★ IMDb Qualifying Festival ★ Special Seasonal Discount available! ★

We are a festival who care to celebrate the best ideas from minorities among indie film/video-storytellers.
For example: If you come from an indigenous ethnic culture, or you have a neuro-diversity/alternate ability or sexual identity, or you’re a youth-voice.
We want to hear you and honour the excellence of your ideas and storytelling.

It's worth submitting because...
*We watch and write a review for ALL submissions.

If your submission is SELECTED by the festival it will also be screened (in the safest way abiding by COVID19 regulations).
A selection of 13 FINALISTS will be announced before the event, each will get the above plus a video review for our YouTube channel.
We announce 5 category FAVOURITES and the runner-up during the festival.

IMPORTANT: You will be required to subscribe to our social media and especially our festival's YouTube channel in order to partake!
Discount is 13%, code: SeasonGreetings

ALSO: We will not respond to emails regarding fee waivers. Running a festival and reviewing all submissions is costly and time consuming even though we love it.
However please note there is a category for sanctioned countries to submit.

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This event's Founder, Organiser and Judge is an award winning multi-medium storyteller/artist. Autism is an important theme to the festival, and our founder is on the spectrum.
He has worked with autistic youths many times, he runs kids storytelling workshops and supports creative activities at some prestigious museums including London's V&A.

Awards & Prizes

We currently have main 5 award categories plus 1 runner-up.

All of the favourite films will receive a certificate, whilst the top 5 categories will also get a custom locally-made wooden trophy award.

Favourite Film (Overall festival favourite)
Favourite Live-Action Drama Film
Favourite Animated Film
Favourite Documentary Film
Favourite Special Category Film (1st and runner up)
(Celluloid, Abilities, Climate, Youth, Local/Indigenous, LGBTQIA and Sanction)

Rules & Terms

1) All films must be subtitled (embedded) in English if the main language is not English.

2) Technical details of all the films (release year, format, genre, duration, camera, country of origin) are crucial information for the festival, any submission lacking these will not be given priority, if the submitter is unresponsive to such information requests, the films can be disqualified.

3) A maximum of 2 films per submitter will be considered. Each submission must be clearly labelled: (filmmaker name, submission number, film title, year of film's release and country of production/release).

4) All filmmakers give the organisers full rights to stream/use any part of their films and reference to titles, cast and crew names in the reviews and relevant festival websites.

5) All young filmmakers (under 18) must be prepared to provide contact details of a legal guardian (over 18) should we request them.

6) Filmmakers should be aware that we do not require DVD's posted (unless specifically requested) we deal with high quality downloadable digital screeners. Also, awards will not be monetary - certificates / trophies will be posted out to filmmakers who cannot attend at the filmmaker's expense. Reviews will be organised at the Festival's discretion and any file transfers will take place online via email. The festival cannot pay filmmakers (fees or expenses) to attend the event.

7) Our festival will retain all festival streaming/screening rights to submitted works. Plus we will require downloads of publicity materials to be used for promotional purposes at the Festival's discretion. We will not upload your full works onto YouTube, but clips and scenes at our discretion might.

8) We do not require premiere status, however all screenings and accolades a film has already received must be listed for each to be considered. We prefer films with less exposure, no older than 3 years since first release.

9) In order to partake in our festival we require submitters to subscribe to our festival YouTube channel - we are creating a community of filmmakers. Some of your PR material will be uploaded to our channel at the discretion of our panel. If you are not subscribed we will remove your work and potentially retain the right to disqualify you from the festival.

10) Partly due to COVID-19 awareness, a venue for the festival has not been confirmed yet, this can vary at the festival's discretion however it is very likely to take place in Toronto, Canada. The festival is intended for March 13th 2021, but this may change under the circumstances. The festival will do their best to run the event as described.

By submitting any works all submitters agree to all the above.
8 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jeanne Pope

    A great London Festival where the director and organiser, Francesco Bori takes his time to view each and every film and give valuable feedback. Very grass roots and kind. I believe this festival will grow in statue and reputation. Thank you Francesco Bori.

    April 2020
    Helpful
  • Tathagata Mukherjee

    Unfortunately I couldn't attend in person but the communication was great and for the first time approach seemed like it was a great festival and screening! I thank a lot to Francesco Bori for organising it.

    January 2020
    Helpful
  • Katharine Seaton

    This was a great and varied selection of high-quality films and a friendly atmosphere of interesting, intelligent discussion. I like the focus on good films with a 'heart,' and the enthusiasm and love with which this festival was run.

    January 2020
    Helpful
  • alexander williams

    Here at Escape Studios we were delighted to have our short film Jerich0 included in the festival. Thanks for a great event!

    January 2020
    Helpful
  • Mukarram Ramadan

    Thank you for including my short film in your festival! Thanks for also embracing celluloid films!! 🎞

    January 2020
    Helpful