Entries for our 2023 festival are now open. We can't wait to see this year's films!
In 2022, we had 318 entries from forty countries around the world. The quality of the films was so high it was difficult enough to make the 'Official Selections', never mind pick the winners.
In the end, the award for Best Film went to Love, by British director Jane Ashmore. It tells a story of unrequited love from the point of view of a person who is autistic. And the actor in the lead role is autistic.
You can find the full list of 2022 winners on our website: www.ealingfilmfestival.com
For the first time, we were able to hold our festival at Ealing Project, a brand-new cinema complex with superb projection and sound, and very comfortable seats. Our filmmakers say they love the new venue!
When we launched Ealing Film Festival in 2020, during the pandemic, it was a difficult time for everyone. We were locked down, isolated, and had limited social contact.
We knew that filmmakers would find a way to keep making films. They just needed a platform for their work. And to date, we have received more than seven hundred submissions from every corner of the world.
We are now in our fourth year. As normal life has resumed, we have progressed from being a purely online festival to an in-person event with a big screen.
In June 2022, some of our award-winning films were screened in Parliament, a great experience for the filmmakers.
We don't just screen films, we are a networking event for creative people. Our aim is to offer support and encouragement to emerging filmmakers.
We have a simple mission statement: to shine a spotlight on new talent.
We are planning to launch a bursary scheme for young filmmakers aged between eighteen and twenty-five. We are able to do this because of the generous support of The McGrath Charitable Trust and MetFilm School, which is based on the site of the famous Ealing Studios. More details soon.
Our aim is to help the next generation of filmmakers to make their mark. We are proud of Ealing’s place in the history of British cinema, and we want that tradition to continue.
We hope people of all ages, and every social and cultural background, will join our growing community of filmmakers. We hope to see you in 2023!
We accept entries from all over the world, exclusively via FilmFreeway. You may submit more than one film, and each film can be entered in more than one category. Please read the rules below for further important details.
Every film submitted will be viewed by members of our viewing panel to determine which entries become official selections. The final judging in each category will be done by industry professionals.
Laurels will be awarded for all official selections and for all category winners, including special commendations which may be made at the discretion of the judges. The category winners will then be reviewed by our jury, and one film will be named the overall winner of the festival.
We will screen as many official selections as circumstances permit, either as part of an in-person event, or using our online platform. But we cannot guarantee to show every film because of the large number of entries we receive.
These are the categories for our 2023 festival...
Narrative Short
Documentary
Comedy
Horror / Suspense
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Animation
Green Planet
Experimental
Music Video
Homegrown (Residents of Ealing)
Smartphone
Student
The winners of each category will be considered by the judges for the overall award of ‘Best Film’ in the festival.
In addition there will be a People's Choice Award, decided by audience votes.
Timetable for the 2023 Festival...
Open for entries: January 2
Final deadline for submissions: July 31
Notification date: September 7
Festival dates: To be confirmed
