Short Com is a leading short comedy BIFA qualifying film festival.

Short Com prides itself on the quality of its programme and the range of comedy stylings it has screened. The most emphatic thing we look for in a film is its ability to make an audience laugh or smile, thus we consider ourselves the most competitive comedy short film festival in Europe. Short Com has screened films from amateur made films to multi-award films that have screened at major film festivals and gone on to being Oscar shortlisted.

Screening dates this year will take place between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

London 2nd and 3rd September @ The Garden Cinema
Glasgow 17th September @ The Glasgow Film Theatre
Edinburgh 22nd and 23rd September @ The Cameo

Short Com has screened during the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival, in London, Manchester, Bristol and Berlin. For two years it was a guest programme at the Glasgow Short Film Festival.

Why submit to Short Com? Short Com prides itself on the quality of its programme. There is a great deal of honour to selected filmmakers who make it to the annual best of screenings. In the past we have been sponsored by Blackmagic Design, Final Draft and Festival Formula all donating fantastic prizes for winning films in our category awards section. We will be looking to work with new brands to continue this tradition and bring some excellent prizes.

2022 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2022-programme
2021 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/film-festival
2020 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2020-programme
2019 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2019-programme

Judges for 2023 festival

Best British Film
Eva OFlynn - Development Exec for Channel 4 Comedy
Adrian Barber - Festival Director at Bolton Film Festival
Jim Archer - Director of Brian and Charles and Big Boys

Grand Jury
Tom Kiesecoms - Programmer at Slash Film Festival and Lund Fantastic Film Festival
Amy O’Hara - Development Exec at Film 4

Animation
Liam Tate - Short Com alumni and one half of Tea&Cheese
Steven Hendry - Festival Director of Manchester Animation Festival and Editor of Skwigly Magazine

Best Performance
Dan Clarke - Writer and Director of How To Not Live Your Life and A Kind Of Kidnapping

Funniest Film
Vedran Rupic - Director and writer of The Diamond - Short Com Winner of Funniest Film 2022

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For Short Com TV Sitcom Writing Competition, please visit https://www.shortcom.org/script-competition for further details. The competition will return for 2023.

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Short Script Reading Services. We are now running a service for anyone looking for professional feedback for a short film script that they might be looking to produce and later submit the finished piece to Short Com. For further enquiries please email us at info@shortcom.org We will also offer a submission fee waiver to anyone who purchases these services.

Grand Jury Prize
Recognising the best overall film from the festival by our special select jury.

Funniest Film
The reason what separates Short Com from any other film festival. Celebrating the film that makes audiences laugh no end.

Best Animation
Recognising the best comedy animation short film.

Best British Film
Recognising the best film from domestic filmmaking talent.

Best Performance
Recognising the best on screen performance by acting talent.

Best Script
Recognising the best script by writing talent.

Prizes TBA

Digital certificate awarded to those screened at the awards ceremony.

Free consultancy meeting from film festival strategy experts, Festival Formula.

There are no set lengths for films but shorter is always considered better and easier to programme.

Films must be released after February 2022. Try to be honest please.

Foreign language entries must contain English subtitles.

The filmmaker gives permission for Short Com to use images and footage of their film for the purposes of promoting Short Com events and marketing materials.

Submitting your film to Short Com does not mean your film will be selected for screening at Short Com events. Only selected films are screened in the Short Com programme.

A final disclaimer. Filmmakers are responsible for any copyrighted material and licencing rights of music within their film. Short Com cannot be held responsible for the promotion and distribution of materials that contain footage or music that does not have the required legal permissions. Films will be deemed disqualified at submission stage if the submitted film does not hold all clearances.

Short Com is under no obligation to screen films that do not satisfy the criteria set above.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Megan Dahl

    We were so honored for Lily's Mirror to be included in this year's festival and nominated for Best Comedy, wish we could have attended in person! The communication, other films, and press materials were top notch.

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Megan! Absolutely loved screening Lily's Mirror. It's so out there and is such a brilliant brave and individualistic piece of filmmaking.

  • markus meedt

    We had a great time at Short Com. The "touring" aspect of the festival means more people get to see the films across the UK and Networking works on an in person and social media front.
    The team behind the festival was super supportive, incredibly welcoming on the day and the line up of films was impecable. We are so grateful to have been part of it. And can't wait to go again in the next year!

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Markus. And such a pleasure to meet you!

  • Varun Raman

    We had a blast playing MAN OR TREE at the festival in a strongly curated comedy programme at a great venue in the Peckhamplex. Would love to return to the festival again!

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Varun! Looking forward to seeing more from you guys in the future and well done on Man or Tree smashing the circuit.

  • Blue Iris Films

    Lovely festival and great films! Felt very welcomed and the communication was excellent.

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Liv! Pleasure to meet you and our gratitude for having Bound as part of our programme.

  • Tom Nicoll

    Fantastic festival, great films, lovely people!

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Tom! Really appreciate you coming and for being a big part in our programme of 2021. And best wishes for Lighting Tests on its journey on the film festival circuit.