Discover Film Awards

The Discover Film Awards is one of the biggest short film festivals in the world with over 5,000 annual submissions from nearly 100 countries, global premiers in London's Leicester square with packed cinema audiences, filmmaker parties, red carpet events, script-pitching round tables with funding available for new projects and an annual cash prize fund of over USD 50,000, including the prestigious Craghoppers Film Prize.

Spread over 5 days in October 2019, The Discover Film Awards involve public cinema screenings at the Prince Charles cinema in London's Leicester Square. Quentin Tarantino describes it as his favourite cinema in London saying it is "everything an independent movie theatre should be”. As well as public screenings, the festival includes networking events, a filmmaker supper, and free parties at some of London's most prestigious venues including The Ivy, Somerset House and The Hospital Club that bring together film makers, investors, distributors, journalists, film producers and media professionals.

Discover.film are looking for the best short films: stories that share a glimpse of filmmakers lives; what bothers them or makes them laugh, of injustices, of unsung heroes, of the serious, the bizarre, the funny or just where filmmakers' imaginations take them.

A major supporting partner of the festival is Craghoppers, the global outdoor clothing brand, which awards The Craghoppers Film Prize as part of The Discover Film Awards. This celebrates the very best talent of student and established short filmmakers. It includes a student cash prize of £2,000 (USD 2,600). The ultimate Craghoppers Film Prize is up for grabs at the October Discover Film Awards and entries will be shortlisted from all winners from the April and October festivals, no matter what genre or who has entered. The first prize is £20,000 (USD 26,000) in cash with a second prize of £5,000 (USD 6,500) in cash and an additional award of £5,000 (USD 6,500) for the best social impact film.

Unlike a lot of festivals, The Discover Film Awards make no apologies for having a commercial edge. Their head of programming & chair of judges, Jaine Green has produced and directed over 50 commercially successful films and documentaries. Other members of the judging panel include Katie Bailiff, founder of Century Films and Neville Schulman, adviser to Ridley Scott on Blade Runner, Black Hawk Down and Gladiator.

Selected films get the option of various paid distribution channels including international TV, trains and airlines. Distribution is optional and entirely up to the filmmakers.

As well as cash prizes, winners can get help with future film projects in the form of discounted rates from partner firms (such as production houses) and mentoring from senior commercial film and business executives. The festival also introduces filmmakers to funding sources for future projects and offers publicity across a wide range of media (print and social).