Scarlett International Film Festival (SIFF)

Based in Fife, Scotland, the Scarlett International Film Festival (SIFF) is a platform dedicated to discovering, celebrating, and elevating emerging filmmaking talent from every corner of the globe. We bridge the gap between independent creativity and professional recognition, bringing bold, original storytelling to audiences right here in Scotland and worldwide.

 

Our Mission
To deliver a high‑quality, inclusive awards experience that honours powerful narrative, technical skill, and fearless artistic vision — welcoming every genre, format, and voice.

 

How SIFF Works & What Filmmakers Receive

1. Selection & Judging
Every submission is reviewed thoroughly by our panel of judges, who evaluate work on narrative depth, technical craft, and unique artistic voice.

2. Event & Awards
Our official venue is the Morrisons Community Room, The Esplanade, Kirkcaldy, Fife. The festival operates as a private screening and judging event. Winners are announced officially via email and our social media channels.

3. Global Showcase
Selected and winning films are featured across our official website and social media channels, extending your reach to audiences, peers, and industry professionals around the world.

Awards & Prizes

Awards & Prizes

At the Scarlett International Film Festival (SIFF), we believe every achievement in filmmaking deserves professional recognition. Our awards are designed to help independent creators build their portfolios and gain international credibility.

All Official Winners will receive:

a. High‑resolution SIFF Selected / SIFF Winner digital laurel for your portfolio and promotion
b. Official Certificate of Excellence — Digital version available for download and printing
​ c. Global Spotlight: Featured on our official website and social media channels for extra exposure
d. Optional Extras: Detailed professional written review (£20) and engraved physical SIFF trophy (£22, includes UK postage; international shipping available at additional cost)

 
Main Award Categories

🏆 Top Awards

- Best Feature Film (Over 40 mins)
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- Best Short Film (Under 40 mins)
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- Best Documentary Feature (Over 40 mins)
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- Best Documentary Short (Under 40 mins)
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- Best Feature Screenplay (40+ pages)
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- Best Short Screenplay (Under 40 pages)

🎬 Creative & Technical Leadership

- Best Director
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- Best Producer
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- Best Cinematography
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- Best Editing
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- Best Sound Design
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- Best Visual Effects (VFX)

🎭 Performance

- Best Actor
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- Best Actress

🎨 Format & Special Interest

- Best Animation
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- Best Music Video
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- Best AI‑Generated Film / Video
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- Best Student Film
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- Best Trailer

Additional Honourable Mention laurels may be awarded at the judges’ discretion for work showing exceptional promise.

Rules & Terms

Rules & Terms – Scarlett International Film Festival (SIFF)

1. Submission Platform
All entries must be submitted exclusively through FilmFreeway. We do not accept submissions via email, post, or any other channel.
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2. Language Requirements
Any film or screenplay not in the English language must include clear, accurate English subtitles to be considered.
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3. Rights & Ownership
By submitting, you confirm that you are the legal owner of all rights to the work, including copyrights for footage, music, dialogue, and imagery. You retain full ownership of your material at all times; SIFF claims no rights beyond those stated here.
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4. Promotional Use
SIFF reserves the right to use short clips, still images, posters, or trailers from selected/winning entries solely for festival promotion, announcements, and social media sharing — always with clear credit to the creators.
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5. Eligibility – Production Date
To qualify, works must have been completed within the last 3 years before the relevant submission deadline. Older projects are not eligible for consideration.
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6. Category Entry Rules
A submission to an award-specific category (e.g. Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography) is only valid if the same project is also entered into one of the main categories (Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Screenplay, etc.). Entries that do not meet this requirement will be disqualified, and no refund will be issued.
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7. Fees & Refunds
All submission fees are non‑refundable once received, regardless of selection outcome or withdrawal.
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8. Honourable Mentions
The judging panel may award Honourable Mention laurels to entries demonstrating exceptional quality or promise, even if not selected as category winners.
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9. Decisions & Contact
All judging and selection decisions are final. We cannot provide detailed feedback on unselected entries unless the optional paid review service has been purchased.
8 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Will Bashor

    I am so honored that The Novice of Sitges has received the Best AI Film award at the Scarlett International Film Festival. Deeply grateful to the festival organizers, jurors, and everyone who supported this project. What began as a meditation on faith, guilt, and the unseen wounds of war has now found audiences far beyond Sitges, Spain. Thank you for believing in independent and AI-assisted storytelling.

    July 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for this thoughtful review, it was a pleasure to read.

    The Novice of Sitges left a lasting impression on us. Its exploration of faith, guilt, and the unspoken trauma of war is both profound and timely. We were particularly struck by how you blended these weighty themes with innovative storytelling techniques, which is why we were so pleased to award it Best AI Film. It’s a perfect example of how new tools can be harnessed to create deeply human and resonant cinema.

    We’re absolutely thrilled to hear the film is connecting with audiences beyond Sitges. That’s the true magic of film festivals, and we’re honored to have played a small part in its journey.

    Congratulations again on creating such a powerful and important piece of work. We can’t wait to see what you do next.

  • Gabor (Gabe) Gulyas

    Thank you! I so appreciate it

    July 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for your review, Gabe. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. It means a lot to our team, and we were very happy to have your work with us at SIFF. All the very best for your future projects!

  • Eir Í Ólavsstovu

    Thank you for the wonderful feedback!I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the fantastic response and the highly honorable review.Hearing that my work makes a positive difference means a great deal to me. Your feedback is not only deeply motivating but also incredibly useful for my future work. I truly appreciate that you took the time to share your experience.Thank you so much for your trust and great collaboration!

    July 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, it was a pleasure to read your kind words! We’re glad our feedback is useful and motivating for your work. It means a lot to have you with us, thank you for sharing your film and best of luck for the future!

  • Stephen Hessel

    Great festival to work with and honored to have The Leaf-a-teers win for Best Animation.

    July 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much. it was a joy to recognise The Leaf‑a‑teers with the Best Animation award. We really enjoyed the film and loved its creativity and style.

    We are delighted you found the festival easy and rewarding to work with, that means a great deal to our whole team. Wishing you and your project every success on its journey ahead!

  • Magda Jakubowska

    Thank You, Scarlett International Film Festival, for honoring our film 'BROTHER IN LAW' with two very important awards! It means a lot! Huge thanks to the whole team for the excellent organization and communication.

    June 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Magda! It was an absolute pleasure to have Brother in Law in our official selection and to honour it with both Best Feature Film and Best Actor awards.

    We truly appreciate your kind words about our organisation and communication, that means a great deal to our team. Your powerful film and its outstanding performances stood out clearly to the jury, and we are delighted to help share its success.

    Wishing you, Szymon, Arkadiusz, and the whole team every continued success ahead!