LA1Shorts is an exciting and friendly short film festival based in the historic City of Lancaster in the North West of England. In 2016 we hosted our first festival at the city's own "Dukes Cinema", screening short films by local Lancaster and Morecambe film makers.

We are growing year on year and our festival is now open to submissions from all UK short film makers! We screen two categories, LA1 Shorts Best Film and a local Audience Choice “Lancashire” category; we don't want to forget our roots!

To submit to LA1 Shorts your film will have to be made in the UK and have a maximum length of 15 minutes.

This festival offers filmmakers the opportunity to screen in front of a packed auditorium at Lancaster’s renowned Dukes Cinema. There will also be the chance to network and chat with other filmmakers after the festival screenings in the cinema bar.

Awards & Prizes

We will screen all "selected for screening" short films at the Dukes Cinema, Lancaster. This screening event will be open to filmmakers and the general public.

The LA1 Shorts 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 Audience Choice Award. Both the " Audience Choice" and “Best Film” winners will be announced and rewarded that evening.

The winning filmmakers will also be invited to return to LA1Shorts and screen their follow up film at the 2019 festival!

Kindly supported by The Dukes Theatre and J.Atkinson & Co.

Rules & Terms

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

Deadline for submissions to the competition is midnight on 31st March 2019.
There is a $15 USD entrance fee taken when submitting your film on the FilmFreeway website.
The entrance fee is non-refundable.

All films will be viewed by a selection panel made up of the film festival organisers. All shortlisted entries selected to be screened during the festival will be notified by 10th April 2019.

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.
Digital marketing materials should be made available to be used for our marketing purposes by 15th April 2019.

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 LA1 Shorts to exhibit my film if selected. I confirm that an exhibition copy will be made available in a required format for screening during the 2019 festival.

I certify that I hold all necessary rights for the submission of this film/video to LA1 Shorts 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 LA1 Shorts 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 2019 festival, and for other non-commercial uses related to the promotion of the 2019 festival.

5 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Kriss Foster

    LA1 Shorts was a lovely evening. Thoroughly enjoyed sharing my short film alongside other filmmakers from Lancashire and further afield.
    The team at LA1 Shorts were fantastic and the Dukes is a really great venue.
    10/10: would heartily recommend!

    May 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for the great feedback Kriss, we are so pleased you enjoyed the event and had a good experience. Your film was a firm favourite with our audience! Well done!

  • Eben Skilleter

    Absolutely delighted to win Best Short Film 2018! LA1 really does provide a great opportunity for filmmakers to show their work. Terrific communication, friendly set-up. Thank you!

    May 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Eben, congratulations to you and the team behind "Boxes" on winning the Best Film award. It was fully deserved! Best of luck with your future exploits!

  • Roger Barker

    The greatest thing you can do for anybody is to give them opportunity, and LA1 gives a fantastic opportunity for North West film-makers. The Dukes Playhouse is a great venue and the event had an attendance level that many other festivals would envy. Great fun too!

    June 2017
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for your lovely review Roger. Very good to have met you and thank you for entering our competition! As a fairly new festival, it's great to hear we're doing things right! Best wishes for the future!

  • Izzy Pye

    What an amazing opportunity winning this award! Not only that, it was lovely meeting all the talented filmmakers who were included in the competition. Thank you so much LA1 Shorts for a great night, and a brilliant opportunity to show my work as filmmaker. I will see you next year!

    May 2017
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much Izzy, so glad you enjoyed the event, and congratulations again on winning! Well deserved. Best of luck for the future and yes, see you next year!

  • Peter Mckeirnon

    What a fantastic festival. Well organised, very well attending, brilliant communication and an amazing location. We will certainly be submitted future projects to LA1 Shorts. Good luck for next years event and thanks for having us :)

    May 2017
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for the kind words Peter, we enjoyed your film and really appreciated you and your crew attending! Look forward to seeing you at our future events! Best wishes!