SWIF digest 📬 17 February 2026

👋 Hi filmmakers. Top hack of the week: hot drinks & wifi are free in IKEA restaurants on weekdays if you have their free loyalty card. I've had some great laptop working sessions there, followed of course by a hotdog. 😂 Not sponsored. But be warned, you'll always come out with more than you went in for!

Here’s your weekly digest for independent film in the South West:

📸 BTS from historical-action short film On the Same Earth. - Instagram

🤝 A night of short films & networking takes place on 19 Feb in Newport. - Eventbrite

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Ffilm Cymru Wales & The Shared Prosperity Fund present 'Pictures at The Place', a showcase of Newport filmmakers on 20 Feb. - Eventbrite

👩🏽‍💼 Bristol Old Vic are hosting a Producer's meet up on 21 Feb. - BOV

🥩 Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (BEEF) are hosting a series of events this week, including screenings, workshops & panels. 20-21 Feb. - BEEF

🌳 Screening of award winning Devon based film Shalborne, with a Q&A with the creatives behind it, takes place on 20 Feb in Hockworthy & on 2 Mar in Kingsand. The film is also available for licence for local club screenings. - Shalborne

🚪 Kit Form Studio Bristol opens its doors every last Mon­day of the month. Free space to meet, test ideas, doc­u­ment, install or make work. 23 Feb. - Visual Arts South West

🚴‍♀️ Catch a screening & Q&A of Ride to Ride on 25 Feb in Bristol. The film documents two women's ten-day, self-supported cycling journey through the Sunnmøre Alps on Norway’s west coast. - Eventbrite

📇 The Developing Room is hosting networking on 25 Feb in Cardiff. - DR

🏊‍♀️ A screening of Amy Swims Loch Ness & a chat with the world record ultramarathon swimmer, Amy Ennion, takes place on 26 Feb in Totnes. - Eventbrite

💃 An Actors & on-screen talent night of networking & panels takes place on 27 Feb in Cardiff. - Eventbrite

🇵🇸 An evening of Palestinian short films takes place on 2 Mar in Bristol, with a guest speaker on Palestinian art and its importance for resistance, expression & liberation. - Headfirst

👀 See recent films from students at Arts University Bournemouth at a screening on 3 Mar. - Eventbrite

🙋🏿 'Afro-Kernow' takes place on 6 Mar in Falmouth. An evening of film, conversation, art & celebration bringing together the wider community to reflect on Black presence, creativity, and belonging in Cornwall. - Eventbrite

📽️ Saltash Studios are hosting short film night 'Kernow Kino' on 7 Mar. - Ticket Tailor

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A pay wall??

... Nope. Just a pay plea!

It takes around half a day every week to put each digest together. And as someone who pays some of her bills from universal credit, the powers that be ask me, why waste time on something that doesn't pay you minimum wage?

Because I believe it makes a difference to our community. Because amongst all the online noise to be heard or to hear something worth your time, this is a supportive place a filmmaker can come to with their art and reach over 550 peers.

And I believe that everyone should be able to access it, without a paywall.

🥰 Please consider supporting this resource. You can give a one-off amount, or take an on-going membership if you want access to the filmmaker resources.

🟢 New films have been added to SWIF's Letterboxd list. How many have you watched? I'm on 55%! Email me a link to your films to get them added. - Email

✨ Final day to apply for the Production Guild's free VFX management training for unscripted & docs course. Deadline 18 Feb. - PG

📲 Black South West Network is seeking a Digital Content Creator to help tell the story of The UnMuseum; collecting, preserving & sharing stories of Black identity and belonging in the South West. - BSWN

👨🏽‍💻 Unlimited are hiring a Programme Manager to oversee the commissioning journey to enable disabled artists to create extraordinary work. Deadline 3 Mar. - Unlimited

🧀 The Grand Appeal are hiring an Arts Co-ordinator to work with young families. Deadline 4 Mar. - TGA

🖼️ Bricks Bristol are hiring a Public Art Producer and Head of Creative Infrastructure & Public Art. Deadlines 9 Mar. - Bricks

💥 Smash Media has free to apply project call outs for horror, rom-com
sci-fi & thrillers. - SM

🍑 The Baron Prize biannual award which recognises artists, photographers & filmmakers who have created projects investigating gender, sex, sexuality and identity is open for submissions until 28 Feb. - Baron

👩‍❤️‍👩 The personals: Nothing this week, get in touch for a free listing.

📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: Cardiff Mini (18 Feb), Cornwall (20 Feb), Wildscreen (24 Feb), RS FilmFest (1 Mar), Carmarthen Bay (2 Mar), PompeyWood Genre (5 Mar), International Film Festival
 of Wales, Pigeon Laughs (both 6 Mar) & Bristol Documentary (14 Mar). - FilmFreeway

🏄 London Surf Film Festival is touring its "best of" screening across the region in Feb. - Eventbrite

📷 Two Short Nights Film Festival takes place in Exeter 5-6 Mar. - TSN

📺 Women in Film & TV Festival in Cardiff takes place 11 Mar & includes a panel on producing drama in Wales with with Bad Wolf & Screen Alliance Wales. - WFTV

👻 Screams By The Sea International Film Festival takes place in Bournemouth 13-14 Mar. - SBTS

🍿 On film club: The Living End dir. Gregg Araki (on Mubi) & Smoke Sauna Sisterhood dir. Anna Hints (on Channel4).

📣 Have something to share on the next digest? Could be an event, workshop, behind the scenes updates, crew call, showcasing your work or a personal ad. Get in touch! hollyholdsworth@gmail.com

💌 If you found this helpful please forward it to a friend.

Until next week!
Holly Holdsworth (she/her)
Writer/Director
where I am on the net

Inclusion in this email does not denote endorsement. I will always try to platform the best opportunities for this community and am not affiliated with any organisation, unless explicitly mentioned besides the link.