Short Com is a one of the leading comedy specific film and animation festivals around the world. And is both a BAFTA and BIFA qualifying film festival.

Short Com prides itself on the quality of its programme and the range of comedy stylings it has screened, by filmmakers all around the globe. 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 winners.

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. And has also co-programmed for the BBC for their Comedy Festival in Newcastle 2022 and Glasgow in 2024.

Our festival programme screens between London in late September and Edinburgh during the Fringe and International Festival period.

Why submit to Short Com? If you want your film programmed alongside the best films that recognises and respects the beauty of comedy. Then we're the festival for you. Comedy aside, filmmakers and audiences often claim that we have the best film programmes they've ever seen. When you become a Short Com alumni, we'll also be there to support you and try to help you in your career where we can.
2025 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2025-programme
2024 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2024-programme
2023 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2023-programme
2022 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2022-programme
2021 Programme -https://www.shortcom.org/2021-programme
2020 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2020-programme
2019 Programme - https://www.shortcom.org/2019-programme

Judges for 2026 TBA festival

Previous judges have included ; Eva O'Flynn - Development Exec for Channel 4 Comedy,
Jim Archer - Director of Brian and Charles and Big Boys, Tom Kiesecoms - Programmer at Slash Film Festival, Steven Hendry - Festival Director of Manchester Animation Festival and Editor of Skwigly Magazine Amy O’Hara - Development Exec at Film 4, Rob Munday Directors Notes, Gregor Sharp BBC Comedy and more.

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If your film can also be considered genre (horror, fantasy, Sci-Fi, action), it might be also worth checking out our genre sister festival SI-FAN (https://filmfreeway.com/SI-FAN)

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For Short Com TV Sitcom Writing Competition, please visit https://www.shortcom.org/script-competition for further details.
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Awards & Prizes

Grand Jury Prize
Recognising the best overall overseas film from the festival by our special selection jury. (For films over 5 minutes)

Best Animation
Recognising the best comedy animation short film.
(For films over 5 minutes)

Best British Film
Recognising the best film from domestic filmmaking talent.
(For films over 5 minutes)

Funniest Film
The reason that separates Short Com from any other film festival. Celebrating the film that makes audiences laugh no end.
(All films qualify)

Best Short-Short
The best and funniest film or animation under five minutes long.

Prizes TBA

Laurels for selected filmmakers.

Physical award for Best British Short Film.

Rules & Terms

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

Films must be released after February 2025. 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 licensing 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 the 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.

We do not offer screener fees. Our screenings are operated as not-for-profit out of respect to not profiteer from selected filmmakers.

We do not require premier status.

Please do not leave a cover letter or email the festival after submitting. We judge films purely on the film and not what might be mentioned in a cover letter. Save your time.

Heavily influenced A.I. films will not be accepted. Have some self-respect as filmmakers.

Animators! If your film is under 5 minutes, please use the micro-short submission option. And remember, we are a COMEDY festival.

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For TV Sitcom Writing Competition, please visit

https://www.shortcom.org/script-competition

For our Comedy and Genre Feature Screenplay Competition, please visit

https://www.shortcom.org/featurescreenplaycomp

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Entrants from either the film festival or our script competition will be added to our mailing list. Don't worry. We don't post often.

21 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ben Hyland

    The films cracked me up. A couple I saw were my favourites of 2025. When I grow up I wanna be Chris Aitkin.

    January 2026
    Helpful
  • Carmela Marie Murphy

    We are so thankful to Short Com for screening our stop motion film, "A Bird Hit My Window and Now I'm a Lesbian." We were honored to be a part of the LGBTQ+ Selection." Chris and the team were super communicative, supportive, and kind!

    xoxo,
    Carmela and AJ

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Anne Gately

    A fantastic festival that we were so lucky to screen at. It was clear that a lot of thought went into the curation of shorts as they were all at such a high standard and obviously hilarious. Great communication all round and great buzz and we hope to see more of Shortcom!

    Shout out to Chris who was a complete gent.

    October 2025
    Helpful
  • Will Farrell

    Loved Short Com! The best fest around!

    October 2025
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  • Sergiy Kulybyshev

    Oh, I'm incredibly inspired by your festival, the level of competition is great, the films in the programme are brilliant, I got an incomparable pleasure from watching the participating films and the result. I laughed and rejoiced. Excellent communication and hospitality from the organisers. There are not enough stars in the world to give Short Com a rating. Thank you so much!

    October 2024
    Helpful