NEW DATE:

February 7th, 2026 1pm to 3pm | đź“ŤRio Cinema, Dalston
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Due to an unprecedented volume of submissions, we've made the decision to move Underscore Cinema from its original September date to February 7th, 2026.

This extra time allows us to give every entry the careful attention it deserves and to curate an event that truly showcases the breadth and creativity of the work submitted.
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Underscore Cinema returns!

đź“Ł Brought to you by Underscore Studios in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI)

Underscore Cinema returns for its second edition — a bold and proudly grassroots festival that champions working-class filmmakers across the UK.
Presented by Underscore Studios and supported by the BFI, this year we’re once again taking over the iconic Rio Cinema in Dalston for a one-day celebration of radical, heartfelt, and boundary-pushing cinema from working-class voices.

Underscore Cinema is one of the very few festivals in the UK that unapologetically and explicitly champions working-class voices. We don’t just include them — we were built for them.

🎟 Free to Enter – On Purpose
Thanks to support from the BFI, submissions are 100% free. No hidden fees for filmmakers, no barriers. That’s the point. Class shouldn’t gatekeep creativity. This is your space.

🎯 Who Is This Festival For?
We welcome UK-based working-class directors, writers, and producers of short films (max. 20 minutes). Whether it’s your debut or your tenth project, whether your film is funny, raw, slow, loud, abstract — if it’s yours and it’s honest, we want to see it.

🌱 What We’re Trying to Do
Platform stories from working-class people
Build a pipeline for working-class talent in the UK film industry
Encourage collaboration, not competition
Make the industry better by making it more representative
Offer film-makers a community

Awards & Prizes

🚫 Why We Don’t Give Out Awards
There are no “winners” here — if your film is selected, you've already won.

In an industry obsessed with competition, we’re creating space for connection. There’s enough competition for working-class artists to get in the room let alone stay there.

No hierarchies, no prizes. Just a room full of people who get it — sharing work, building community, and making space.

Rules & Terms

đź’¬ At Underscore Cinema, we recognise that the definition of working-class is personal, nuanced, and shaped by social, economic, and cultural experiences.
For the purposes of our festival, we define "working-class" individuals as those who meet one or more of the following:
• Grew up in a low-income household with little or no access to wealth, savings, or private education.
• Qualified for free school meals or similar income-based educational support.
• Lived in social housing (council estate, housing association, or similar) during upbringing.
• Had parents or guardians whose jobs were classed as "routine," "semi-routine," or manual labour occupations (e.g., care worker, cleaner, shop worker, construction, driver).
• First generation to attend university or pursue creative careers without existing professional connections.
• Had limited access to cultural capital (i.e., unpaid internships, private tutoring, elite creative training).
We trust filmmakers to self-identify honestly and ask that you only submit under the Working-Class strand if your lived experience aligns with the spirit of these guidelines. For any questions please email info@underscorestudios.co.uk

âś… Entry Requirements
Open to UK-based filmmakers only
At least 50% of the film’s key creatives (Director, Writer, Producer) must identify as working-class.
Films must be 20 minutes or less
Films submitted must be completed after January 2023
All genres welcome (films don’t have to be about the topic working-class but can be)
English subtitles required for non-English dialogue
Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway — no email entries please