Every year we showcase a selection of intriguing, challenging, and exciting short films curated by the team at South London Shorts. The admission we receive from these nights and our FilmFreeway submissions is returned as a cash prize to filmmakers at the end of each screening.

South London Shorts is an entirely not-for-profit, community-led endeavour dedicated to showcasing local talent and helping out where short filmmakers need it most: getting cash.

In past we have offered film grants ranging from £500 to £5,000. At present we will be offering a cash prize to the winner of our Audience Choice vote at the end of each screening.

In our past life we were a registered BFI Neighbourhood Cinema and will soon be re-launching as a Cinema For All Community Cinema

Awards & Prizes

At every screening we charge £5 admission which goes straight back towards the winner of our Audience Choice vote who receives £100 cash on the night!

Rules & Terms

- Currently we are accepting short films under 20 mins in length that have been produced within the past 3 years

- We accept all genres/styles/topics but we reserve the right to not screen any film that can be considered racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, islamophobic, etc. or that promotes violence against women. We watch a lot of shorts at SLS and all though we may support the issues behind issue films, we can become tired of seeing explainer cards at the start or end of these films. We like stories to speak for themselves. We also love a well-composed soundtrack as opposed to tinkly piano.

- The fee for submitting a short to SLS is non-refundable and will go directly to The SLS Prize Fund

- We have a rolling deadline for submissions and therefore notifications can often be delayed. If you have not heard from us, your film may still be in consideration and could be held for screening at a later date. Please do not email us for notification updates. If we choose to screen your film, you will be notified and invited well in advance.

- Films we do select may be screened at any future SLS event; if you have been selected, we will get in touch with the details of your film's screening in due course. Again, please do not email; we will be in touch with all the relevant information.

- As we are a not-for-profit organisation and all money raised goes back to filmmakers we do not offer fee waivers and we do not offer screening fees.

11 Reviews
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Networking
  • Jon Gill

    South London Shorts was excellent. A small gathering of people passionate about filmmaking and what a selection of films... I was blown away to be screening "Ben Wilson Chewing Gum Man: Hidden Worlds Beneath Your Feet" along side them and would definitely submit again.

    A great location – the church hall is right next to the tube station (Peckham Rye) and the picture and sound was first class.

    And it was great that people wanted to gather afterwards and share more about their experience and talk about the films.

    A very cool festival!

    September 2024
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  • Eduarda Vieira

    Thank you so much for south London shorts for selecting Nook with a View and play it next to amazing short films! It was a friendly and cozy event in a beautiful church venue. Highly recommended.

    September 2024
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  • Ed Willey

    Great little festival, great comms and honoured our film was selected against some other really great shorts, highly recommend! :)

    September 2024
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  • alexander williams

    Here at Escape Studios in London we were delighted to have our short film "Jerich0" selected for the festival. Many thanks for a great experience!

    December 2019
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  • AVCD Films

    Thank you for selecting my film! Buka Mata (Wake) sadly i couldnt attend the screening

    December 2019
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