogue film interactions, audiovisual performance, documentary, and sound art.

The aim of the festival is to provide a platform for genres of films that are commonly overlooked by many festivals, to curate a collection of films unlike any other, and to showcase groundbreaking works by local artists and filmmakers.

We will be holding this year's festival in three venues in the UK, in three cities, with some possible screenings in other countries. Please follow our Instagram for updates as they happen.

Only short films only within the genres stated will be accepted. All films not in English must have English subtitles (hard-coded is preferred but an attached SRT is accepted). Any genre and format is accepted provided it is relevant to the current season. Submission format should be 1080p HD MP4 to ensure ease of screening.

The filmmaker/institution that is submitting the film must own the rights to do so and is responsible for the content they are providing. By entering your film for consideration for the festival, you authorize that your work is cleared for festival exhibition and accept full legal responsibility for the intellectual property therein.

Entry into the festival constitutes permission to use stills, posters and excerpts and or trailers, as part of the marketing for the festival via our social media channels.

You acknowledge that no submission fee refunds are given once this application has been submitted. You also acknowledge that you will not receive any compensation for the use of your film by the festival in accordance with the rules, terms and conditions.

A complete electronic version of your short must be made available to the festival no later than two weeks before the screening. Failure to do this may result in the film not being screened despite being selected due to the logistical challenges this will cause.

Submissions without sufficient promotional details provided may not be utilised in the festival promotional output, therefore please ensure that a full film summary and poster is submitted to gain the full benefits of the festival exposure.

Films submitted to the incorrect category, or which clearly do not belong in that genre, will be disqualified from the festival. Any submission fees in these cases will not be refunded. Once submitted to any particular genre specific season, a film cannot be moved to another category. Again if the film is submitted to the wrong season no submission fees can be refunded. In other words please take care when submitting.

Films with graphic adult content cannot be screened (this mainly relates to pornographic content, but includes anything in extreme bad taste included but mot limited to extreme sexual violence) and again will be disqualified.

You understand and acknowledge that, if you are under 18 years of age, your parent or guardian must agree to the terms of this Filmmaker Release on your behalf. As a Parent or Guardian of a minor filmmaker, if applicable, you understand and acknowledge that you are agreeing to the terms of this Filmmaker/Guardian/Representative Release on behalf of your child or a child for whom you are a legally designated Guardian.

By applying to the festival you are automatically opted in to receiving future communications about events which may not be related to the original season applied for. This is in order to give people a fair chance to benefit from the festival, even if their work is not initially selected in the specific season applied for. You can opt out from these communications via the email itself.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Yewande Adeniran

    It was a pleasure to show my first film and the organisers were warm, welcoming and supportive!

    October 2024
  • Ruxandra Mitache

    Amazing Festival! Great lineup, great communication, amazing atmosphere!

    October 2024
  • Amelia Wyeth Ponirakis

    Was fortunate to screen my film at IKELTICK in July 2023 with the cinema show collective Exploding Cinema. This venue was literally so perfect for the atmosphere of my film and there was also a little bar that you could order drinks from outside the venue and mingle/network with other filmmakers. Then my film got selected to be part of this festival at this venue again, unfortunately I wasn't able to attend in person but from what I saw on the social media and some livestreams it looked like an absolute successful turnout of people in attendance! The head programmer she was also extremely communicative when getting information from me to promote my film via social media which I greatly appreciated. Would highly recommend! And unfortunately the IKLETICK venue no longer exists since it got shut down, but the programmer for this year already seemed to have a new place to screen work so definitely submit!

    September 2024
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Hello Amelia, thanks for your kind review! Darkroom is not affiliated with Exploding Cinema, but it was a pleasure to screen your film last year. We hope you will submit again in future.

  • A nice festival to be in. Thanks for having me.

    October 2023
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Thanks for your kind review! Hope to see you again.

  • Eno Enefiok

    So honoured to have been a part of this. Thanks for the recognition

    September 2023
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Thanks for the kind review!