Call for Short Films:

Freedom Festival Arts Trust, Hull Independent Cinema and UNTHINKABLE Film Festival partner on new online short film programme.

About:

Freedom Festival Arts Trust uses arts, culture and heritage to create unique and extraordinary moments that challenge, inform and change the way people view and experience Freedom across Hull, East Riding and the world.

We draw inspiration from Hull pioneers such as William Wilberforce, Amy Johnson, Mary Murdoch, Head Scarf revolutionaries to empower cultural and heritage experience that tackle topics of freedom and social justice. We us public & civic space as a canvas to activate cultural change, empowering artists, heritage instigators and communities to create and collaborate, encouraging social unity and sharing the value of joy that comes with freedom.

We run a range programmes throughout the year ensuring everyone gets access to incredible culture, including the delivery of one of the cities longest running arts festivals Freedom Festival, Freedom on Tour – a regional touring platform taking international work across the east riding, Lincolnshire and north Yorkshire as well as Art and About, providing cultural experience direct in peoples communities.

In 2026, Freedom Festival Arts Trust will deliver the first of its new programmes: Freedom online. Creating a digital space for further conversation on themes and topics explored as part of Freedom Festival programme whilst sharing further work that connects and resonates with our communities locally and internationally. The programme will feature a range of digital interventions, from films to talks, to podcasts, to performance footage.

Freedom Shorts 2026

Are you a filmmaker with a story that sparks dialogue, celebrates creativity, or challenges the norm? Have you created a short film that connects with the themes of freedom, reclaiming space, empowering communities or tackles environmental themes? Then Freedom Online needs you.

In partnership with Hull Independent Cinema and UNTHINKABLE film festival Hull, Freedom Festival Arts Trust is developing a short film content programme as part of our new digital programme Freedom Online.

We’re looking for 10 short films, 5–10 minutes long, that will be showcased as part of the digital programme (March 2026 for one weekend only) as well as in our community Cinema events (March 2026).

Awards & Prizes

Nominal presentation Fee: £100.00

Rules & Terms

Freedom Shorts 2026

Are you a filmmaker with a story that sparks dialogue, celebrates creativity, or challenges the norm? Have you created a short film that connects with the themes of freedom, reclaiming space, empowering communities or tackles enviromental themes? Then Freedom Online needs you.

In partnership with Hull Independent Cinema and Unthinkable short film festival Hull, Freedom Festival Arts Trust is developing a short film content programme as part of our new digital programme Freedom Online.

We want the film submissions to:

· Speak to themes of freedom, identity, the environment, joy and reclaiming spaces

· Be in a position to be shown online and potentially in lo-tech, non-traditional, or public spaces including pop-up screens/community walls etc

· Must be available in MP4 or MOV format and be digitally friendly (likely streamed on youtube)

· Clear sound quality, suitable for open spaces and/or headphones

· Subtitles mandatory for accessibility.

This is an exciting opportunity to reach new audiences in bold and unusual ways and help Freedom Festival Arts Trust place powerful stories directly into peoples living rooms, communities and phones.

Important information:

Deadline:  Friday 6h February 2026

Notification: Friday 20 February 2026

Event dates: Early March 2026

Nominal Fee: £100.00

Due to the scale of submissions expected, we are unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications and ask applicants to ensure they have considered the rights to present online and potentially in person. FFAT reserve the right to close the application call out window before the deadline should the callout be oversubscribed.

Any further questions, please contact the information provided below for further information:

info@freedomfestival.co.uk

We look forward to reviewing your applications.