Learn more about the Lift-Off Global Network and how we support our filmmakers. Watch coverage from our festivals, see the interviews and engage with our live workshops directly from our YouTube Channel. Simply copy and paste this link into a separate tab: https://www.youtube.com/c/liftoffglobalnetwork

For over ten years Lift-Off has been showcasing some of the most exciting national and international newcomers to indie film from the beating heart of North West England. If you are a filmmaker looking to move forward in your career Lift-Off is exactly where you should start. From one to one marketing consultations, to exposure to sales agents, talent agents and press, we are the launch pad for unsung raw filmmaking talent.

Manchester Lift-Off is not like any other film festival in Manchester or the North of England by any stretch of the imagination. We are a professional showcase, where the priority is our filmmakers making the next step in their careers. From representation at Cannes, EFM in Berlin, The American Film Market and beyond.

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FREE SUBMISSIONS TO ALL LIFT-OFF FILM FESTIVALS WITH NETWORK MEMBERSHIP

Lift-Off Global Network invites you to join our Network Members' platform which will provide you with the resources you need to launch your filmmaking career.

Intermediate Membership is an annual subscription of $89, which entitles you to:

- Fee waivers to all Lift-Off Showcases (worth $300)
- Free tickets to Lift-Off Film Festivals and the Lift-Off Season Awards
- Career guidance from the Lift-Off co-founders
- The chance to apply for representation at international film markets including Cannes, EFM, and AFM

Our Professional Membership is an annual subscription of $189, everything Intermediate Membership offers you:

- Fee waivers across our entire festival network (worth $700)
- Access to an international film jobs database
- Access to scripts from our Network
- Upload your own scripts
- Access to a detailed 5-week production accelerator course

For more information please head to our website: https://liftoff.network/membership/

Awards & Prizes

Our prizes and awards stretch from the submission level, all the way through to the Lift-Off Season Awards at the end of each year. We offer as much as possible to all who submit, our officially selected filmmakers, our nominees, and winners.

At the submission level.

Value for your submission fee. Exclusive content emailed to every submitter up-to 24hrs from the time of submission.

High scoring films. If your film scores high but isn't included in our final programme you will be invited to our Lift-Off Online Film Festival initiative, an online competitions which run parallel with the respective live city screenings - where the top two winners get official selections at either of the next two Lift-Off cities.

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The Lift-Off Season Awards

To celebrate and look back on the Lift-Off Season, Lift-Off host a prestigious awards ceremony called the Lift-Off Season Awards. The black tie event sees filmmakers, press, and industry professionals gather at the world-famous Lift-Off Season Awards for a night of awards, music, and networking.

Visit https://liftoff.network/season-awards/ to find out more.

Nominees are chosen after each Lift-Off Film Festival.
The categories:

Best Feature Live Action Narrative
Best Feature Documentary
Best Short Live Action Narrative
Best Short Documentary
Best Director
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Music Video
Best Animation
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Post Production
Best Screenplay
Best Actor
Best First-Time Film

We can’t wait to see which films get nominated this year!

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Script Selections

The top 5 Screenplays will be showcased across the Community platform, featured in the Lift-Off newsletter which is sent to our 35,000 filmmakers, and shared across social media.

Screenwriters will be invited to include their work in our online Community portal. The portal is a curated database of quality scripts that are looking for production.

Lift-Off Community directors and producers are actively looking for projects to develop. They can use the portal to find their next potential projects, and contact the writers directly to discuss the optioning of scripts, development and rights.
All entries should be completed scripts, short or feature length, and you should be actively looking for collaboration or development.

Rules & Terms

If you pay a submission fee, we will screen your work. Our programme's are separated into categories based on your content's level of storytelling, production value, message and acting. During the festival we have two voting committees - our professional jury and the general public. The films are scored and the top voted films are then promoted into our internal Network Round, where the Jury and our Network's Professional Members vote for the winners. Winners are announced, prizes and Season Award Nominations are given for the content chosen during this final round.

Lift-Off Season Award Nominations are handed out based on merit within each category and are judged against the current crop of nominations we have so far from our City based festivals this Season. To get a sense of the event please check out our previous Season Award videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkThH9jb4zY

Digital online submission screeners only.
Feedback is sent shortly after the commencement of the festival.

Proudly, we have no other restrictions for your work. This includes your work's premiere status, its age and/or whether your work has been made available online.
30 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Zlila Helman

    It was a great honor and pleasure to be part of this FF- you gave me an opportunity to have a dialogue with an audience and other filmmakers sharing my vision about different people, cultures and religions who have the same dreams , hopes and desire for better world : i hope my short doc. reflected it: " 1. "We have a dream...." 2." The invisibles : Lost in Berlin" 3." Girls Soccer beyond borders "
    4." Searching for the meaning of Life". Thank you very much.

    May 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Pleasure to screen your documentary work Zlila, thank you for using the platform and connecting with fellow filmmakers and their work. It's what it's all about!

  • Lucio Arisci

    Thank you very much to the audience of the festival. It was a great honor to be awarded with this prize for The Yellow Queen a road movie. A very nice festival with a very good networking.

    April 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Pleasure to screen this brilliant doc Lucio! Congratulations on your Audience Choice Award :D

  • Charlotte Dafol

    A dense and careful communication by the festival. Despite the distance, we could feel we were together.

    April 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Great to hear you felt that way Charlotte, do continue to use the Hub to keep networking via that platform!

  • Evangelina Romero Belvedere

    It was an amazing opportunity to show my project to others filmmakers from all around the world. Thank you so much Lift Off for the good organization and communication!

    April 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Evangelina, glad to hear you enjoyed the festival experience. Best of luck with future selections!

  • Brijesh Gurnani

    Great festival we are happy to be part of this festival. Wish you all the luck for future.

    April 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Brijesh. Good luck with the rest of your festival circuit with your feature.