JOIN SCOTLAND'S ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL!

LandxSea is where films ignite action. 🌊

We are Scotland’s environmental film festival – a long weekend of cinema, conversation, and community, based in the northeast coastal town of Montrose, where shifting dunes, rising seas, and rich wildlife make the climate story feel very close to home.

Each September we curate a small, powerful selection of films about climate, nature and place-based stories, with a strong interest in Indigenous perspectives, land rights, and communities on the frontline of environmental change.

Our audiences come ready to think, feel, and get involved, and our aim is that the work stays with them long after the credits roll.

WHY SUBMIT?

• Screen your film to our engaged, enthusiastic audience at the renowned Montrose • Playhouse - finalist in BIFA's UK Cinema of the Year 2025
• Take part in dynamic discussions with passionate audiences and experts.
• Connect with filmmakers and eco-leaders from around the world.
• Compete for awards that celebrate excellence in environmental storytelling

WHAT FILMS WE'RE SEEKING IN 2026

We’re looking for compelling films exploring environmental challenges, innovative solutions, and the many ways people and nature shape one another. Whether it’s a gripping documentary, an artistic short, an experimental piece, or a powerful narrative, we want films that:

• spark conversation
• open up new perspectives
• invite audiences to imagine, and build, better futures

Bring us work that’s bold, tender, funny, urgent, surprising. We’re here for it. 💚

ABOUT LANDxSEA

Since launching in 2023, we’ve welcomed 100+ filmmakers and speakers from across Scotland and around the world, grown a year-round LandxSea Monthly strand and Schools at the Festival programme, and doubled submissions while keeping the programme intimate, thoughtful, and audience-focused.

The festival is hosted at the Montrose Playhouse, a former swimming pool transformed into a community-owned cinema and arts venue with excellent projection, sound, and access. LandxSea is the first UK member of the international Green Film Network (GFN) and the first Scottish member of the UK Green Film Network, working with fellow exhibitors to bring environmental stories to screens across the country.

We are supported by Screen Scotland (part of Creative Scotland/Scottish Government) and Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI).

LandxSea is a registered charity in Scotland.

Awards & Prizes

Each year, we recognise outstanding environmental films and filmmakers.

NORTH LIGHT AWARD

• Juried award for Best Scottish Environmental Film with a £500 cash prize.
• Celebrates innovative storytelling and fresh perspectives on environmental issues.
• Films of any length are eligible. To qualify, the film must either:
- be created by filmmakers (director or producer) currently residing in Scotland or
- significantly feature Scotland in its story or setting.
• Finalists will be announced in August and showcased at LandxSea 2026.

Winners
2025: LOST FOR WORDS, Hannah Papacek Harper
2024: FINDING BO, Rachel Sarah

AUDIENCE AWARD

• Voted for by audiences at the festival.
• All feature presentations are eligible.

Winners
2025: YANUNI, Richard Ladkani
2024: BILLY & MOLLY: AN OTTER LOVE STORY, Charlie Hamilton James

YOUNG FILMMAKER COMPETITION

• Juried award for filmmakers aged 18 and under.
• Celebrates short films that present creative, positive, or practical responses to the challenges of climate change and environmental justice.
• Includes a £150 cash prize and the Young Filmmaker Award for the best film.
• For full competition details, visit landxsea.org/contest

All submitted films are considered for relevant awards at the discretion of the festival.

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY

Films MUST have an environmental topic or angle.

We welcome a wide range of perspectives, including coastal cultures, environmental justice, and indigenous climate action.

All lengths and genres welcome, including documentary, fiction/narrative, animation, hybrid/experimental, student work.

Topical areas include (but are not limited to):
• Climate Action
• Coastal Cultures
• Environmental Justice
• Energy Transition
• Healthy Food Systems
• Indigenous & Place-Based Knowledge
• Montrose & Angus Region
• Oceans & Rivers
• Outdoor Activities & Nature Connection
• Sustainable Living
• Scotland
• Wildlife Conservation & Biodiversity
• Youth and Intergenerational Activism

If you’re unsure whether your film fits, you’re very welcome to submit – we interpret “environmental” broadly.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Films must have been completed after 1 January 2025.
• Dialogue must be in English or fully subtitled in English.
• Feature films are defined as 50 minutes or longer.
• Work-in-progress cuts are accepted, but please note clearly what is incomplete.
• Multiple entries are allowed (each requires a separate submission and fee).
• Youth Filmmakers (18 and under) submit for free.

SELECTION NOTIFICATION

All entrants will receive notification by early July 2026.

Our programming team and volunteer screeners carefully review every film. We keep the programme intentionally small, so please know that non-selection often reflects scheduling and balance rather than quality.

EXHIBITION FORMATS

If your film is selected, we will request a screening copy in one of the following formats for the Montrose Playhouse:

• DCP (preferred)
• Digital file (ProRes, high-quality H.264 or similar)

Technical specifications and delivery deadlines will be confirmed upon selection.

SHIPPING

• Filmmakers are responsible for shipping physical screening materials (e.g. DCP drives) to the festival.
• LandxSea covers return or forward shipping after the festival.

In many cases, we can arrange secure digital delivery instead of physical drives.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting your film, you agree to the following:

1. Eligibility: LandxSea reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any submitted project.

2. Archiving: Submitted materials may be kept by LandxSea for internal reference and archival purposes (non-public).

3. Exhibition Formats: If accepted, filmmakers must provide a screening copy in one of the prescribed formats (DCP or digital file) by the agreed deadline.

4. Rights & Clearances: Filmmakers must ensure that all necessary rights and clearances have been obtained for public screening. LandxSea is not liable for any copyright infringement.

5. Promotional Use: By submitting, you grant LandxSea the right to use trailers, stills, posters, and brief excerpts (up to 2 minutes) from your film for non-commercial festival promotional purposes, including trailers, the festival website, social media, and press.

6. Liability: While we take great care with all materials, LandxSea is not responsible for lost or damaged screening copies or drives.

7. Awards: Cash prizes will be disbursed within 4–6 weeks after the festival’s closing night. LandxSea reserves the right to modify awards and criteria.

8. Agreement: By submitting, you confirm that you have read and agree to the festival’s Rules & Terms and that you have the authority to submit the film.
5 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • La Fille Renne

    I enjoyed this experience a lot: three days discussing ecology with other people and watching films in a Scottish coastal town... What more could you ask for? It was a festival focused on hospitality, human connections and discussions about the future. And it gives me hope to be surrounded by other people who care about the environment and the sea.
    It also was the first screening in Scotland for "Chasing Whales", half of which was filmed in the Hebrides, so it was an important screening for me.
    Thanks again to the festival team.

    September 2025
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  • Erik SĂ©mashkin

    Great event, thank you for selecting my short!

    January 2025
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  • Caroline Strong

    It is really encouraging to see more and more new environmental film festivals, like Montrose LandXSea Film Fest emerging. Our planet is on its knees, so providing platforms for debate and the sharing of ideas has never been more vital. It is lovely when festivals champion small indies like ours and help to get the message out. Our wee team were so excited that our rewilding story 'The Bough Breaks', had found its way into a programme of films, that promised to focus on the big issues. Great communication and hospitality! Our thanks go out to all the team and fellow filmmakers for an inspiring weekend. Caroline, Danny & Gabriel.

    September 2024
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  • Dani Films

    The Montrose LandxSea Film Festival created a unique space for discussing environmental solutions and fostering cross-cultural learning. It was a real privilege to see how the audience connected with the film and its themes, which are more important now than ever with the growing threat of climate change. LandxSea is Scotland’s leading event for films and conversations that spark green ideas and action, and it’s the country’s first environmental film festival. I wish the festival and its amazing team continued success in the years to come.

    September 2024
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  • Ted Simpson

    An incredible collection of the best environmental films, it's hard to believe this festival is only two years old! The festival team offered exceptional support for exhibiting filmmakers. The Montrose Playhouse Cinema was a particular highlight with fantastic facilities and a professional, friendly team! A brilliant festival that celebrates environmental storytelling.

    September 2024
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