Membrana Film Festival (2)

Festival start: 02 August 2026      Festival end: 02 August 2026

Membrana is the Latin word for film, and we are incredibly excited to bring the Membrana Film Festival to you, and to dig deep into the roots of the magic that is filmmaking

Following a very successful first edition, the second edition will be held on August 2nd 2026 at the Cultplex Cinema in Manchester, England - a cinema that is at the forefront of the independent cinema scene in the UK

We are very ambitious, and our aim is to become a cornerstone of the local and global film festival calendar, bringing unique and original films to our audience

The festival's organiser is a filmmaker, and understands the love, care, passion, dedication, and hard work that it takes to create your film, and to bring it to the big screen

The festival will promote and celebrate the filmmaking process, and is looking for films that push boundaries, including experimental films, and that teach us about the world we live in

We are looking for arthouse, independent films, we want to be surprised by your submissions, and we appreciate that we cannot build our festival without your films, and that we will set ourselves apart by the quality of films we receive and exhibit

We welcome all genres, in any language, and enjoy to watch subtitled films that open us to new worlds, and take us to a land far far away

We welcome shorts and features, across live action narrative, animation, and documentary, and we look forward to receiving and watching your films

Our 2025 selections were very eclectic, and included drama, horror, experimental / abstract, fantasy, thriller, comedy, factual, biopic, and more

For the 2026 Membrana Film Festival, we have opened up a Script Competition, with separate categories for short film scripts, and feature length scripts - all genres are welcome, and we also have the option for you to receive written Coverage on your work

1. Membrana Award for the Best Picture

2. Membrana Award for the Best Director

3. Membrana Award for the Best Short Film

4. Membrana Award for the Best British Film

5. Membrana Award for the Best International Film

6. Membrana Award for the Best Narrative (Live-Action) Film

7. Membrana Award for the Best Animated Film

8. Membrana Award for the Best Documentary Film

9. Membrana Award for the Best Actor

10. Membrana Award for the Best Actress

11. Membrana Award for the Best Cinematography

12. Membrana Award for the Best Sound

13. Membrana Award for the Best Production Design

14. Membrana Award for the Best Colour Grade

15. Membrana Award for the Best Short Film Script

16. Membrana Award for the Best Feature Film Script

1. We welcome shorts and features, across live action narrative, animation, and documentary

2. We welcome all genres, in any language; films that are not in English, will need to include English subtitles

3. A short is defined as having a maximum running time of 35 minutes (including credits)

4. A feature is defined as having a minimum running time of 60 minutes (including credits)

5. We do not require a premiere status for films

6. Films submitted to the festival must have been completed after 1 January 2023

7. To be considered for the festival, films must be submitted via an online screener e.g. Vimeo

8. Films that are selected for the festival will need to then be received in either a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) format, or video file (.mov or .mp4) format

9. For the Script Competition, the maximum length for a short film is 20 pages, and the maximum length for a feature film is 125 pages

10. Submission fees are non-refundable

11. By submitting to the Membrana Film Festival, you confirm that you have read and accept the above rules and terms of the Membrana Film Festival; you certify that you hold all of the necessary rights for the submission of your film or script to the Membrana Film Festival, and that your film or script is not subject to any legal proceedings