BAFTA-Cymru Qualifying Film Festival, returning for its 6th edition in 2025. The FOCUS Wales Film Festival takes place on Friday 9th May and Saturday 10th May, in Wrexham City Centre.

Join us for a showcase of the best short films from Wales and around the world + a selection of feature films, industry panels and networking opportunities.

The festival is proudly supported by Creative Wales and 73 Degree Films.

Awards in each category:

• Best Welsh Film.
• Best International Film.

Special Awards for a single film:

• Best Original Score.
• Celtic Film Award.

• Films must have been made after 1st January 2023.
• Films must be under 20 minutes (including credits).

Selected filmmakers will receive a FOCUS Wales Pass (worth up to £160), allowing them to attend any event at the festival, across the film, music and conference strands on Friday 9th and 10th May (subject to venue capacity).

To be eligible for the Best Welsh Short Film Award, a key member of the creative team (writer, director or producer) must have either been born in Wales or be a current resident. Please let us know if this is the case when you submit.

Submissions not matching this criteria will automatically be considered for the Best International Short Film Award.

Similarly, to be eligible for the Celtic Film Award, a key member of the creative team (writer, director or producer) must have either been born in or be resident in one of the Celtic Nations: Brittany (Breizh), Cornwall (Kernow), Wales (Cymru), Scotland (Alba), Ireland (Éire) and the Isle of Man (Mannin or Ellan Vannin).

We are happy to accept films in any language, however if your film is not in the English language we require you to provide English subtitles.

If your film is selected for screening, we may also request English captions to assist those attending the festival who are deaf or hard of hearing.

By submitting you are allowing us to also screen your film at the festival and use any images/media connected with the film as part of our festival marketing.

If selected, your submission will automatically be considered to be part of other FOCUS Wales events throughout the year. We will be in touch regarding these additional screenings (which may take place physically or digitally) if we believe your film would benefit.

There will be no refunds if your submission is not eligible to be considered.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Rhys Prichard

    Fantastic festival showcasing the talent of Wales!

    May 2024
  • Rebecca Parfitt

    Thank you for including my film and for being such fantastic hosts. I thoroughly enjoyed the programme of events and the films that were screened. One thing I would change: allocated breaks for coffee and lunch, if nothing else so we can say 'hi' to other delegates and network a little more! Keep up the good work, Focus Film festival is definitely going places, it was an honour to be a part of it.

    May 2023
  • Margaret Kane-Rowe

    Super communication. Went to great trouble to organise events for emerging filmmakers. I never got to attend, absolutely gutted. But I can say with full integrity that I was kept in the loop and updated frequently. Best of luck next year, this festival is run by lovely people.

    May 2023
  • Lily Tiger

    Really friendly atmosphere and a selection of great films from Wales. Loved being part of it and chuffed for my film to have received an award. Diolch diolch diolch ! :)

    May 2023
  • Dion Jones

    Brilliant to be a part of it. Great showcasing of Welsh talent as well as internationally. That’s the core ethos of FOCUS and translated perfectly to the film festival. Diolch.

    May 2023