Welcome to Edinburgh Independent Film Awards!

We are an Independent film festival with live screenings, that takes place annually in the Edinburgh.

Welcome to Edinburgh Independent Film Awards. We are hosting our 4th Annual Festival in 2020 at the renowned Dominion Cinema in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland

Our mission is designed to help create a platform for our filmmakers to be seen, but more importantly, get them the industry exposure to help sustain their craft for many years to come.

The EIFA is extremely excited for its showcase season and plans on becoming one of the biggest Independent film festivals in the UK.

Every filmmaker who submits is automatically eligible for our Production Budget prize. We aim to offer assistance to filmmakers with restricted budgets to allow the opportunity to shoot their film.

The Edinburgh Independent Film Awards attempts to provide spaces for independent filmmakers to create and display their stories without commercial pressure, in order to discover and celebrate extraordinary films and develop independent filmmaking.

Our judging team is looking for potential films and filmmakers for scheduled meetings with executives from the film and television industry.

EIFA will host screening events at the Edinburgh with post-screening Q&A with directors, producers and actors and the opportunity for them to network with industry professionals at our networking events

Award winners will be announced at our festival and receive hard copy certificates at our award ceremony along with engraved 'Edinburgh Independent Film Awards' trophy, winner laurels.

2020 Edinburgh Independent Film Awards Screenplay Competition:

We accept screenplays from across all genres. Please read the following criteria before submitting your Screenplay/Script.


1. The Screenplay has not yet been produced.
2. The Screenplay is under 160 pages.
3. No adaptations must be writer's original work.
4. The Screenplay must be in English.
5. The Screenplay must be a completed draft.
6. Writers must be 18 years of age and over.
7. Unproduced television scripts accepted.
8. Must be completed after 2011.


Please email us at edinburghfilmawards@gmail.com if you require any further information!

Awards & Prizes

A screening committee determines which films shall be exhibited, all submissions are not guaranteed to be shown. All decisions of the committee are final. Except for the audience award, separate juries select festival winners.

The 2020 categories accepting and awarding submissions are:

Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Best Student Film
Best Feature Documentary
Best Short Documentary
Best LGBT
Best Music Video
Best Experimental
Best Horror
Best Actor/Actress
Best Director
Best Foreign (All genres)
Best Comedy
Best Romance
Best Screenplay/Script
Best Action
Best Drama
Best Film Scotland

After a film has been an official selection, the filmmaker will be notified.

All Critiques will be sent via email to the filmmakers on the notification date.

Winners will have the chance to see their films on the big screen and be presented with their awards during the EIFA Awards Ceremony, which will take place at the Edinburgh Dominion Cinema in October 2020.

Winners will be contacted at the latest a month prior to the event date.

Award winners will be announced at our festival and receive hard copy certificates at our award ceremony along with engraved 'Edinburgh Independent Film Awards' trophy, winner laurels.

Award winners who cannot make the Live screening will be contacted by the Edinburgh Independent Film Awards team to have their certificates and trophies delivered by mail.

Rules & Terms

Rules and terms:

By submitting your film, you agree that Edinburgh Independent Film Awards can use parts of your film (including trailer/teaser/film poster) for promotional purpose.

To submit a film, you must have created the project yourself, own the rights or have permission from the owner of the content to submit the film to us.

PLEASE READ THE RULES BELOW THOROUGHLY BEFORE SUBMITTING:

You must fully comply with these Entry Rules & Regulations, including all deadlines, film length, entry material and other requirements

EDINBURGH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS will review films in their entirety. Films will be watched and reviewed by members of the Selection Committee; a professional group of filmmakers, film enthusiasts and critics. Films are scored accordingly.

ALL FILMS THAT MAKE THE FINAL SELECTION ARE REQUIRED TO SEND US A DCP FORMAT OF THEIR FILM TO US VIA WETRANSFER OR ANY LINK THAT WE CAN DOWNLOAD THEIR FILES FROM
 
1. Entries in foreign languages must come with English subtitles.

2. All entries must have been completed AFTER 2011

3. Any film submitted to the EIFA can be re-submitted at any time for a second chance.

4. Works in progress are accepted.

5. You must own or be given all of the rights to anything you submit to the festival.

6. Multiple entries are allowed. You can submit more than one film to the same category. But keep in mind the entry fee must be paid for each one.

7. At our discretion, we may choose to transfer a film to the correct category, but only if the appropriate level of submission fee has been paid.

8. A screening committee determines which films shall be exhibited, submissions are not guaranteed to be shown. All decisions of the committee are final. Except for the audience award, separate juries select festival winners

9. After a film has been an official selection, the filmmaker will be notified.

10. Winners will be presented with their awards during the EIFA Awards Ceremony, which will take place at the festival on  October 2019.

11. Submissions are NON-refundable. We cannot be held liable for materials which are lost or damaged.

 
I also acknowledge that the film submission fee does not guarantee acceptance and no refund will be provided if my film is not selected.
 
Applicants who do not follow the guidelines will not be accepted.
5 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Douglas Vernimmen

    Perhaps the most friendly film festival I have been to.
    The event took place in the most stylish cinema of Edinburgh, The Dominion.
    No popcorns allowed! But instead, a very large glass of gin while sitting in a very confortable leather seat.
    The afternoon’s screening was very relaxing with a very broad range of film styles.
    There was a small bunch of us, thus ideal for networking.
    Afterwards, we all ended in the pub celebrating our awards.
    Thank you EIFA!
    Doug

    November 2019
    Helpful
  • Mark Game

    Great festival in a beautiful setting and cinema. Nice friendly networking with a bar and sofa seating at the screening. Really enjoyed it.

    January 2019
    Helpful
  • Joakim Lund

    Wonderful to be Selected by Edinburgh Independent Film Awards! Hope to be there next year!

    January 2019
    Helpful
  • Louis Martin

    Great variety of films on show and good communication.

    December 2018
    Helpful
  • cem göksoy

    It was a great pleasure to be a part of the festival, cheers 🥂

    December 2018
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