Small London-based theatre company Shadow Road Productions founded the UNBROKEN Mental Health Awareness Festival in 2016 with the main aim of increasing awareness of the issues, reducing the stigma surrounding them by opening up the conversation, and confounding expectations as to what a production about 'mental health' might involve!

In 2017 we launched the UNBROKEN Short Film Prize, so that we could encourage the exploration of the vital issue of mental health via yet another art form. The range and quality of entries we received was very exciting and has continued to grow since then.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 UNBROKEN Short Film festival took place digitally, with audiences being able to view the selected shortlist online and vote for their favourite! Opening up this festival so more people could see the final shortlisted films was a huge success, with over 1,000 people watching and voting for their favourite.

The festival has since continued with this digital element - hopefully with an in person event for people to attend as well and watch the chosen films all together, but this will be dependent on how the pandemic unfolds.

We hope that a number of film makers - young & not so young, first timers & old hands, those with experience of the issues & those with an interest - will once again feel inspired by the subject matter and the freedom they have to explore it.

Awards & Prizes

The winning film will receive £100 and the runner up will receive £50. A £25 Audience's Choice prize will also be awarded - audience members will be able to watch the shortlisted films and vote for their favourite. These awards and prizes will be announced on 10th October 2023 - World Mental Health Day .

Rules & Terms

The short film has to be concerned in some way with mental health.
Duration: Under 10 minutes.

Terms and Conditions:

1) We reserve the right to disqualify any competition entries that we deem to be derogatory, unjustifiably disrespectful or offensive, or in any other way inappropriate for inclusion in the festival.

2) By entering this competition you are giving us permission to screen your film as part of the UNBROKEN mental health awareness festival in October 2023. You are also agreeing to take part in certain activities to publicise the UNBROKEN festival and film awards or to complement the screening itself. These may include but are not limited to providing us with a photo and a biography for the website &/or programme, taking part in an interview or Q&A, and writing a guest blog post. Such material as is generated this year may also be used in following years as part of the publicity for future UNBROKEN festivals and Short Film Prizes.

3) The judges' decision is final. We will not enter into any discussion regarding either the decision made to shortlist (or not) any particular film, or the choice of Winner and Runner Up.

4) In the event of a tie for the Audience's Choice award, the Festival Director - or, in their absence, their chosen representative - will have the casting vote and their decision will be final.
7 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Tom Crooke

    Excellent festival full of some excellent films - will definitely be returning! Thank you so much for your hard work and passion.

    October 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Tom, thank you for your kind words and congratulations on your fantastic film! We were very proud to include 'Little Things' in this year's festival and we look forward to seeing your work next time.

  • Charlie Brades-Price

    Unbroken was thoughtful and professional throughout. It was an honour for our film "Well-Meaning People" to be included in their 2020 virtual festival. The feedback given about our film is extremely valuable. Thank you.

    October 2020
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Charlie. It was a joy to showcase your film at this years festival! Thank you for taking the time to leave us this wonderful review and cannot wait to see your next film.

  • Annette Westwood

    Truly inspiring, supportive & wonderful festival! An extraordinary selection of powerful, brave and moving films & such a friendly and incredible team. Highly recommend!!

    October 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Many thanks for your wonderful words, Annette - they mean a great deal to us! We're so glad you enjoyed taking part and we have been delighted to see your film doing so well since then - congratulations! :-D

  • Ray Jacobs

    It was a real pleasure sharing my film at this festival, located in a friendly arts centre in park surrounding in London. A great selection of films exploring mental health were projected, everyone was very friendly and it was great hearing filmmakers own stories about their works, Thank You, Unbroken film fest !

    October 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thank YOU, Ray - both for your extremely kind words, which are much appreciated, and for sharing your fantastic film with us! Hope all is well and that we might see you at this year's festival. :-)

  • Veronica Padilla

    Thank you for hosting!! I wish I could have made it out. :)

    September 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you very much for submitting your lovely film, Veronica - it was extremely well received. :-) We wish you could have joined us, too - maybe next time, though? ;-)