The mission of Liverpool's Horizon Film Festival is to showcase the work of emerging local talent in film and provide opportunities to build a professional network in the industry.
As filmmakers, we have found there are very limited opportunities to gain meaningful exposure. That’s why we've created this festival. It's a platform which highlights and celebrates new talent, whilst also providing feedback from industry insiders.
This year we’re working in partnership with Liverpool's Unity Theatre, which in their words, invites "emerging artists to explore our world, presenting work that asks questions, breaks boundaries and challenges accepted norms". They are also "passionate about championing our community. The stories and lives of Liverpool residents are reflected on our stages, presenting art by the people – not just about the people".
In our previous two editions we've been at Anfield's Liverpool Lighthouse in the former 400+ seat Gaumont Cinema. So far the events have been a roaring success and we're taking forward everything we've done so far, this year making the festival bigger and better than ever.
We’re particularly interested in students' work and will be screening a number of student-led projects in the Cinema, in front of industry experts, on the evening of the 5th April 2025.
With a very large seating capacity in the cinema, it will also be possible to invite friends and family. Moreover, the festival will be a unique opportunity to meet other ambitious filmmakers across Liverpool and forge lasting connections.
The festival has been generously sponsored by Stephen Yip of one of Liverpool's biggest charities, Kind. We're enormously grateful for this, and with his support we look forward to creating more opportunities for young filmmakers in Liverpool to thrive.
Our industry experts will judge the films as part of a competition element. We invite you to submit to a range of categories, Narrative, Documentary, and Experimental. Films will be selected based on their merit within these categories. The selected films will then be curated into themes for the event. The winner in each theme will receive a prize.
There is no cost for entry, however you will be expected to attend.
Prizes to be announce (see our Instagram for updates).