💜 MINT Chinese Film Festival 2026: Call for Entries 💚

The fourth edition of MINT Chinese Film Festival (MINT CFF) will be held between 6-8 March 2026. This year, we are moving our main festival venue from Keswick Alhambra Cinema to Kendal Brewery Arts Cinema, located in the beautiful Lake District town of Kendal, Cumbria, where co-founders Yixiang Lin and Carol Rennie first crossed paths and conceived of MINT CFF.

We welcome submissions from Chinese and Asian filmmakers, as well as diasporic talents and global filmmakers who are shaping the landscape of Asian cinema. Our 2026 competition comprises two main categories: Feature Film Competition and Short Film Competition, open to new film works made in 2025 and 2026 that, as a minimum requirement, have not yet premiered in the UK.

In 2025, we expanded our curatorial focus beyond Chinese cinema to include films made in or about the broader Asian stories, regions, and their diaspora. This is reflected in the introduction of a new sub-section, “Asian Sparks”, within our Feature Film Competition. This year, for our 2026 call for entries, we are continuing this section, and furthermore extending it to our Short Film Competition. Our existing competition sections focusing on Chinese films remain unchanged.

We have invited a number of internationally renowned filmmakers, visual artists, and film industry experts to join the jury. The submissions are open to global creators of Chinese and Asian cinema.

We especially encourage submissions from female-, non-binary-, and LGBTQ+ identifying creatives, and emerging film talents. Equally, we also welcome contributions from experienced filmmakers. We aim to showcase compelling narratives, unconventional works, original ideas, creative aesthetic choices, and powerful voices, through presenting diverse independent Chinese and Asian films and talented filmmakers at the 2026 MINT CFF to international audiences. Our hope is to bring these works to UK cinemas, curating underrepresented voices, images, and narratives beyond cultural, political, and geographical boundaries.

Submissions for 2026 entries to MINT CFF are now open, and will close at 23:59, 25th December 2025 (GMT). We only accept works submitted through FilmFreeway.

About Mint Chinese Film Festival (MINT CFF):

MINT Chinese Film Festival (MINT CFF) “薄荷紫华语电影节” is an award-winning film festival and leading curatorial organisation founded by Chinese film curator Yixiang Lin and Dr Carol Rennie, parliamentary researcher and former co-owner of Keswick Alhambra Cinema. We are the first women-led Chinese film festival in the UK, focussed on cross-cultural communication and women’s representation. We hold an annual film festival around Chinese New Year, together with a large network of curators, and volunteers, we organise film releases, touring programmes, and film screenings, alongside other artistic and cultural events across the UK and abroad.

Since its first edition in 2023, MINT CFF has been held annually at the Keswick Alhambra Cinema, attracting a diverse UK audience. Each edition of our annual festival presents a rich selection of new Chinese and Asian film through curated programme of screenings, alongside a festival gala, director Q&As, workshops, networking sessions, live gigs, outdoor activities, and other cultural highlights such as Asian Arts and Crafts Markets, Chinese New Year celebration. The upcoming fourth edition will see MINT CFF relocate to its new home at Kendal Brewery Arts Cinema and take place over three days from 6-8 March 2026. As always, we are preparing a brand-new and dynamic festival programme filled with exciting film line-up, screenings and events!

In autumn 2024, MINT CFF collaborated with Aya Films to run “Women Hold Up Half the Sky: Mint on Tour”, a touring programme of Chinese films as featured in MINT CFF 2024 across venues in Scotland. This marked the largest touring project dedicated to Chinese cinema led by women curators in the UK. Following its success, we launched “MINT on Tour 2025” this autumn across Northern England, featuring a new selection of Chinese films and women’s cinema from MINT CFF 2025.

Over the past three years, we have brought over 100 films from China and Asia at large to UK audiences, especially films made by or about women. Many titles that we premiered in the UK include: Desert of Namibia by Yôko Yamanaka, Time to Be Strong by Namkoong Sun, Green Night by Han Shuai, This Woman by Alan Zhang, B for Busy by Yihui Shao, Barbarian Invasion by Tan Chui Mui, and much more. Recently, we distributed Lou Ye’s Cannes 2024 selected An Unfinished Film in the UK, releasing it on 2 May after its UK premiere at our 2025 MINT CFF. The release was met with great success, and was ranked by the BFI among the TOP 10 UK independent films of the week. We then released Chinatown Cha-Cha, a road documentary following senior Chinese-American dancers, which won both Best Feature and the Audience Choice Award in the 2025 MINT CFF competition.

Further details about our festival and activities can be found on our website: https://www.unicornscreening.com.

MINT CFF’s co-founders and curatorial team are now working hard to prepare for the upcoming 2026 MINT CFF, developing new competition sections, themed film programmes (including Emerging Women Filmmakers Showcase, Retrospectives, and Special Screenings), workshops, live gigs, and other in-person and online events. We also plan to offer a limited number of free festivals passes to our media friends and emerging curators. Please refer to our social media for up-to-date information regarding MINT CFF 2026!

Follow us on:

Instagram @ mintchinesefilmfestival
Little red book: @薄荷紫华语电影节
Website: unicornscreening.com

Our vision:

We are dedicated to curating underrepresented voices, images, and stories by actively discovering, supporting, and presenting the works of Chinese and Asian creators and women directors. We are devoted to championing creators from these communities, and are actively fostering meaningful collaboration with cultural practitioners, organisations, and individuals who are interested in Chinese culture, Asian cinema and engaged in our women-centric curation, from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Since 2025, we have expanded our curatorial focus beyond Chinese cinema to embrace the wider Asian presence. We aim to showcase bold, high-quality independent films, along with other cultural and artistic works—particularly those created by women. Our goal is to bring these works and the unique curatorial spirit of MINT CFF to regions that rarely have the opportunity to engage with Chinese and Asian cinema.

Awards & Prizes

Awards & Prizes
🏆Four major awards with cash prizes opportunities 💵:
Best Feature: Competition
Best Short: Competition
Audience Choice Award (Feature & Short): All sections

What do we offer to selected filmmakers?

If selected, we will present your film at our 2026 festival at the renowned UK cinema, and may consider inviting you to a post-screening Q&A session, providing an opportunity to engage with audiences, fellow filmmakers, curators, and other industry professionals.

MINT will provide selected works and directors with a variety of screening and networking opportunities, including but not limited to theatrical release and screenings in the UK, international promotion exhibition, online screenings, filmmakers’ interviews, discussion panels, and a series of related activities. In addition, winners of the Competition have the chance to receive cash prizes, a festival laurel in recognition, exclusive in-depth interviews, and international touring exhibition and/or release opportunities. Eligible submissions which are not selected may also be considered for international screenings outside the festival period.

For example, at the first edition of MINT CFF, the winner of the Best Short Competition (Zhizi Hao, A Firecracker Story) was given a £300 by the festival to support Hao’s filmmaking endeavours.

Rules & Terms

💜The MINT Chinese Film Festival Competition Rules and Regulations💜

Please read it carefully before submitting！

I. Competition Entry Guidelines

1. Eligibility:
Feature films and short films:
Feature films and short films only need to fulfil one of the below conditions to be eligible. Please read the conditions carefully and confirm eligibility before submitting films.
The film revolves around Chinese-related themes or elements which include but are not limited to Chinese communities, Chinese stories, Chinese perspectives, Chinese diaspora, and Chinese cultural memories.
Or
The cast and/or crew of the film (including the director, producer, and main cast) are from China or Chinese-speaking regions or identify with Chinese culture in the broadest sense.
or
The film revolves around Asian-related themes or elements which include but are not limited to Asian communities, Asian stories, Asian perspectives, Asian diaspora, and Asian cultural memories.
or
The cast and/or crew of the film (including the director, producer, and main cast) are from Asia or identify with Asian culture in the broadest sense.

2. Deadlines:
Early-bird deadline: 23:59, 5th December 2025 (GMT).
Regular deadline: 23:59, 25th December 2025 (GMT).

*The festival recommends prospective participants submit their films as early as possible to allow the festival selection committee and the jury enough time to view, assess, and discuss the films. Short films submitted before the early-bird deadline do not require a submission fee.

3. Steps of Registration and Submission:
The festival only accepts films submitted via FilmFreeway.
1.1）Click the button above to submit your work.
1.2）Successful registration requires providing information and materials and submitting films as per instructions.
Please note that:
2.1) Prospective participants should provide comprehensive film information and relevant materials as per the requirements listed on the submission page. Missing important information will affect the selection process. Please ensure that the email address and mobile number you use when submitting are contactable.
2.2）Please do not submit more than one work.
2.3) The festival requests participants to tick the option ‘Festivals may download my video upon my permission’ on FilmFreeway to allow follow-up contact regarding selection or other screening and networking opportunities.
2.4) Should you be unsure about your film’s eligibility and have any questions, please consult the festival team promptly before the Call for Entries’ regular deadline (25th December 2025) via email: mintcffteam@gmail.com.

II. Submission Requirements

1. UK Premiere Requirement:
All films must not have been released in the UK in any format, including online, before the 2026 MINT CFF (March 6-8).

Production Time:

Feature films (all genres) must be completed in 2025 and 2026.
Short films (all genres) must be completed in 2025 and 2026.

*We will prioritise films made in 2025 and 2026.

2. Format:
2.1) Films submitted should have a minimum resolution of 1920×1080p.
2.2) Should the film be selected, Film copies must be provided in English subtitled DCP format with a minimum resolution of 2K, along with an English subtitled MP4 file (H.264, 1920×1080), at least 14 days before the festival’s opening. (for subtitles requirements, see the section below entitled ‘5.Subtitles’)
2.3) Should the film be selected, participants need to actively cooperate with festival team as soon as the selection result was received (in mid-January 2026) to provide relevant promotional materials in both English and Chinese, including but not limited to official high-resolution posters and stills, trailers, Q&A with directors, and/or introduction videos. Resolution and format requirements for video materials are the same as above.

* Selected filmmakers who require translation services due to special reasons should contact festival team by email in advance.

3.Length:
3.1) Feature films: no less than 60 minutes.
3.2) Short films: no more than 30 minutes.

4.Genre and Content:
4.1) A wide range of genres are accepted, such as drama, narrative films, experimental films, animations, documentaries, artists’ moving images, film series (single episodes), essay films, and poetic films.
4.2) The festival does not accept advertisements, culture and tourism promotion videos, public information films, music videos, personal vlogs, and marketing clips.

5.Subtitles:
5.1) Embedded English subtitles are required for non-English films.
If the film is selected, embedded bilingual (Chinese and English) subtitles are preferred, but embedded English subtitles are mandatory.

*It is recommended that all films prepare embedded bilingual subtitles in English and simplified Chinese.

5.2) In case of special circumstances, prospective participants may send the required SRT subtitle files to festival team via email.

III. Selection Criteria
1. Selection Dimensions: The assessment will be based on five dimensions which are production quality, film aesthetics, narrative structures, originality of expression, and thematic alignment (e.g. alignment with themes of this global call and the festival’s vision).

2. Selection Procedure: Once submitted, all eligible films will first be reviewed in one or two rounds by the festival programmers. Next, submissions will be forwarded to the festival selection committee for further assessment. Submissions selected by the festival selection committee will be passed on to the jury for awards voting. The official selection for the Feature Film Competition and Short Film Competition will be announced through official channels on or around 20 January 2026. Winners of major awards as decided by the jury will be announced in-person during the festival and posted online subsequently. Additionally, there will be an in-person audience vote during the festival. The film winning the most votes will be granted the Audiences Choice Award.

3. Selection Result Announcement: The festival team will notify submitters of the selected films via email after the selection process concludes before 20 January 2026. Please ensure you regularly check the email address used for submission close to that time. The selection results will also be announced on the official platforms of the festival before the event dates.
If you have not received a selection notification before the festival’s opening, it means that your film has not been selected for the 2026 MINT CFF.
IV: Event Rules

1.Obligations and Rights
1) For the Festival:
1.1) The festival shall keep all entries confidential; contents will only be used upon permission from Competition participants.
1.2) The festival may promote and screen selected entries and publicise relevant filmmakers during the festival. With the consent of Competition participants, the festival may promote and screen the selected entries and publicise relevant filmmakers outside of the festival period.
2) For Competition Participants:
2.1) Competition participants must hold full rights to their entries, or have obtained written authorisation from the rights holders. They must also ensure that they can exercise the aforementioned rights in accordance with all submission rules. Competition participants shall own and have the right to exercise their entries.
2.2) Competition participants must guarantee the legality of the entries. The entries may not violate laws and regulations in both the UK and China, infringe copyright and other rights and interests of others, or breach legitimate rights of any third party.

2. Declaration:
1) The festival does not charge screening fees from or offer subsidies to selected participants. Submissions of short films are free of charge before the early-bird deadline. Please refer to our page on FilmFreeway for further fee information.
2) All submission fees collected by the festival will be used to support the organisation and operation of the Competition and as cash prizes.
3) Entries must be original. There are not to be any intellectual property disputes. Competition participants must be the lawful copyright holders of the entries and should be able to provide screening authorization in written form as required by the festival if needed.
4) Films submitted after the regular deadline will be excluded from the selection procedure. No eligible entry may withdraw from the Competition or the screenings at will once the submission is completed.
5) All those who complete the Competition submission are considered to acknowledge and accept the festival rules and regulations. The festival reserves the ultimate right to interpret all terms and any matter not covered herein.

V. Selected Films

1. Awards and Opportunities
1) Selected films will have the opportunity to compete for the major awards: Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, and Audiences Choice Award.
2) The festival will provide selected works and directors with a variety of screening and networking opportunities, including but not limited to a standard theatrical screening in the UK, international promotion and special distribution, filmmakers’ interviews, thematic forums, and a series of derivative interactive activities.

In addition, winners of the Competition have the chance to receive cash prizes, a festival laurel in recognition, exclusive in-depth interviews, and international touring exhibition and/or release opportunities. Eligible submissions which are not selected may also be considered for international screenings outside the festival period.

2. Film Copy Delivery Requirements
Film copies must be provided in DCP format with a minimum resolution of 2K, along with an MP4 file (H.264, 1920×1080).

3. Publicity Materials
After a film is selected, its entry information provided on FilmFreeway and promotional materials submitted will be used on the festival's official website, on the official website of the festival’s partner cinema, and in online and physical media outlets. The festival is entitled to edit and publicly use film introduction information presented through festival official channels. In case of missing and incorrect information or materials during the submission stage, they should be submitted or corrected after the films are selected.

4. Filmmaker Participation
After a film is selected, the festival will contact corresponding Competition participants to discuss their participation in the screenings, post-screening discussions, and other pre-arranged events during the festival.

5. Preservation of Premiere Status
Once a film is selected, public screenings which will affect the film's premiere status at the festival are not allowed.

6. Screening Schedule
All selected films will have at least one public screening during the festival. Screening time, dates, and venues are entirely at the discretion of the festival. The final schedule is subject to festival official announcements via email or other social media channels.

7. Festival Laurel
After a film is selected and/or awarded, the festival will provide a corresponding laurel. The film must incorporate the laurel in all formal copies and subsequent promotional materials. Modifying the laurel is strictly prohibited.

(Published in November 2025 by the MINT CFF Team)

2 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • dòu dou

    The most thoughtful and warmly curated film festival with lots of fun events and workshops in the beautiful Lake District, UK. Diverse and welcoming, definitely worth checking out!

    March 2026
    Helpful
  • Holly M. Kaplan

    Thank you for including us in your wonderful festival, we were happy to be a part of the 2nd edition of MINT! Although we did not attend in-person we felt the benefits of participating gave our film a great amount of exposure to connecting with audiences in the UK even through the internet. The critics program is a great and unique opportunity offered by the festival for the selected films to forge intimate connections to the UK audience.

    February 2024
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your kind words. We are super honour to have you and your film in our 2024 competition and we are glad to carry out your work in our touring project after the 2nd festival this autumn in Scotland. We wish you all the best!