Bristol Independent Film Festival (8)

Festival start: 17 April 2026      Festival end: 19 April 2026

Join One of the World’s Leading IMDb-Qualifying Film Festivals!

Welcome to the Bristol Independent Film Festival (BIFF)—one of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic platforms for global cinema!

Since our launch in 2017, BIFF has received submissions from over 160 countries, making us a truly international festival. Our screenings take place at the Bristol Megascreen, a 300-seat cinema, over a 3-day period, providing filmmakers with a premier venue to showcase their work to a large and engaged audience. Our mission is to support and celebrate filmmakers through diverse awards and industry recognition.

Why Submit to BIFF?

- A Thriving Community: BIFF fosters a creative space for filmmakers to connect, collaborate, and celebrate their craft.

- Networking Opportunities: Our networking booklets introduce winners to industry professionals, complete with contact details to encourage future collaborations. Additionally, we host exclusive networking sessions where all attending winners and nominees can connect in person, fostering valuable relationships and future collaborations.

- Awards and Recognition: We honor excellence with trophies, winner’s packages, and cash prizes to help fuel your next project.

- Global Exposure: BIFF offers filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their work to a global audience. We actively connect winning projects with distribution and production opportunities to ensure your film gets the recognition it deserves.

Audience Choice Award

New this year, we are excited to introduce the Audience Choice Award, allowing our festival-goers to cast their votes for their favorite film of the festival! This special recognition provides even more exposure and the chance to connect with an engaged and passionate audience.

Why Bristol?

Recognized by UNESCO as a “City of Film,” Bristol stands alongside global cultural hubs like Sydney, Rome, and Galway. As one of the city’s largest film festival, BIFF is committed to nurturing a vibrant hub for filmmakers, offering them a stage to shine.

We can’t wait to experience your work and celebrate film at our 8th annual edition of BIFF!

Cash Prizes: 2,500€

We only award the most exceptional filmmakers after a comprehensive 3-stage evaluation process. Our judges assess the quality of filmmaking, creativity, and storytelling ability in each submission. This thorough process ensures that only the most outstanding films make it to the final stages.

All selected nominees will be invited to our live screening in Bristol, providing a fantastic opportunity to connect with others in the industry.

All winners will receive the prestigious “winner” laurel, a hard copy certificate, and a special engraved “Bristol Film Festival” trophy, which will be presented at our live screening on Event Date. Winners and selected nominees who are unable to attend the event will be contacted by the BIFF team to arrange for the awards to be sent to the provided address.

All selected and winning nominees will be contacted by the BIFF team on the notification date for further information.

**Rules & Terms**

Please review the following guidelines before submitting your project:

1. Films completed before 2022 are not eligible for submission.

2. Non-English films must include English subtitles.

3. Submission fees are non-refundable.

4. Student filmmakers are encouraged to apply and must provide a valid Student ID to qualify for the student discount.

5. BIFF is not responsible for broken, corrupted, or non-functioning film files.

6. Films do not need to be publicly screened to be eligible for the festival, awards, or prizes.

7. BIFF is a competitive festival, and all officially selected films are eligible for competition unless stated otherwise. Not all submissions will be selected.

8. A jury of film professionals reviews and votes on all films with a fair and unbiased approach.

9. All genres and formats are eligible for consideration in one or more competitive categories.

10. BIFF reserves the right to decline any submission deemed inappropriate. If you wish to inquire about a submission decision, you may contact us at Bristolfilmfestival@gmail.com.

11. A submission fee is required. For details on fees and payment structures, please visit Festhome.

12. Each entry requires a separate fee per category. A film may be submitted to multiple categories, but each category must be paid for individually.