SWIF digest 📬 19 May 2026
There's a big opportunity for Wales-based emerging Directors in this week's digest...
👋 Hey filmmakers! It seems the summer is opening up with lots of events and quite a few jobs. If you're hosting an event this season get in touch.
😨 I've been learning a hard lesson not to put a black screen at the start of a short film. Some people just click right to the visuals starting on Fathom and miss all the opening sound design. If you could send the film to your favourite Sound Designer I'd really appreciate it, cause I think they would to.
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Here’s your weekly digest for independent film in the South West:
📸 Local film Missing Buses will be releasing online at the end of the month. Here's some BTS to keep you going until then. - Instagram
🪫 Make Happen Institue are hosting a workshop on finishing creative projects. 20 May in Bristol. - Luma
🤯 Filmmaker Plymouth Social's one shot challenge meet up takes place this week on 21 May. See what you can do with only one shot and no editing. - Eventbrite
🙋🏻♀️ Catch a screening & Director's Q&A of The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed in Bristol on 22 May. - Headfirst
🤝 Networking for the creative industries takes place in Bristol on 27 May. - Headfirst
💙 Bluescreen short film night takes place on 27 May in Bristol. - Headfirst
🎤 DoomSCRL, an open mic night for creatives to talk about their work in front of a like-minded audience, next takes place in Bristol on 29 May. - Headfirst
📽️ Chapter Cardiff's monthly showcase of short films takes place on 1 Jun. Submissions open. - Chapter
🖼️ Somerset Film will be hosting an exhibition on 'Julien Temple - A Life in Film', 8 Jun - 17 Jul in Bridgwater. - Somerset Film
🗓️ Shoot a documentary film in a day with Somerset Film's workshop on 18 Jun. - Somerset Film
😍 Watch the showcase screening of Uni of Gloucestershire's award-winning graduate short films in Bristol on 23 Jun. - Eventbrite
👀 Blue Metaphor is hosting a shorts screening with Q&As on "stories of epic queers". 26 Jun in Bristol. - Blue Metaphor
🏕️ SISTALAND Festival has grown into a three-day outdoor festival on 10-12 Jul this year. Expect talks, screenings, workshops, wellbeing spaces and honest conversations. - Sistaland
⏰ Last few days to apply for BFI Network SW x Bournemouth Film School's Director Lab. Deadline 22 May. - Watershed
🏃♂️ Screen Cornwall is taking applications for BFI Production Ready Pathways. A programme for early-stage crew members in Cornwall; especially Runners, Sound Assistants, Grips & Lighting crew. Deadline 1 Jun. - Screen Cornwall
🔫 Senior Producer needed at The Tank Museum near Dorchester to lead on the creation of their media output. Deadline 28 May. - Arts Jobs
🎞️ Machine Room Operator/Edit Assistant needed in Cardiff at Cinematic. Deadline 4 Jun. - Screen Alliance Wales
⛱️ CRIPtic Arts is looking for a Set, Props & Costume Designer. Hybrid working and rehearsals split between Bristol & London. Deadline 5 Jun. - Arts Jobs
🧑💻 ArtfulScribe is looking to appoint a Writer Facilitator to deliver weekly online sessions for adults. Deadline 8 Jun. - Arts Jobs
🚑 BBC's Casualty is looking for Welsh or Wales-based emerging directors ready to gain hands-on experience in high-end TV drama and work towards a broadcast credit on Casualty. Deadline 12 Jun. - BBC
💆🏽♀️ The All Together Now Fund is inviting applications from creative practitioners to deliver creative community projects in the region. Deadline 20 Jun. - Impact Alliance
🏋️♀️ Plimsoll Productions are expanding their trainee talent pool, for additional support on a short term basis at their offices in Bristol. - Plimsoll
📼 Yarns short film fund deadline is this week, on 21 May. - Yarns Films
🤑 The Day Job short film fund has its late deadline on 4 Jun. A rare promise of no EP creative interference comes with this one! - Day Job Films
👩❤️👩 The personals: Nothing this week. Get in touch for a personal listing.
📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: ANiMiNSPO Mini (19 May), Pompeywood Genre Film Festival (21 May), Cornwall Film Festival (22 May), Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival (24 May), Bristol Documentary, Two Short Nights Film Festival (both 31 May) & Bournemouth International (1 Jun). - FilmFreeway
🟠 Carmarthen Bay Film Festival takes place on 18-21 May. - CBFF
🌍 Watch Africa Film Festival takes place in Cardiff on 11-13 Jun. - WAFF
🏳️🌈 Queer Bath Film Festival takes place on 13 Jun. - QBFF
⚡️ Electric Film Festival takes place in Poole on 20 Jun. - EFF
🏳️⚧️ Queer Vision Film Festival takes place in Bristol on 26 Jun - 10 Jul. - QVFF
🍿 On film club: Lenny dir. Bob Fosse (on Amazon Prime) & The Remarkable Life of Ibelin dir. Benjamin Ree (on Netflix).
📣 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
watch my films
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..
