The premiere and longest running short film festival in Lancaster. Our exciting and friendly festival based in the historic City of Lancaster in the North West of England. Our festival and screenings are held at the city's own "Dukes Cinema".

We continue to improve our festival year on year as a small independent team. We accept submissions from all UK based short film makers and we screen two categories; "LA1Shorts Best Film" and a local "Lancashire Audience Choice" category where the winner is selected by audience vote. Everyone has to start somewhere with basic kit and skill, so we like to support grass roots filmmakers too.

To submit to LA1Shorts your film should be MADE IN THE UK and have a maximum length of 15 minutes. If you enter the "Lancashire Audience Choice" category you must have a Lancashire postal address.

This festival offers filmmakers the opportunity to screen their film in front of a packed auditorium at Lancaster’s renowned Dukes Cinema. We aim to allow networking and chat with other filmmakers pre screenings in the gallery - come and find us!.

We show all "selected for screening" short films at the Dukes Cinema, Lancaster. This screening event will be open to filmmakers and the general public.
The "LA1Shorts Best Film" will be decided by a judging panel on the evening. Everyone attending the screening will have the right to vote for their favourite film for the "Lancashire Audience Choice" award. Both the “Best Film” and "Lancashire Audience Choice" winners will be announced and rewarded that evening.

Kindly supported by The Dukes Theatre, Atkinsons and Film Hub North.

All films should be 15 minutes or less in length.
Entries must be UK based short film.
Only Lancashire postcodes are eligible for the Audience Choice Award.

The entry fee taken when submitting your film on the FilmFreeway website is non-refundable.

If possible please provide your film in DCP format.

All films will be viewed by a selection panel made up of the film festival organisers and further Dukes staff. All shortlisted entries selected to be screened during the festival will be notified as early as possible prior to the festival date.

All category winners will be notified on the night during the festival once all entries have been screened.

All selection & judging decisions are final.

Please upload your film via the FilmFreeway website.
Films and Digital marketing materials should be made available to be used for our marketing purposes asap.

Any conflicts of interest between filmmakers & the selection panel should be declared to the film festival organisers IMMEDIATELY.

I have read and accept the Rules and Terms of the LA1 Shorts Film Festival.
I will provide the festival with any additional information required pursuant to these Rules and Terms.

I authorise LA1Shorts to exhibit my film if selected. I confirm that an exhibition copy will be made available in a required format for screening during the festival.

I certify that I hold all necessary rights for the submission of this film/video to LA1Shorts and that all rights and clearances have been made. This film is not subject to any litigation nor is threatened by any litigation.

By Agreeing to these Rules and Terms, I transfer to the LA1Shorts Film Festival the right to use excerpts of the submitted film, its stills, and trailers, for the purposes of publicity and marketing of the film at the festival, and for other non-commercial uses related to the promotion of the festival.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Christopher Nightingale

    It was wonderful to have my film screened alongside such great films at the LA1 Shorts festival! Such a lovely venue and atmosphere! It was a fantastic event to be part of! 😃

    May 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Hello Christopher, thanks for your review and for your fun film on the night. It's always tricky to make sure we get a chance to network and before Covid we had pre event drinks for all filmmakers to get a chance to meet and chat. Hopefully we will be back on with that from next year! All the best.

  • This is a really great film festival and so pleased to have been part of the 2022 programme! The communication throughout was on point and the event itself is a really good evening at The Dukes cinema! So chuffed our film, Road Trip, won Best Film too!

    May 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Congratulations on a fantastic win of LA1 Shorts Best Film for 2022! A real pleasure to have your submission Natalie and though with strong competition on the night , it was a deserving winner! Best of luck with your future projects!

  • Joshua Chawner

    A wonderful festival that celebrates filmmakers from Lancashire, and nationally.

    I had a great time attending, the event was extremely well organised and had a friendly atmosphere. The Dukes theatre is a really special venue.

    Delighted to say that my animated short picked up the Lancashire award! Thank you LA1 Shorts 😊

    I highly recommend this festival to all 📽

    May 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Joshua, it was a fantastic night and your animation was a deserving winner! Thanks so much for attending the festival and good luck for the future with your next project!

  • athena mandis

    Unfortunately we were unable to attend, but communication was impeccable, made us feel we were there. It was great to win 🥰

    October 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for submitting to LA1 Shorts Athena. Losing Grace was a worthy winner! We were sorry you couldn't make the screening but fully appreciate it isn't always easy for everyone to support their films at festivals! Congratulations again on your win!

  • Scott Feast

    A great festival with passionate organisers. The festival directors went above and beyond to arrange an entertaining, well programmed and brilliant film festival. I would highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    May 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for the review Scott, so glad you and your team enjoyed the evening! Thanks again for entering and good luck with your future films!