** SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED, WE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING ANY LATE ENTRIES, PLEASE SUBMIT FOR OUR 2027 EDITION ONCE SUBMISSIONS OPEN IN OCTOBER <3 **
Join us for the 7th year of the BIFA accredited, UK's leading women's film festival. Rated in the top 100 film festivals in the world!
Women X is an independent film festival, with the mission to champion the voices of women and gender nonconforming filmmakers and bring their bold, diverse stories to audiences. From comedies that make you laugh out loud, to dramas that linger long after the credits, to stories that evoke the deepest of emotions and everything experimental and wonderful in between, your story belongs here and we can't wait to show it.
This year, we’re thrilled to welcome submissions for feature films. Every film is given thoughtful consideration by our experienced programming team, ensuring fairness and curiosity guide what we showcase, steering away from pigeon holes and industry bias.
Our festival isn’t just about screenings. We host across Darlington’s beautiful heritage sites such as The Hippodrome and The Library, transforming the town into a cinematic playground for filmmakers and audiences alike. Alongside screenings, filmmakers are invited to participate in networking, craft sessions, writers’ labs, industry talks, and filmmaker roundtables, creating a weekend that’s as enriching as it is fun. (And we haven't even mentioned the themed quiz night yet).
We’ve also expanded our Script Competition, celebrating un-produced short film ideas with not only prizes available, but the opportunity to be part of our weekend writers residency, deepening your connection to your script and meet likeminded creatives, we're so thrilled that several of our script comp finalists have gone on to make their films, including screening them at the festival years later!
If you’re unsure which category fits, the ‘all shorts’ option is always safe. Mid-length films go into a single category due to the extra viewing time. You only have to submit to one category.
All submissions are treated equally which means we grant NO WAIVER CODES, women film festivals receive approx 50% less funding than average film festivals, we would cease to exist unfortunately by handing out free entries, emails requesting codes will not be responded to - we get hundreds!
We can’t wait to see your films, share your stories, and make 2026 a weekend to remember.
We celebrate the amazing achievements of the filmmakers we feature at our festival through multiple awards presented at our awards ceremony at the closing night of the festival.
Best British Film, Best International Film, Best Student Film, Best Animated Film*, Best Documentary Film*, 4 x Northern Excellence Awards, Best Director, Best Writer, Best Producer, Best Lead Performance, Best Ensemble Performance, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Production Design*, Best Costume Design*, Youth Jury Award judged by young Northern film enthusiasts, and the Rianne Pictures Rising Star Award for those emerging in their early career.
Our feature films programme is not competitive and therefore does not have an award, this will change in 2027.
*These particular awards are dependent on the number of relevant films within our final programme.
The Women X Film Festival Script Competition back for its fourth year, celebrating writers who have completed scripts or impressive drafts, that are not yet in production, we award 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes as well as inviting along the finalists to our festival to take part in our popular writers residency where they will have access to exclusive workshops, speakers, networking sessions and our sold out pitching event!
