Welcome to the first year of the Heart of England Film Festival.

Due to unforeseen logistics there is, unfortunately, to be a change of venue and date for the festival. As soon as we have agreed a new venue and new festival date it will announced on the site immediately. Apologies, but it was beyond our control.

The Midlands of England is a growing force in the fields of film and entertainment...

"The Heart of England"

We are an International Film Festival which aims to showcase: Features, Shorts, Animations, Music Videos and Documentaries from all over the world!

It is also our aim to showcase the film making talent, and passion for film, that we have right here in the Midlands of England and place it where it belongs... On the global stage!!

The Festival Screenings:

Along with showing micro-short shorts, short films and feature films (2.5 hours max) that are set as narratives and documentaries, we also strongly encourage all facets of filmmaking; bringing our audience a wide platform of entertainment from animated films, music videos, experimental and so much more. The only limit to what we will show is set only by the imagination of talented filmmakers! ​

Q & A's:

HOEFF is passionate about giving our audience a fully immersed festival that does not end with the credits. We offer the opportunity of speaking with the filmmakers to sit and chat with the audiences about their films after they have been screened.



Best 60 Second Film (60 seconds or less)
Best Trailer
Best Micro-Short Film (Up to 5 Minutes)
Best Short Film (Up to 40 Minutes)
Best Animated Short Film (Up to 40 Minutes)
Best Midlands/Local Short (Up to 40 Minutes)
Best Short Feature (Over 40 and Under 72 Minutes)
Best Midlands/local Short Feature (Over 40 and Under 72 Minutes)
Best Animated Short Feature (Over 40 and Under 72 Minutes)
Best of the Fest
Best Documentary
Best Comedy Feature
Best Horror Feature
Best Drama Feature
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Feature
Best Action Feature
Best Rom Com Feature
Best International Feature (Produced outside the UK)
Best Midlands/Local Feature
Best Animation Feature
Best Music Video
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Young Actor
Best Ensemble Cast
Best Director
Best Casting
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Sound Design
Best Special Effects
Best Makeup
Best Costume Design
Best Original Score
Best Screenplay
Best Action Scene
Best Stunt

All feature film submissions must be a minimum of 72 minutes in length and must not exceed 2.5 hour runtime including credits.

All films must have been completed within the past 4 years. (No older than January 1st 2015)

All foreign non-English speaking films must have subtitles.

If your film is selected please be prepared to provide a press kit including a poster, stills, trailer, synopsis, links and cast/crew info.

We accept digital download, SD card/flash drives, external hard drives and Region 2 DVD. Any hard copy submissions will not be returned.

All content in your film must be owned by the filmmaker or have expressed written permission to use for exhibition.

If your film is selected we reserve the right to use images or videos solely for marketing and promotional purposes for the festival.​

We retain the right to add or remove a film from our festival line up even if official selections have been made if it: A) benefits the festival or B) the film violates our festivals guidelines such as the illegal use of another artists work. If you are found to have given false information, or used works you do not own or have rights to use, you will not be eligible to submit any future film to the festival.

Submission fees are non-refundable.

The Heart of England Film Festival is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged property. If hard copies of your film is damaged upon arrival you will be contacted immediately, shown photos of items condition, and we will request a new copy.

All films must be in the possession of Heart of England International Film Festival no later than one month prior to festival. If you do not provide the festival with a working copy of your film it will not be screened and will not be eligible for any awards.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Thrilled to have had my feature screenplay, "Transgressions," as an Official Selection--and nice folks running this.

    June 2019
  • Considering this was its first year and they had a few hiccups along the way, this was a really great festival. George and Frankie where great hosts and really easy to talk too. The venue was great and in the heart of the city. The highlight of the festival for me was winning Best Local Short Film. I will defiantly be entering my future film to this festival for consideration.

    June 2019