SOUTHPORT INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Again, this year we are pleased to announce that our Patron, Tony Jordan, CEO of Red Planet Pictures, and his team will be judging our Best in Fest films and awarding the GRAND PRIZE of £1000 to the winner.

Run by film-makers for film-makers, this festival is destined to become a significant annual event on the cultural calendar in the Northwest of England. Our simple aim is to showcase the very best short films from around the world.

In 2021, the festival ran in a live venue and also online. We have decided to continue with this model as it allows our international festival entries to participate in the event. If your film is selected for the festival, it will be on the understanding that your film will have a curated access both live and online for the period of the festival. After the screening, your film will not be available online. If you refuse permission for online screening, your selection status remains in place and your film will only be screened in our venue.

The festival venue is the purpose-built Bijou Cinema, a community enterprise project that shares both our joint passion for film in all it's forms, as well as a desire to share this passion with the whole of the community. (https://southportbijoucinema.co.uk)

Your Southport Film Festival fee covers
• Competition entry;
• Up to 4 Festival Passes for cast and crew of films selected for the festival;
• Free entry to the Festival Award Ceremony.

Awards will be given to category winners as well as the all-important 'Best in Festival'

Banner image -Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash

"Best in Fest" - £1000 cash prize.

Best Drama
Best Non-Fiction
Best Horror
Best Student
Best Animation
Best Comedy
Best NorthWest Filmmaker

Submissions MUST be made through this site and completed after 1st January 2019. Submissions MUST include an on-screen viewer for selection purposes. Films entered MUST be no longer than 20 minutes.

The films accepted into the Festival are required to provide for screening .mov or MP4 digital files. Delivery costs of the screening media are borne by the submitter. Screening material will not be returned.

All packages from outside Europe must bear the declaration: “for temporary importation only and for cultural use at a film festival - of no commercial value”. Documentation / proforma invoices for films from outside the EU must not state a value that exceeds £10 as this often attracts importation taxes. Any film attracting freight charges/ importation taxes our end will not be accepted, and will be returned at the sender’s own cost or may be retained by UK customs, where its retrieval will be the sender’s responsibility.

Payment can only be made via this site. Viewing copies must be received with all relevant supporting materials by the submission deadline unless by prior arrangement a late submission has been agreed with the Festival.

Press packs are not essential at this stage but can be sent as digital versions via email.

If selected the screening copy should be with the festival two weeks before the start of the festival.

Any film submitted to the festival using a 'fee waiver' issued by the festival will be eligible for relevant category awards. However, they will not be considered for the Best in Festival award nor the cash prize.

All prizes will be processed through bank transfer. No other form of payment will be used. It is the recipients responsibility to ensure that they can comply with this requirement.

SELECTION PROCEDURE
On receipt of a submission, the entrant will receive an email confirmation and a reference number from FilmFreeway that should be quoted on all future correspondence. Selection notification to all applicants will be as early as possible but at the latest one month before the festival.

Applicants must confirm acceptance within 7 days of receiving notification quoting their reference number and at this stage should supply any stills/images etc. to be used in the festival brochure (if not supplied in advance). Screening material should be supplied 2 weeks prior to the festival, to allow time to check the technical quality.

NB SOUTHPORT FILMFEST IS CO-ORDINATED BY PHOENIX PROCUREMENT SERVICES LTD (PPS) WHOM IS THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY. PPS RESERVES THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME TO WITHDRAW, POSTPONE, CANCEL OR MAKE ANY ALTERATION TO (OR PART TO) THE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OR FESTIVAL PROGRAMME WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULTATION. Postal Address: SOUTHPORT FILMFEST, 212 Bramcote Lane, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 4EX. United Kingdom. Telephone: 0750 2011547, email: johncurrie@yahoo.co. Southport FilmFest is operated by Phoenix Procurement Services Ltd, a registered company limited by guarantee. No. 06365524.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Many thanks for screening our film "Earl's Town" for your audience - we are so grateful to have been invited!

    July 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Loved your film - happy to have you with us.

  • Joe Mascari

    Fantastic festival for the world premier of our short documentary. Frank and the team put on a brilliant event and we hope to back again next year!

    July 2022
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    Response from festival:

    We'd love to have you back.

  • An excellent film festival! I was delighted that my short animated film 'Fire and Water' was selected for screening here!

    July 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you!

  • Ross White

    A wonderfully run festival with excellent communication throughout. Would highly recommend!

    July 2022
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    Response from festival:

    A well deserved winner! Hope to see your work in the future.

  • Gene Dolders

    A fantastic atmosphere and a very enjoyable experience. Communication from the organisers was always quick and very helpful.

    July 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much.