The 7th to the 9th of May 2027 will see the second Working Class Film Festival take place at The Showroom, Sheffield. Submissions for film and moving image of all types and lengths are invited from producers, directors and writers that hail from a working class background.

This year sees the addition of two submission categories aimed at elevating local talent and those from the North of England through a subsidised entry fee- Locals rule and the North Prevails.

The festival aims to highlight the talent of a wide and underrepresented demographic within the film industry; with only 8% of people working within the creative sector being born into a working class family. A key remit of the inaugural weekend is to highlight the many intersections of the working class paradigm, including gender, race and sexuality. The concluding aim of the first year is a will to recognise and journey beyond the kitchen sink into realms of the fantastic, horrifying and wonderful, with a strong encouragement for genre cinema to be submitted.

We welcome submissions in any and all languages.

We are keen to platform those in financial difficulties and waiver codes are available via email.

Awards & Prizes

In the spirit of working class solidarity, no prizes will be given. All works included are presented as a lateral and vital part of the festival.

Rules & Terms

Work must only be submitted if the majority of the production team, writer or director are of a working class background. The definitions of this are wide and shifting, but for the purposes of this submission guidance, the following markers may be useful in you making a decision upon whether or not you would like to submit to the festival:

- Your parents had what would be classed as a working class job, such as a builder, cleaner, miner, nurse or postal worker.

- You currently or have previously been employed in a working class profession.

- You rely on a monthly salary from labour or freelance employment to survive.

- You have struggled or are struggling to purchase your own house.

- You were one of the first members of your family to attend university.

- You have or continue to receive benefits to subsidise your pay or you are in receipt of benefits because you are unable to/looking for work.

- You received free school dinners, milk or other subsidies whilst at school.

- You have at any point qualified for financial assistance, bursary or scholarship on financial grounds.

- Any film entered may be disqualified if inputted into the wrong category, so please choose carefully. Time sensitive categories take into account any titling or credits attached to the project.

- If you feel that your film fits into two categories, pick the one that is logistically of higher significance e.g. a 60 second documentary would be best submitted as a microfilm rather than a documentary.

- We reserve the right to close the entries early. In the spirit of working class solidarity, no prizes will be given, everyone included is presented as a lateral and vital part of the festival.

- Works must remain legal.

- All intellectual properties must be owned or licensed to the producers of the film, in keeping with UK copywrite law.

- If selected for the festival, the film must be submitted with hard-coded, legible English subtitles.

- Working Class Film Festival reserves the right to utilise stills and excerpts of any works submitted for publicity of the event.

- At this time we are not accepting work wholly generated using Large Language Model AI.
7 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Rebecca del Tufo

    Thank you Working Class Film Festival for sharing our film and for welcoming us so wholeheartedly. The curation of the festival was great - an inspiring selection of films. And it was great to meet other filmmakers and share our paths, worries and joys. A great new addition to the festival circuit.

    May 2026
    Helpful
  • Hallie Halliday and Rupert Knoll

    It was such a wonderful experience to have my film shown at The Working Class Film Festival! Fantastic communication and programming from Elle, who was also a great interviewer during the Q&A. Wholeheartedly recommend applying to this festival so we can see it grow bigger and better. I will certainly be applying again in the future :)

    May 2026
    Helpful
  • Patrick Fornari

    Giving full points in all categories despite not having had the chance to be there, simply because it is always great that such small festivals exist. Especially this one explicitly featuring the working class as it is important to show what we can do in our endeavor to bring the different classes together in whatever art they create. Especially in times like these.

    May 2026
    Helpful
  • Katy Trevor

    An absolute honour to have our film Friday is Mushroom Soup screened at the first edition of The Working Class Film Festival. Fantastic communication, lovely organisers and a festival that truly champions working class creatives - 100% recommend submitting and supporting - long may this festival continue.

    May 2026
    Helpful
  • Morning Sir Productions

    It was a genuine pleasure to have our film, Gan Canny, screened at this festival. From the very beginning, the build-up to the event was excellent — creating real excitement and making filmmakers feel valued and included throughout the process. Communication was clear and the social media presence was excellent!

    This film has absolute commitment to championing working-class stories and underrepresented voices. That focus is so important, especially right now given the industry bias that is so prevalent, and it was inspiring to see a platform that truly celebrates authentic, diverse filmmaking and gives space to voices that deserve to be heard.

    We’re very grateful to have been part of the first ever Working Class Film Festival and would happily recommend the festival to other filmmakers. Wishing Elle and the team every success with future events — we’ve no doubt it will continue to grow and make a real impact.

    May 2026
    Helpful