Wild Indie Sci-fi & Fantasy Film Festival (6)

Festival start: 20 November 2027      Festival end: 20 November 2027

A New Season of WISFFF is about to start. Wait for the White Stag Banner to Beckon you to Adventure!

The Wild Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival is soon back for a new season. Last season, the Phoenix from the Ashes was appropriate… this season the White Stag calls to you to follow us for an amazing adventure in film.
Welcome to the new season of WISFFF.
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So, what is WISFFF?

We're an independent, filmmaker-run festival celebrating the films and filmmakers working in our favourite genres: science fiction, fantasy, horror and all the strange, wonderful things that live somewhere between them.

We're specifically a short-film festival, with categories for Micro (2 minute), Mini (10 minute) and Short (25 minute) films. We’ve been asked to run for full length features, but if you want that you’re going to have to bombard us with messages.

With WISFFF, you enter your film once and we assess it across all the categories for which it is eligible. You don't need to keep paying to enter cinematography, directing, VFX, performance, production design, etc. If we think you've done something particularly well, we want our judges to notice it.

There are awards, laurels and, in selected categories, prizes. We're always trying to find more useful prizes for filmmakers rather than simply adding things for the sake of having a longer list.

Prize sponsors and additions for the new season will be announced as they are confirmed.
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WISFFF at Genesis Cinema, London

WISFFF found a home at Genesis Cinema in London, and we rather like it there.

It's a proper cinema with great character, awesome picture and stunning sound, but more importantly there's a wonderfully welcoming, film-obsessed atmosphere to the place.

Our screenings have increasingly become more than simply sitting in the dark watching films. Filmmakers meet filmmakers. People talk. Contacts get swapped. Projects get discussed. An unexpected amount of networking happens.

Which is exactly how we like it and we’ll encourage it more.

WISFFF continues to grow, with films arriving from around the world and an increasing range of ideas appearing on screen.

Please keep doing that.

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Yes, Horror Counts.

We get asked this surprisingly often.

Yes. Horror is included. It even has its own subgenre award. Indeed last season a Horror won the overall award.

Science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, animation, fan films, pulp, comedy, documentary, music videos, pilots and films that are frankly rather difficult to describe are all welcome — provided there's a home for them somewhere within the wonderfully elastic boundaries of sci-fi and fantasy.

The festival is open to filmmakers from the UK, worldwide, the Up/Down/LSide/RSide Dimensions and, naturally, the Outer Spiral Arm of the Galaxy.

English is the festival's first language. Films in other languages are very welcome, but they need English subtitles/closed captions.

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About Those Discount Codes…

If we've seen an advert, trailer or post for your film and sent you a discount or waiver code, there's a reason.
We'd genuinely like to see your film.

We make films and enter festivals ourselves, so we know how many automated "special offers" filmmakers receive during a festival marketing cycle.

That's not what we're trying to do.

If we've contacted you, something about your film caught our attention and made us think it might belong at WISFFF.

And if we didn't happen to see your advert?
Ask us.

Filmmaking is about networking after all.

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A Small but Important Thing About WISFFF

We're independent.

We're filmmakers too.

We know what it's like to make something with too little money, too little time, a crew held together by enthusiasm and caffeine, and then send that film out into the festival world wondering whether anybody is actually going to watch it.

We watch the films.

That's rather the point… send those adventures in space, time, and magic our way.

Welcome to the new season of the Wild Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival.

Let's see what you've made.

Awards & Prizes

1. The event is planned be screened at our now regular venue of the Genesis Cinema, London with fantastic picture and sound quality in front of an audience of genre fans, producers, professionals and non-professional filmmakers.

2. A laurel for all "Official Selection" will be awarded for all films short-listed. A number of the Official Selection will be screened at the screening event, not all. We will notify some shortlisted entries after “normal” deadline date. Specific nominations (e.g. Cinematography, etc) will also receive "nominations" laurels to specify recognition in that field.

3. Currently laurels and awards will be presented for shortlists, official selections, and winners for categories:

Overall Best Film

2 Min
Best Film
2 Min Sci-Fi Challenge Best Film

10 Min
Best Film

25 Min
Best Film

Categories (Skills/Subgenres etc)
Best Cinematography
Best Physical SFX
Best Digital SFX
Best Director
Best Editor/Editing
Best Production Design
Best Virtual Production
Best Costume/Hair/MakeUp
Best First Time Filmmaker
Best Restricted Budget (Under $3000)
Best Score/Sound
Best Student Film
Best Young Filmmaker (under 25)
Best Animated Film
Best Fan Film
Best Pulp Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film
Best Horror/Thriller Film
Best Actor/Performance
Best Script/Screenplay
Bet Stunts/Action Sequence
Best Children's Scifi/Fantasy Film
Best Comedy Award
Keep It Reel Award
Best Poster Award
Best Film/Series Pilot/Episode
Best Music Video

Where appropriate - Runner's Up awards will also be given from the category nominees. If scores are equal (or less than a gnat's leg width separates them), we'll give joint awards.

Credit reels are maybe in addition to film time.
(up to 30 Secs additional reel time for credits is acceptable for the 2 min)
(up to 60 Secs additional reel time for credits is acceptable for the 10 min)
(up to 120 Secs additional reel time for credits is acceptable for the 25 min)

(The judges maintain the right to; give joint awards or not award a category award if a winner/s can not be clearly defined/separated or reach a panel approved standard).

To be eligible for some awards, some details may need to be included at entry. e.g. Budget, student status, use of virtual production techniques.

6. The prizes will be given according to award and judges. This decision is final.

7. The Keep it Real Award – Is an award/laurel for the best application of real science in a film.

Whilst the film festival is independent. But as industry professionals, we do "Sciencey stuff" for various clients. One of the Directors is a NASA Astrobiology Institute Co-Investigator for education resources of a project involved in creating the sensor arrays for space probes. We've worked on subjects from Shark Tagging to information films for UNEP about chemical pollution. Keep your science real (but entertaining).. you'll get a shout from us.

8. The best screenplay/script prize will be awarded to completed films that have entered the festival. Film entries have the option to send an accompanying script or screenplay for consideration.

Rules & Terms - New Season 2026-7

Terms and Conditions

1. Acceptance of Terms
All filmmakers, applicants or other entities submitting a film to the Wild Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival (hereafter referred to as “WISFFF”, “The Windies”, “We”, “Us” or “Our”) accept and agree to comply with the following Terms and Conditions.

The person or entity submitting a film to WISFFF is hereafter referred to as “You” or “Your”.

2. Submissions and Language
We only accept online registrations and submissions for assessment.

Films may be submitted in any language. However, films not primarily in English must include English subtitles or closed captions.

3. Permission to Screen
By submitting a film to WISFFF, You agree that Your film may be screened at a WISFFF event if it is selected for screening.

4. Eligibility Date
For this season, we only accept films completed after 4 May 2023.

Waivers to this requirement may be requested and will be considered at the discretion of WISFFF.

5. Submission Fees
All submission fees are non-refundable.

6. How to Submit

To submit a film, You must:

• Complete and submit the online submission form.

• Pay the relevant submission fee.

• Submit Your film via the designated online submission platform.

• Provide the information and materials requested as part of the submission process.

You should receive confirmation following successful registration.

Young Filmmakers
Entrants to the Young Filmmaker category must have been 25 years old or under at the time the submitted film was completed.

Student Filmmakers
To qualify for the relevant student category and/or submission fee, student filmmakers must have been enrolled at a recognised film school, university, college, secondary/high school, middle school or elementary/primary school during the production of the submitted film.

Proof of student status may be required.

Where requested, You must provide:

• Your student ID or other evidence of student status.
• The name of Your school, college or university.
• The name of Your course.
• The name of Your lecturer or teacher.
• The email address of Your lecturer or teacher.

7. Submission Materials
Filmmakers may also be asked to supply the following:
• Production credits and contact details.

• Up to five photographs or production stills for promotional purposes, preferably no smaller than 2048 × 1152 pixels.

• A media/press pack, where available, for promotional use by WISFFF.

• A film poster.

• A short trailer for the film, where available.

By supplying promotional materials, You confirm that You have the necessary rights and permissions for WISFFF to use those materials in connection with the festival and the promotion of Your film.

8. Selection and Screening
All eligible films will be assessed with a view to possible selection by WISFFF.

Selection or recognition by WISFFF does not automatically guarantee a cinema screening. Only a proportion of submitted or selected films may be included in the final screening programme.

If Your film is selected for a cinema screening, You may be required to provide a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) or another screening format specified by WISFFF.

Instructions for supplying screening materials will be provided to selected filmmakers. Where reasonably possible, We will assist filmmakers with the process.

9. Festival Schedule and Venue
Cinema screenings and other festival events are scheduled at the discretion of WISFFF.

We will make reasonable efforts to adhere to published dates, schedules, programmes and venues. However, WISFFF reserves the right to alter dates, screening times, programmes, venues or other arrangements where necessary.

WISFFF accepts no liability for costs or losses incurred by entrants or attendees as a result of changes to festival dates, schedules, programmes or venues.

10. Awards and Judging
Awards may be presented as part of WISFFF at the discretion of the festival organisers and Jury Panel.
The Jury Panel and festival organisers reserve the right to:

• Present joint awards where entries cannot reasonably be separated.
• Present Runner-Up or additional recognition where appropriate.
• Withhold an award where the Jury Panel determines that no eligible entry has reached the standard required for that category.

All judging and award decisions are final.

Eligibility for certain awards may depend upon information supplied at the time of entry, including, where relevant, production budget, student status, filmmaker age or the use of particular production techniques. Abuse of Panellists and Judges that wish to make themselves public over decisions will lead to disqualification (yes, it has happened).

11. Rights Granted to WISFFF
By submitting a film to WISFFF, You grant WISFFF permission to:

• Screen Your film at one or more WISFFF events if selected.

• Use, copy and reproduce excerpts from Your submitted film of up to one (1) minute for the purposes of promoting WISFFF, the festival programme and Your participation in it.

• Edit or adapt those excerpts where reasonably necessary for promotional purposes, including for trailers, showreels and social media content.

• Use promotional materials, photographs, posters, trailers, film stills, synopses and other information supplied by You in connection with Your submission.

These materials may be used across WISFFF's website, social media, publicity, press materials and other promotional media for the purposes of promoting WISFFF, its events and the films participating in them.

This permission does not transfer ownership or copyright of Your film to WISFFF.

12. Copyright and Rights Ownership
You retain copyright in Your film and, where applicable, Your submitted script or screenplay.

By submitting Your film, You represent and warrant that You own, control or have obtained all licences, rights, consents and permissions necessary to submit and exhibit the film and to permit WISFFF to use the film and associated materials in the ways described in these Terms and Conditions.

This includes, where applicable, rights relating to music, performances, screenplay, footage, images, artwork and other copyrighted or protected material contained within Your submission.

You agree to provide reasonable evidence of these rights or permissions if requested by WISFFF.

13. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
WISFFF recognises that Artificial Intelligence and machine-learning tools are increasingly being used as part of the filmmaking process. The use of AI does not preclude a film from being submitted to, selected by, screened at or awarded by WISFFF.

However, You must declare the use of AI tools in Your filmmaking, both within Your film's credits and in the relevant questions or information provided as part of Your WISFFF submission.

This includes the use of generative AI or similar tools in areas such as image or video generation, animation, visual effects, voice or performance generation, music, sound, writing, editing, pre-visualisation and other significant creative elements of the finished film.
We recognise that AI is also increasingly incorporated into conventional filmmaking software and production tools. Disclosure is therefore primarily intended to identify the deliberate creative use of generative AI, rather than incidental or automated software functions that do not materially contribute to the creative content of the film.

The use of AI will not automatically disadvantage or disqualify an entry. However, depending upon how and to what extent AI has been used, WISFFF reserves the right to determine which award categories the film is eligible for.

For example, the use of generative AI to create a significant element of a film's cinematography, performance, screenplay, score, production design, animation, visual effects or other creative work may affect its eligibility for an award specifically recognising human achievement in that discipline.

Where appropriate, WISFFF may instead consider the film for other relevant categories.

The purpose of this requirement is transparency, not exclusion. We are interested in how filmmakers use emerging technology, but we also want our Jury Panel to be able to assess fairly what was created, how it was created, and by whom—or what.

Failure to declare significant use of generative AI may result in a film being removed from consideration for individual awards or categories. Where the omission materially affects the basis on which the film was assessed, WISFFF reserves the right to withdraw a nomination or award.

14. Liability
To the extent permitted by law, WISFFF accepts no responsibility for loss, damage, liability, injury, disappointment or expense incurred or suffered as a result of submitting a film to WISFFF, participating in the festival, or attending associated events.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions is intended to exclude or limit any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

15. Indemnity
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless WISFFF, its associated companies, organisers, staff, Jury Panel and representatives against claims, liabilities, losses, damages or reasonable costs arising from a breach by You of these Terms and Conditions or from a claim that Your submitted film or associated materials infringe the rights of another party.

This may include claims relating to copyright, trademarks, music rights, credits, publicity rights, permissions or other intellectual property contained within Your submission.

16. 3 Minute Sci-Fi Challenge / Let’s Make Films
Where a submission is specifically entered into the 2 Minute Sci-Fi Challenge, submitted films and associated promotional materials may also be used by Let’s Make Films for screening and promotional purposes connected with the challenge, in substantially the same manner as described above for WISFFF.

The same obligations regarding copyright, permissions and third-party rights apply to these submissions.

Or, put rather less formally: if You use somebody else's work without permission, breach copyright or otherwise include material You don't have the right to use, responsibility for that rests with You rather than WISFFF or Let’s Make Films.

Communications and Data
When You enter WISFFF, Your contact details may be added to our filmmaker database so that We can communicate with You about Your submission, the festival and future WISFFF activity.

We will not sell or pass Your contact details to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

We may occasionally send festival news, updates and relevant offers. These communications are generally infrequent—approximately monthly or less.

If You do not wish to receive these communications, You may unsubscribe at any time. We have no interest in filling Your inbox with unwanted mail.

For further information, please contact:
Wild Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival
filmfestadmin@wildindie.com