Join the Excitement at LYIFF!
Winner of Festival of the Year at the 2025/26 Manchester and North West Prestige Awards!

Featured as a trending festival on FilmFreeway, the Lytham International Film Festival (LYIFF) is an annual, live competition that showcases the best emerging and established talent from around the globe. This is your chance to shine on an international stage!

Why LYIFF?
• Cinematic Excellence: We celebrate outstanding films, regardless of where you are in your career. Whether you’re a new voice or a seasoned filmmaker, LYIFF is the perfect platform to showcase your work.
• Exclusive Screenings: Experience the thrill of seeing your film showcased at iconic venues across Lytham. Each space offers its own atmosphere, creating a dynamic festival journey for audiences and filmmakers alike.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry professionals, fellow filmmakers, and enthusiasts at our Filmmaker Events, Networking Sessions, and Award Ceremonies.
• Engaging Events: Participate in Q&As, Industry Talks, Workshops, and enjoy top-notch entertainment throughout the festival.

Location, Location, Location!
Set in the charming seaside town of Lytham, Lancashire, LYIFF transforms the town into a festival of film. Screenings take place across multiple venues, creating a vibrant atmosphere where cinema spills into every corner. Lytham also hosts the renowned Lytham Music Festival, which attracts around 20,000 visitors, as well as the Lytham Hall Music Festival and Food and Drink Festival, drawing an additional 10,000 attendees. Together, they provide the perfect backdrop for a truly memorable film festival experience.

Submission Categories
• Short and Feature Films: We accept entries in both categories, with awards granted in each. Submit once to be eligible for all awards in the current year.
• All Genres Welcome: We seek films with a unique voice and celebrate diversity in storytelling. Whether your film is a comedy, drama, thriller, documentary, or experimental piece, we want to see it! All genres welcome.

Be Bold. Be Compelling.
Challenge us. Surprise us. Shock us. Make us laugh. Make us cry. Whatever your story, tell it with originality and passion. LYIFF is the festival where creativity and imagination take centre stage.

Special Awards
• The John Parr Award for Best Music Video: Judged by music industry legend John Parr (St. Elmo’s Fire, Man in Motion).
• LYIFF After Dark Award for Best Horror/Thriller: Experience the chills of our outdoor screenings, not for the faint of heart!

Opportunities for Filmmakers
• Filmmakers Welcome Event: Kick off the festival with drinks and socialising.
• Live Q&A Sessions: Engage with the audience and promote your film (recorded and available for personal use).
• Industry Talks: Gain invaluable insights from seasoned professionals. Our Industry Talks feature experts sharing insider tips, trends, and advice to help you navigate and succeed in the film industry.
• Awards Ceremony: Celebrate your achievements, deliver your awards speech and get lots of photo coverage! (recorded and available for personal use).

Guidelines
All films should be produced to a high standard.
Fiction, Non-Fiction and Experimental/Artists Films accepted.
We don't accept works in progress.

Awards & Prizes

The Festival has two main submission categories:
Short Film (up to 30mins)
Feature Film (60 to 120mins)

Awards each year may include (but are not limited to)
Best DRAMA
Best COMEDY
Best HORROR
Best THRILLER
Best FACTUAL
Best FAMILY FILM
Best ANIMATION
Best EXPERIMENTAL
Best MUSIC VIDEO
Best DIRECTOR
Best ACTOR
Best ACTRESS
Best SHORT
Best FEATURE
Best REGIONAL FILM
Best OF FEST
Best CINEMATOGRAPHY
Best EDITING
Best SCREENPLAY
Best ORIGINAL SCORE

A list of the previous year's winners and awards can be found on the festival website.

When submitting your film to the festival you will be able to indicate which Performer categories you wish to be considered for.
The jury will allocate your film to the relevant genre/s.

The festival organisers and judges reserve the right to select additional categories for your film or to change the selected categories for your film and/or the festival without charge or notice.

Physical awards are presented to the relevant attending filmmakers.
All award winning films receive an official certificate along with presentation folder, a digital certificate and a winner's laurel.

Rules & Terms

Submitting your work:
Entry accepted via FilmFreeway only.
Your film must be accessible at the time of judging.
Films which are unavailable or inaccessible for viewing will be disqualified.
There is no premiere status requirement.
Films may be completed any year, however preference is given for films completed in the last 2 years.

Categories:
The Festival has two submission categories:
Short Film (up to 30mins)
Feature Film (60 to 120mins)

When submitting your film you will be able to indicate which Performer categories you wish to be considered for.
The jury will allocate your film to the relevant genre/s.

Genres:
All major recognised genres are considered, including Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Science-Fiction, Animation, Documentary, Experimental, Music Video.

The festival organisers and judges reserve the right to select additional categories for your film or to change the selected categories for your film without charge or notice.

Subtitles:
All submissions not in English must have English Subtitles.

Entry Fees:
All entry fees are listed on FilmFreeway.
Entry fees must be paid at the time of submission.
Films received without the correct entry fee will be disqualified.
You may submit more than one film, although each entry must be submitted separately and each entry is required to have paid the corresponding submission fee.
The festival offers no refunds in any circumstances, this includes (but is not limited to) disqualified films or films which are not selected or films which do not win an award.
The festival does not issue screening fees or payment of any kind to submitted films or selected films.

Copyright:
By submitting to the festival you acknowledge and agree that you have permission to submit the film and have acquired all necessary legal rights allowing you to do so and that the submitted film does not infringe the rights of any other parties or individuals.
The festival and the festival organisers accept no responsibility or liability for breaches of copyright or other intellectual property rights, and you agree to indemnify the festival and festival organisers against any such claims and liability.
By submitting to the festival you agree to the screening of the submitted film at the festival event.
By submitting to the festival you agree that portions of the submitted film, including stills and moving image, may be used for any promotional purposes relating to the festival events.

Content:
The festival will accept works of all recognised genres for consideration.
The festival shall disqualify, without refund, any works deemed pornographic, hateful or violently inciteful.

Delivery:
Official selections will be required to provide the festival organisers with a copy of the film to be screened.
Video Format: prores422/h264
Audio: 48khz
Aspect: HD or 2K
Additional deliverables:
High resolution Poster
High resolution Film Still
Logline
Mini Synopsis
Name of Producer
Name of Director

Official Selection:
All submitted works shall be judged by the festival jury.
The decision of the jury is final.
Only films updated to SELECTED screen at the event and are eligible for awards.
The submission timeframe is detailed on FilmFreeway.
Neither the festival, nor the festival judges will provide feedback or reviews to filmmakers relating to their films and/or their related selection status.
36 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ben Hyland

    I was fortunate enough to be included in the opening night event and also screen during the festival. Really great fest and run by brilliant people.

    January 2026
    Helpful
  • Melle Windig

    Thank you Lytham International Film Festival for providing us the opportunity to share our short stop motion film Cell Buddies with your audience and even awarding it with Best Animation. Unfortunately we could not attend but the communication was great and the event looked awesome on social media. We hope to be a part of this great festival again in the future.

    October 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Incredibly rewarding to showcase Cell Buddies. And so glad to see this continuing to do so well in the circuit. Happy we were a part of your journey. Looking forward to seeing more from you!

  • Rebecca Rose

    Lytham is a wonderful festival! Absolutely thrilled to have screened The Removed and to have been awarded Best Actor for our incredible lead-Georgie Glen. Thank you Ed and the team!

    October 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Rebecca. And congratulations. It was wonderful meeting you and getting to spend time with you at the festival. Best of luck with the rest of your run. We can't wait to see and share more of your work.

  • Goran Šporčić

    I attended the Lytham International Film Festival again this year. LYIFF is an absolutely unforgettable film festival! I was blown away by the incredible films, events, entertainment and, most of all, the warmth, kindness and generosity of the festival staff and volunteers. The atmosphere was filled with enthusiasm and excitement for both filmmakers and audiences. The support and communication from the festival was outstanding and our screening space was a state-of-the-art new screening room. I am deeply grateful that my film was included - thank you so much for a wonderful weekend in Lytham!

    August 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for joining us Goran. It was great to have you with us for the whole weekend. I hope you made some valuable connections. We're so glad you found your time with us so rewarding. Can't wait to see what's next from you!!

  • Add the Dog - Vanessa Esteves

    Although we weren’t able to attend the Lytham International Film Festival in person, we certainly felt the love from across the ocean! The communication from the festival team was excellent, and it was an honour to have Christopher & the Bug included. The lineup of films looked amazing, and we truly hope to catch it in person next year. Grateful for the warmth and support from such a wonderful festival.

    August 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Such a moving film. Christopher's story will stay with the audience for some time. We can't wait to see more from you. Best of luck with the rest of your festival run!