Film Festival Deadlines (W.C. 25 May)

1.Camden International Film Festival : June 5

Founded in 2005 and recognized as one of the top documentary film festivals in the world, the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) gathers the world’s most boundary pushing storytellers and industry leaders for a four day celebration of nonfiction cinema. 

CIFF is an experience just as unique as the films we exhibit. Hosted on the rugged coast of Maine, the festival weekend is packed with opportunities for surprise and discovery at every turns: screenings and Q&As, pitch sessions and panels, karaoke parties and immersive art installations, field-building convenings and conversations. At CIFF, our emphasis is on building lasting, meaningful relationships — between filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences.

2. Atlanta Film Festival : June 2

Every spring, our 11-day festival presents approximately 150 to 175 local, domestic, and international works selected from over 10,000 submissions (consisting of 7,900+ films and 2,100+ screenplays) representing approximately 40 countries. Year to year, historically, 90 to 95% of ATLFF’s program is composed of submissions. ATLFF actively strives to be an inclusive showcase with spotlights on filmmakers of color, LGBTQ+ films, women and gender noncomforming filmmakers, and filmmakers from the American South. For the 2022 festival, 51% of the submitted program was directed by women and gender nonconforming directors and 56% by BIPOC directors. The Atlanta Film Festival seeks inclusivity in on-screen representation as well, with 77% of the 2022 program featuring a woman, gender non-conforming person, and/or person of color in a leading role.

In addition, each year ATLFF seeks to program a variety of genres and film styles including (but not limited to) experimental films, music videos, comedies, horror and sci-fi, kid friendly films, food films, and puppetry films.

ATLFF has been named a “Top 50 Festival Worth the Entry Fee” and one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker magazine, and has been recognized as a Best Film Festival by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, USAtoday 10 Best, and Atlanta Magazine, as well as the Best Spring Festival by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

3. Aesthetica Film Festival : June 6

Aesthetica Film Festival’s 13th Edition:

The 13th edition of the Aesthetica Film Festival will run from 8-30 November 2023 in York, UK. We will deliver a hybrid experience, with in-person events from 8-12 November and the On Demand digital platform running from 8-30 November to complement the festival’s live experience. The Industry programme will include masterclasses, panels, networking, pitching and an opportunity for you to get involved. You can submit to 12 genres as well as VR Projects, 360 Films, Games, Narrative and Documentary Features.

The Aesthetica Short Film Festival is BAFTA-Qualifying and takes place in York, UK. It is one of the UK’s largest and most revered film events.

We love independent film. It is at the heart of everything that we do. Their programming and curation are innovative and expansive. We believe that great film is transformative, and creativity should be shared.

The Official Selection includes 300 shorts, features, VR and immersive works across 15 competitive categories, as well as non-competitive showcase screenings, presented by the UK’s leading film schools. Alongside these programmes, we work with global partners to curate guest programmes with impact. Recent organisations include BFI Doc Society, We Are Parable, Directors’ Notes, Scottish Documentary Institute and Film4, amongst others.

4. Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival : June 2

Now in our 17th year of celebrating LGBTQ+ film, Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival brings filmmakers from around the world to Cardiff, Wales, UK. Iris is home to the largest short film prize in the world – the coveted £30,000 Iris Prize, supported by the Michael Bishop Foundation, which allows the winner to make their next LGBTQ+ short film here in Cardiff. 

As well as the chance to see the very best in current LGBTQ+ short and feature filmmaking, the festival shares panel discussions, special events and legendary parties. We are renowned for our open, friendly and collaborative atmosphere, which sees hundreds welcomed into our worldwide Iris Family every year. 

Iris Prize is an A-list BAFTA qualifying festival and has been identified as one of the “50 film festivals worth the entry fee” by MovieMaker Magazine 5 times, most recently in 2020. For a fourth year running, all 15 Best British shortlisted films will be broadcast on Film4 after the festival, and available on Film4 via All 4 for one year. 

Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Festival is planned to take place in person 10 – 15th October 2023 and online throughout October.

5. Norwich Film Festival : June 4

The Norwich Film Festival is a BAFTA Qualifying Short Film Festival (Section B)* as well as a BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) Qualifying Short Film Festival* and was chosen by The Metro as one of “the top UK film festivals you need to know about”.

All submissions must be 25 minutes or less to be in consideration. 

We have been running since 2009 and have screened over 1000 films to the public.

The festival has an amazing array of celebrity patrons including Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Olivia Colman, Julian Jarrold, Brian Cox & John Collee. 

We also work hard to recruit industry judges for our Grand Jury who are all eager to watch our nominated films. 

Previous final-round industry judges have included Stephen Fry, Neve Campbell, Alfred Molina, Michael Sheen, Emma Freud, Bernard Hill, Alistair Petrie, Edith Bowman, and Roger Michell. The full list of NFF2023 judges will be updated on our website and social media platforms throughout the year.

6. Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Fest : June 4

Fringe! is a LGBTIQA+ film and arts festival rooted in London’s queer creative scene and welcoming everyone. We’re not-for-profit and run by a team of passionate volunteers. From feature films to experimental art, workshops to interactive walks and wild parties, Fringe! hosts a multitude of diverse events to tickle every one of the senses. With a signature blend of eye opening movies, DIY and experimental work, the thoughtful, the provocative and the strange, the festival packs out cinemas, art galleries, pop-up venues, basement clubs and virtual spaces across East London. 

Fringe! was launched in 2011, by a group of queer creatives as a community response to arts budget cuts. Our mission is to offer a dynamic, representative and unmistakably fresh alternative to other film and arts festivals.

7. Bolton International Film Festival : June 6

Bolton International Film Festival is proud to be one of the Top 10 short film festivals in the UK and accredited by both BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and BIFA (British Independent Film Awards). Bolton currently sits in the “Top 10 Best Reviewed” and “Top 100 Most Popular” on FilmFreeway from over 12,000 festivals worldwide. It is also an IMDb registered festival. The festival offers a diverse audience made up of filmmakers, industry and a broad spectrum of the public. We offer Q&A’s to filmmakers following on every screening. 

You need only enter your film ONCE to the festival to qualify for all the appropriate categories and awards, just find the category you think that represents your film best and our team of programmers will do the rest. We have a large cohort of jurors to ensure each category is looked at by at least three jurors in the final stages.

Celebrating films from home and abroad the festival acts as an amplifier of emerging and established talent. Through its films, industry talks, masterclasses and networking sessions it aims to break open the door to a creative industry that many short filmmakers find difficult to access and navigate. The festival helps springboard its filmmakers, connecting them not just to their peers but to the talent executives, producers, funders, sales agents and distributors who can take them to the next level.