Since 2019, London-based Female Pilot Club has sold-out live readings of brilliant female-written comedy scripts by top flight comedy talent for public and industry audiences.

This year, we are proud to present the Female Pilot Club Festival, celebrating brilliant female comedy writers and filmmakers with our annual script call and introducing categories for short film formats.

Our day-long summer festival will take place at All Is Joy Theatre, located in the heart of London's Soho district, and will include screenings of Official Selection films, panelists who bring the heart of comedy industry into focus, and networking with the brightest British up-and-coming female comedy talent. Our awards ceremony will honour the filmmakers screened at the festival, as well as writers whose scripts are in consideration for mentorship and live readings at our annual showcase. We believe nothing proves good comedy like the sound of laughter.

Judges include:
Sally Phillips (Smack the Pony, Bridget Jones)
Lizzie Davidson (BAFTA-winning Such Brave Girls)
Sarah Asante (Former BBC and UKTV Comedy and Drama Commissioner)
Emily Lloyd Saini (BAFTA-winning Juice)
Shalaka Kurup (Stand-up comedian, writer & researcher)
Lucy Lumsden (BBC Studios, Yellow Door Productions)
Abby Singer (Casarotto Ramsay & Associates)
Rachel Stubbings (BAFTA-nominated writer, director & performer)
Morwenna Gordon (Executive Producer, Expectation TV)
Paul Longley (Comedy content creator)
Rosalie Minnett (Comedy content creator)
Farrel Hegarty (Comedy content creator)

Mentors include:
Georgia Pritchett (Succession, Veep)
Saskia Schuster (Sunburnt Penguin, former ITV Comedy Commissioner)
Andy Riley (Emmy Award-winning screenwriter, author & cartoonist)
Athena Kugblenu (Comedy Central, Horrible Histories)

Check our website for ongoing announcements of judges, mentors, panelists and festival day information, and to learn more about Female Pilot Club Festival's ongoing work championing the unique comedy voices of female writers, filmmakers and performers.

Thank you to our sponsors, Hat Trick Productions, Tiger Aspect and Black Dog Television!

Awards & Prizes

**FILM AWARDS**

All OFFICIAL SELECTION vertical micro short and short film awards will be presented the closing night of the festival. All selected films will receive one complimentary ticket to attend the festival day and award ceremony.

The following awards will be presented in each of the two film categories:

WINNER - BEST FILM
WINNER - DIRECTOR
WINNER - WRITER
WINNER - AUDIENCE AWARD

**SCRIPT AWARDS**

Script awards for Quarterfinalists, Semifinalists and Finalists will be announced prior to the festival. Ten FINALISTS will receive complimentary tickets to the festival day and award ceremony, where five WINNERS will be selected for;
1) mentorship with an industry pro; previous mentors include Georgia Pritchett (Succession, Veep), Alice Lowe (Timestalker, Sightseers), and Athena Kugblenu (The News Quiz, Horrible Histories)
2) script will be staged as a live showcase reading at a future date, in keeping with Female Pilot Club's annual tradition.

The following awards will be presented in the script category:

WINNER - SHOWCASE SCRIPT (5 awards)

Rules & Terms

Female Pilot Club champions UK-based, female-forward work.

Film Eligibility
1) Writer credit must include at least one woman; AND
2) Either Director or Producer must be a woman; AND
3) Film must be shot in the UK by a primarily UK-based team

Film Requirements
a) Films must adhere to the maximum run time length requirement as defined by each submission category.
b) If your film is an Official Selection, you must provide us with a video file that is 1080p or higher.
c) Please provide a logline in the submission form.

Script Eligibility
1) Scripts must be written by women
2) If writing as a team, all writers must be women
3) You must be UK-based, currently residing in the UK

Script Requirements
a) First 10 pages of a pilot episode TV script:
i. that is original and belongs to you;
ii. that is unpublished;
iii. is in screenplay format;
iv. is converted to PDF;
v. is a maximum of 10 pages long;
vi. has a title page including: full name, contact email, series title and episode title; vii. name the pdf as follows: 'LAST NAME OF WRITER_ FIRST NAME OF WRITER_ TITLE OF SERIES'; and
b) Your application must be legibly typed and formatted. Entries must be written in English. If you submit any part of a script in another language you must also include your own translation of this into English.
c) Please provide a synopsis in the submission form.

By submitting to FPC Festival, you agree to all of the following:
Images from Official Selection films can be used in FPC publications, the FPC website and all other media outlets related to FPC publicity and you indemnify FPC against any responsibilities incurred by the screening of the film. FPC can keep the preview footage for its archive film libraries for viewing at the festival. You may be requested to provide bios and images for team members for publication.

Please note:
- Please submit no more than two projects per category.
- Projects must be submitted by the stated deadlines for consideration.
- Information given on the submission form may be used by FPC for publications.
- FPC does not pay a fee for screening any film and we do not have the budget to help with accommodation or travel expenses.
- FPC accepts no responsibility if the information provided is inaccurate.
- Please note that submissions entered will not be returned.

Female Pilot Club is committed to a policy of inclusivity. To that end we offer women in genuine economic need the chance to enter their film or script into the festival on a 'pay it forward basis.' Please contact us through our website to request details.

Read full Terms & Conditions:
https://www.femalepilotclub.co.uk/fpcftermsandconditions2026