Big night in Liverpool on March 9th 2024! πŸŽ₯ Our latest live screening was a smash hit 🌟 CHECK OUT THE PICS ABOVE! πŸ“Έ We can't wait for the next one! Stay tuned for upcoming events! 🎬

Our previous seasons dazzled with BAFTA-nominated gems! We honored Clifford Milner's acclaimed BBC work, plus films by Oscar-qualifying director Ivan Goldschmidt and Piotr Szkopiak, a BAFTA nominee himself. From Shona Auerbach's BAFTA-nominated masterpiece to Luke Rex's official selection at the Academy Awards and BAFTA, the line-up was phenomenal!

The Liverpool Indie Awards is a home for aspiring filmmakers! Join us for an amazing live screening with opportunities to pitch your film to industry experts, connect with fellow creators and industry leaders, share your passion in short cinema interviews, and celebrate with filmmaker welcome drinks. The top film even wins a prestigious festival trophy πŸ† and 500 USD cash prize! Recognized as a π“πŽπ 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 π‘πžπ―π’πžπ°πžπ π…πžπ¬π­π’π―πšπ₯ 𝐒𝐧 πŸπŸŽπŸπŸ‘ on FilmFreeway, we're dedicated to supporting and celebrating the filmmaking talent in the UK.

Here's what some of our submitters had to say:
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… "A great place to watch films. Great for networking and meet like-minded people." - John Ninnis
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… "Great event, amazing people and crew. One of the best festivals I've seen this year! Will definitely be back! Cheers LIA!" - Patrick Norman

This next season? We're on the hunt for even more extraordinary talent.

We welcomed projects by AJ Sykes who's films have graced BAFTA qualifiers and by Mark Forbes whose work wowed at Raindance. If your project is like Ian Sciacaluga's shortlisted for Best UK Short at Raindance or Gillian Simpson's (a full BAFTA member!), then we are excited to see it! We're eager to discover the next Aaron HosΓ© whose films have conquered festivals and streaming giants like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon!

This season, submit your project and join the ranks of award-worthy talent!

Our home in Liverpool, a vibrant city steeped in filmmaking history (think Peaky Blinders!), fuels the incredible support we see for our live screenings. As a result of this unique energy, these events consistently sell out, offering independent filmmakers from around the globe the opportunity to showcase their work on a grand cinema screen! We're proud to be a platform that champions independent voices in film.

𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 π–πˆπππ„π‘π’ will take home the OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE including Festival Laurels recognizing their achievement in their category. But that's not all! The jury will select a standout project to receive the prestigious FESTIVAL TROPHY and a fantastic CASH PRIZE of 500 USD! This main prize winner will be announced during the exciting Live Screening Event at the Bijou Cinema.

Awards & Prizes

πƒπˆπ•π„π‘π’π„ π‰π”π‘π˜ 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐋
To keep our judging process fresh and fair, we handpick a dream team of independent jurors from all corners of the globe. These independent jurors and film enthusiasts hail from a variety of backgrounds, bringing a global perspective to the awards.

Each project submitted will be meticulously reviewed by at least two judges. Our jury boasts esteemed members from across the cinematic landscape, including the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and the Czech Republic. It's a truly global conversation, ensuring your masterpiece receives the recognition it deserves, no matter where it comes from.

π…π„π’π“πˆπ•π€π‹'𝐒 π‰π”πƒπ†πˆππ† 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒
🟒 FINALIST - Your project has been highly rated by our jury and is eligible to become an Award Winner in the submitted category.

🟠 SELECTED - Your project has been selected for the live screening and is also eligible to become an Award Winner in the submitted category.

🟑 AWARD WINNER - Your project has won in the submitted category.

πŸ† MAIN PRIZE WINNER - The winner of the official prestigious festival trophy and 500 USD in cash.

Rules & Terms

1. All films that are not in English, must have English language subtitles.

2. We reserve the right to not refund the submission after notification day. We will solve each refund issue individually.

3. Any technical issues with the submitted films are the responsibility of the filmmakers. If, at the time of judging, your video file doesn’t work or doesn’t have English subtitles (if in a language other than English), it will be automatically rejected, without a refund. Please contact us ASAP, if there are any issues with the submission process and we will find a solution.

4. The decision of the project selection status is final.

5. Short films must not exceed 35 minutes.

6. We accept multiple entries from one submitter.

7. By submitting to us, you give us consent and right to screen your film in front of a live audience and, under special circumstances, at online screening.

8. Official Selection/Finalist: These are all the films that have been nominated for an award in a category. Not all nominated films will be screened.

9. Only award winning projects are eligible to win the Cash Prize and festival trophy at the end of all festival seasons.

10. Films that are submitted must be the entrant’s original work and shall not infringe on any copyrights or any other rights of any third Parties. Contestants agree that they have obtained all required copyright permissions regarding music, sound & images, etc. presented in their film.

11. Our festival reserve the rights to change, cancel or re-schedule the dates, venue, awards & categories. All filmmakers will be informed about any changes through email and our online platforms.

12. By submitting to this festival you agree to our terms and conditions and to receiving marketing newsletters and discounts about film festivals in the form of emails. We will never sell your information to third parties.

13. Winning and Honorable mentioned projects will be announced during the live event and on our website consequently.

14. Cash prize will be awarded during the Gala Event at the end of all seasons.

15. We reserve the right to not screen all nominated projects. Additionally, we reserve the right to change the screening lineup at our discretion.
114 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ryan Paige

    A brilliant event - very well organised, clear and thorough communication. Whilst we couldn't attend in person we were thrilled to be selected and honoured to have been awarded. Thank you!

    April 2024
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  • Rasheeda Garner

    It was great to be a finalist in this festival - the trophy is fabulous and I congratulate all the other nominees and winners. I am in the US and was unable to attend in person, so did not get a chance to do any networking, but I hope to attend in the future.

    April 2024
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  • Mitch R.

    Enjoyed the clear communication and hope to attend in the future.

    March 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you found our communication clear and we look forward to welcoming you to future events.

  • Youness Benali

    Thanks for having CUT in the festival, it was great seeing everyone, the films, and being part of the experience.

    Big Love.

    March 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled you enjoyed being part of our festival experience. Hope to see you again soon!

  • Monika Koeck

    LIA was an incredible experience! A place filled with talented artists and filmmakers. The organisers were very welcoming and supportive. We were absolutely delighted to win the BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD for our film M'HAMID OASIS MOROCCO. Many congratulations to the other winners, finalists and officially selected. All the best to LIA in the years to come.

    March 2024
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    Response from festival:

    We're delighted to hear you had an incredible experience at LIA and congratulations on winning the BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD for M'HAMID OASIS MOROCCO! Thank you for your kind words and support. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors!