The Midlands Movies Awards is an annual awards ceremony for Midlands (UK) films and filmmakers.
What are we planning?
For our 10th annivesary, Midlands Movies will again be recognising all the movie-making talent from the area in 2026. Our awards will bring attention to the many amazing local films completed in the Midlands region of the UK.
What are the rules?
Make a film in the Midlands! Our focus is on films from the area so 75% of your finished and submitted film MUST have been shot/made on location in the Midlands region of the UK. For details please check full terms & conditions below. Films submitted will be considered across all eligible categories.
How much does it cost?
To cover admin costs, we charge a small amount to enter each of your films. For just one single price your film is entered into all of the 16 categories it may be eligible for.
When will the ceremony happen?
The red carpet evening will take place Saturday June 27th 2026 at the Y Theatre in Leicester in partnership with Chrome Video (www.chromevideo.co.uk)
Who’s on the jury panel?
A jury panel of respected and experienced film professionals have the difficult task of choosing nominations and winners.
JURY PANEL 2026:
VIP JURY PANEL MEMBER - RACHEL SHENTON
Academy Award winner Rachel Shenton is a writer, actress and co-owner of Slick Films and earned her Oscar for best live-action short film for The Silent Child in 2018, which she wrote & starred in. Her film helped put the deaf community on the industry's biggest stage when her acceptance speech used British Sign Language. Rachel also founded The Midlands Screen Acting School and co-leads the Slick Films Fund, both dedicated to championing working-class talent. Rachel has starred in all series of acclaimed drama All Creatures Great and Small and also hit BBC/Netflix series White Gold, after beginning her career in Channel 4's Hollyoaks. Her US TV debut had her playing Lily Summers in ABC Family drama Switched at Birth, and on the big screen, she is starring in Lionsgate's The Strangers film trilogy reboot, directed by Renny Harlin. Rachel will choose the winner of the Best Short Film category.
* TENISHA WHITE (Filmmaker)
* ELLIE L. KILBY, HENDRIK HARMS & KIRSTIE GREGORY (Worcester Film Festival)
* SOPHIE BLACK (Filmmaker, Triskelle Pictures)
* CLAIRE BENNETT (Scriptwriter, BBC's Doctors)
* AJAY BHADRESA (Film editor, MetFilm School B'ham)
* MATT TILT (Film critic, What's In A Scene)
* GRANT BLACK (Deputy CEO, Rural Media)
* MIKE SALES (Editor, Midlands Movies)
The Hobbit and Captain America acting superstar Richard Armitage headed up 2025's panel & past VIP jury members include Parminder Nagra (DI Ray / Bend It Like Beckham), Shane Meadows (This Is England), Debbie Isitt (BAFTA winning director), Richard Billingham (Turner prize nominee / director), Dharmesh Rajput (Birmingham Indian Film Fest), Pin Cushion director Deborah Haywood, Denyce Blackman (Film Birmingham) & Steve Oram (lead actor in Ben Wheatley's Sightseers).
NEW! Submit to the 2026 Midlands Movies Awards now and receive a code for 50% off entry for the Mansfield Town Film Festival!
And finally…
We appreciate everyone’s tremendous efforts in their filmmaking endeavours and can't wait to see all the talented films, filmmakers, cast and crew from the region once more in 2026!
CATEGORIES
1. Best Short (chosen by VIP jury member TBC)
2. Best Feature
3. Actor in a Leading Role
4. Actress in a Leading Role
5. Actor in a Supporting Role
6. Actress in a Supporting Role
7. Animated Film
8. Costume & Makeup & Hairstyling
9. Directing
10. Documentary
11. Editing
12. Music (Score or song)
13. Cinematography
14. Sound (Editing or Mixing)
15. Visual Effects
16. Writing (Original or adapted screenplay)
