BY FILMMAKERS, FOR FILMMAKERS
The mission of Horizon Film Festival is to showcase the work of emerging local Liverpool filmmaking talent and provide opportunities to build a professional network in the industry. As filmmakers, we have been confronted with limited opportunities to gain meaningful exposure. We decided to build HFF as a platform which highlights and celebrates new talent, whilst also providing feedback from industry insiders.
After the success of the two-day 2026 event, the 5th edition of Horizon Film Festival will run across Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd April 2027 to screen more films from the best emerging Liverpool directors.
We are returning Liverpool's Unity Theatre after a massively successful 2026 edition. The Unity’s passion for community and artistry within the city align perfectly with Horizon’s mission, thus making them the best partners. The “stories and lives of Liverpool residents are reflected on our stages, presenting art by the people—not just about the people". We are excited to make this year’s festival bigger and better than ever.
What makes Horizon special is hearing from the filmmakers. Every film screened will have a Q&A session afterwards, engaging the audience and peers alike. To make this happen, core crew members (e.g. director, producer, writer, cinematographer) MUST attend the event. This is a great opportunity to share your stories from the set.
The submission categories are split between Zero Budget (0-£500), Medium Budget (£500-£5000), and High Budget (>£5000). Any genre of film (<18mins for Zero or Medium, <30mins for High) long can be entered, but we are particularly interested in narrative and documentary. Student films are welcome but must be declared as such.
With a large seating capacity, you are invited to bring your friends and family. Moreover, the festival will be a unique opportunity to meet other ambitious filmmakers across Liverpool and build lasting connections.
A panel of industry experts will judge the films as part of a competition element.
The exact categories and prizes are to be announced (see our Instagram for updates).
