The heart of the film world in Bath, FilmBath (previously Bath Film Festival) is the home of FilmBath Festival, the F-Rating, FilmScore, the IMDb Awards, Pop-up Screenings and more.

FilmBath Festival has been screening brilliant films in Bath since 1990. Every autumn the festival presents a great programme crammed with the films everyone will be talking about next year as well as new-to-view features, shorts and docs from across the world, plus insider talks, talent awards and special strands focusing on films made by women, classic cinema, family viewing, sci-fi, art & design and more.

With our F-Rating (https://www.facebook.com/F.Rated.org/) we champion women on screen and behind the camera.

We welcome short film submissions and run various awards including the IMDb Script to Screen Award (£5,000 cash prize for the best script for a short film) and the IMDb New Filmmaker Award (£1,000 for the best short film).

We also run film-making and animation workshops for adults and young people to foster South West film-making talent and we work with schools and universities to foster an appreciation of film culture for the future.

Our acclaimed Sounds to Silents projects are a potent mix of silent film plus specially-composed live music - we have worked with Will Gregory of Goldfrapp, jazz saxophonist Andy Sheppard, and pop-art performers The Real Tuesday Weld amongst others.

Through the year we screen thought-provoking films with special guests in our FilmClub.

This page is for SHORTS submissions -

For the IMDb Awards follow these links:

IMDb Script to Screen Award £5,000 cash, £1,000 hire kit to make your short - submit here: https://filmfreeway.com/FilmBath

IMDb New Filmmaker Award - £1,000 cash and £1,000 of hire-kit to go towards your next film submit here: https://filmfreeway.com/FilmBathFestival

Awards & Prizes

IMDb Script to Screen Award £7,000 cash, £1,000 hire kit to make your short - submit here: https://filmfreeway.com/FilmBath

IMDb New Filmmaker Award - £2,000 cash and £1,000 of hire-kit to go towards your next film submit here: https://filmfreeway.com/FilmBathFestival

Rules & Terms

Please check the rules for the category you are interested in.

PLEASE do not ask for a fee waiver.

We do not offer fee waivers because a) we are a charity, just as impoverish as any filmmaker and b) we have to be fair to all and it would be unfair to offer a waiver to some and not to others.

We source our own features.

NB: Payment of submission fee does NOT guarantee that your film will be screened.

We will of course read ALL scripts submitted, and watch ALL films submitted.

We also contact ALL submitters whether or not they are successful. If you have not heard from us by mid October, please check your spam, thank you.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Competition Certification:

I have read all of the Category Rules for submitting material to FilmBath. 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 FilmBath 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 FilmBath rules will result in disqualification and forfeiture of any entry fee.

FilmBath reserves the right to use a clip and/or clips from accepted entries, up to three minutes in length for publicity purposes. I agree to hold FilmBath 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 FilmBath. Once submitted I agree to FilmBath showing my film if it wins/is selected at a time and date of the organisation’s choosing during the 2018 festival.
6 Reviews
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  • Renzo Vasquez

    Scott & the FilmBath team are great to communicate with. Unfortunately I didn’t attend the festival at the beautiful art deco cinema, but they kept us updated about the screening of my short TRIGGER. I'd recommend FilmBath and I will definitely submit again.

    March 2023
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  • Mariclare Carey-Jones

    A fantastic festival - I was very proud to have my film shown as part of the event

    December 2022
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  • Pierre GAFFIÉ

    I've had mixed feelings about this festival. We had been selected and contacted quite nicely afterwards. Then we informed the festival's team that we'd come to Bath (from France) to attend the evening where our short was screened. But we arrived there was no special attention given to us. And the fact is I was in the theater, at the 4th row, when the manager gave her presentation speech. She must have known I was there and ready to say a few words about my film ("Radio moon"). But she didn't. I felt embarrassed and a little stupid. Plus, she mentioned and saluted an actress starring in another short of the program, this actress being in the lobby of the theater and not in the room. So I felt there was sonething unfair there. To say it in a few words : the screening is too cold, even if the filmmaker is there, he won't be allowed to speak, even he went from abroad... Too bad...

    September 2020
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Pierre,

    Thank you for your post, I really appreciate your honesty and your feedback, and I am so sorry for not mentioning that you were there and had come all the way from Paris.

    As you know, our Shorts Showcase of which you were a part featured 17 shorts and many of the directors were there. I mentioned Marialejandra as she had flown all the way from Venezuela where she is an A-Lister: she had received government funding to get to Bath for the screening.

    I should also have mentioned that you had come all the way from Paris.

    With apologies and very best wishes from,

    Holly Tarquini (executive director)

  • Greg Hall

    Wonderful festival, brilliant selection of films and really well communicated and promoted. I couldn't attend my screening unfortunatley but was very happy to be included in such a passionate and creative event. Well worth submitting to!

    December 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Greg - I hope you can make it another year! Holly

  • Marialejandra Martin

    Although we were only able to attend the Talent Mixer and Shorts Showcase, my overall experience at FilmBath was simply extraordinary. Excellent communication from the very beginning, first in English with Sophie, and then in Spanish with Lorena Pino, who helped us in every way possible, before, during and after the festival. Lorena gave us a tour of this astonishing city and was with us for the Talent Mixer and the Shorts Showcase. I am also more that grateful to Holly Tarquini, director of FilmBath, for receiving us with such special and sincere words before the screening. Everyone at FilmBath was truly friendly, thank you <3. Besides, the curatorship of the short films was excellent! A true honor that our Venezuelan short "Go Back Forward" had been included in such an extraordinary official selection. This adorable F-Rated festival is simply a must!

    November 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for coming all the way to Bath Marialejandra, very best wishes from, Holly