Of course, the really tricky question is: “What is an UK independent film?” Our criteria are applied with a degree of flexibility as we are driven as much by creating a diverse programme for our audience as by the qualities of individual films. Our curation therefore follows these guidelines:

• Films between c.80 - c.100 minutes in length (short films have their own event within the Festival – please see more info here)
• Have a UK director and a predominantly UK creative/production team
• 50%+ of the funding must come from UK investors
• No production funding from major US and/or other foreign studios
• The film must not have been commissioned by an established studio, including the BBC and Film4
• An inclination towards films made for less than £5m – often a very, very great deal less. We have, though, nothing against seven-figure budgets at the top of our range any more than we do shoestrings and maxed-out credit cards
• As the Festival aims to bring filmmakers and filmlovers together, preference will be given to films that meet our criteria AND can be introduced by a member(s) of its cast or production team

The Festival is, above all, a celebration and all genres are welcomed – from art house to popular entertainment and all the good stuff in-between, just as long as the film succeeds on its own terms. What those terms should be we leave, of course, to the filmmaker. Currently, we are a non-competitive festival with no prizes beyond the participatory laurels selection brings. We are happy to consider films that:

• Have secured distribution deals. After all, the whole point of making a film is for people to see it
• Have an international cast and/or that have been shot wholly or partly outside the UK
• Have been part-funded, but NOT commissioned, by the BBC or Film4

While there is no time limit on when a film was made, preference is generally shown to films made in the last three years.

Contact Us

If you have a film that meets our broad criteria and would like to offer it for selection, please contact us at festival@ukiff.info with links to trailers or other information. We will get in touch within seven days.

Equally, if you have seen a film that you think deserves to be screened at the Festival, email us at the same address and we’ll take a look.