Shorts On Tap is London's fastest growing short film community.
For over 10 years we have screened hundreds of short films and documentaries at our sold-out events across the capital, becoming the place-to-be for London's independent filmmakers.
Shorts On Tap is also active with regular events in Berlin and Tokyo.

"The hippest
film night in London"
~Londonist

Much more than a short film festival, Shorts On Tap is an inclusive platform dedicated to the spreading of ideas through short-format content.
Shorts On Tap's themed events and series have touched thousands of people, making SOT one of the most vibrant & sought-after nights in London.

Partners include Samsung, the BFI, Raindance Film Festival, Sony, Kickstarter, Shooting People as well as prestigious film schools such as the London Film Academy and Central Film School London.

Shorts On Tap's 2018 screenwriting competition Horizon was sponsored by Sony and supported by BFI Future Film.

We host regular screenings in some of London's most iconic venues, including the BFI Southbank, Regent Street Cinema, Rich Mix, Prince Charles Cinema (Leicester Square), and numerous venues in Brick Lane / Shoreditch, the creative heart of London.

We aim at facilitating the spreading of ideas and awareness on social issues through film.
A young company that grew to be one of the most vibrant hubs for film-makers and film lovers alike in just over 8 years, SOT provides a great opportunity for people to discover the best material from the contemporary independent short film scene, a place for exchanging ideas and networking or simply a treat for a great night out.

Featuring great talent and special guests from the film industry, Shorts On Tap is striving to promote short film­making. Coming to you from across a wide range of genres and styles and in the most inclusive way: from narrative to experimental; documentaries to animation and also music videos. We always deliver a varied, eclectic, dynamic show and we facilitate an engaged, vibrant and yet totally relaxed dialogue between film­makers and audience members.

SOT's steep growth is partially due to the unique themed-events format which brought an unprecedented flexibility in the spectrum of subjects and topics presented. Their fresh formula allows SOT to collaborate with a number of institutions spanning from LGBT rights charities to state-of-the-art mobile app developers.

SOT went global in February 2015 with their first screening outside of the UK: 'London Calling' was held on February 9th at Uplink X, in the heart of Tokyo's Shibuya district (sold-out).

SOT's first event in Berlin was held on the International Women's Day 2016, March 8th, at Z-inema Berlin, our new home in Germany.

SOT's portfolio of collaborations include non-profit and charity companies such as Galop (LGBT anti-violence group) and MedAct (an organisation providing medical care in war zones) They've also been involved in the fundraising for the production of Wonderkid: a film aiming at tackling homophobia in professional football.

In little over 8 years Shorts On Tap has established itself as the place to be on the London Indie film scene and has become one of the most vibrant platforms for networking, debate and collaborations. Each month, they attract live audiences of up to 600 which continues to grow.

SOT has been awarded the prestigious Film London Boost Award 2015 (partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery) which funded the production of a new series of events called Women in Revolt. Women in Revolt was launched in April 2015 across 3 brand new London venues. The series is an exploration of womanhood in short filmmaking and has carried on bi-monthly ever since.

Women in Revolt is today one of the most popular hubs for female filmmakers in London.
The series is programmed by Alba Moyano, Jumaan Short, Joelle David and Vasilisa Forbes: a female writers collective dedicated to revolting against inequality through art.

On May 17th 2015, the International Day Against Homophobia SOT has hosted the premiere of Mike Buonaiuto's Credence at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square: Europe's largest cinema district. The event was aimed at raising awareness about themes of equality, identity and the portrayal of LGBT people in media. For the occasion, SOT have been partnering with Shape History: a creative studio for social impact helping organisations tackle crucial issues, creating content that touches millions.

December 2015 saw Shorts On Tap screening at the British Film Institute for the first time with Critical Degrees: a selection of short films on climate change.

In early 2016 SOT launched a new series of events called Road Map: a series of screenings focusing on international short film. The series aims at exploring different cultures through their filmmaking talent.

Shorts On Tap will turn 8 in November 2021.
Today, more than ever before, we want to get closer to filmmakers.
This is why, 7 years after its launch, Shorts On Tap is getting more and more involved with the actual PRODUCTION of short films & docs.

SHORTS ON TAP'S HORIZON AWARD

Horizon is Shorts On Tap's screenwriting competition for short films, aimed at part-funding one short film or documentary.

In its first edition in 2018, the winning script 'Montana' by Laura Plancarte received a £3000 grant and a brand new Sony α7S Mark II camera.
A prize awarded to the 'best short film script' or doc proposal submitted to Shorts On Tap: our way to encourage a brilliant filmmaker to get his/her next project off the ground.

A prestigious Jury Panel was in charge of choosing Horizon's winning script.
The winner was announced in February 2018 at a special event ceremony
held at the BFI South Bank, London, as part of the 11th BFI Future Film Festival (14 - 18 February 2018).

The Panel represents the very best of contemporary Film, VFX, Animation, Commercial & Festival Production.

Ben Sharpe, India Osborne and Noel Goodwin formed an eclectic Jury Panel covering a very broad spectrum of expertise, spanning from Hollywood blockbusters to award-winning short films, from iconic commercials to world renowned music videos, from mentoring the young filmmakers of today to discovering the talents of tomorrow.

www.shortsontap.com/horizon

Shorts On Tap was founded in late 2013 by producer Filippo Polesel.
Writer & Director Michele Fiascaris joined the company in April 2014.

We'd like to give a voice to as many film­makers as possible, so if you are one, or you know anyone who'd be interested in submitting their work please don't hesitate to do so.

- Keep it short (under 20 minutes would be ideal but we can make exceptions).
- Broad is good: any genres, styles, topics ­ narrative, experimental, music videos, documentaries, animation are all welcome.
- Your work may be screened at ANY of our future events and it may take us some time before getting back to you.
We will keep all films, contact details and passwords confidential.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Great festival! Lovely team, thanks for having us!

    January 2024
  • Rebekah Louisa Smith

    This festival is awesome - they are super passionate and caring about their filmmakers and their films which is exactly the type of festival we love to deal with

    January 2024
  • Julieta Tetelbaum

    Happy to be part of this film festival. I highly recommended it! LOVE IT

    April 2023
    Shorts on tap logo copy
    Response from festival:

    Thank you Julieta! Your work is super inspirational and we'd love to see you at SOT again soon!

  • It was a wonderful experience. Thank you for screening my short Amy & I. I had a great time in London and it was an amazing night at Shorts on Tap. Saw great films. Talked to a lot of people and enjoyed how other people responded to my short.

    April 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Bastiaan thank you so much for the nice words! Such a pleasure having you on board. Keep up the great work! x

  • Jeremiah Quinn

    I love Shorts on Tap. They have played a few of my films. They always make a real event of it, with a photographer and Q&As so you get to meet the filmmakers and the people who liked your film. It's a great night, I often go even when I don't have a film on. Extremely professional and hospitable. Highly recommended.

    April 2021