SWIF digest 📬 2 September 2025
Happy birthday to us both!
👋 Hi filmmakers. It's been wonderful to see so many of you turn out for tour. You've all been so welcoming and encouraging to each other, it's a blessing to see. This Friday is SWIF's 2nd birthday party in Bristol. Come on down for a good time.
🎂 SWIF's 2nd birthday party with BFI Network south west in attendance.
Fri 5 Sep from 7pm at Shredenhams Bristol. More details.
💬 Think tank - filmmakers discussing hurdles.
Mon 8 Sep from 6pm at Silcox Coffee Bath. SOLD OUT. More details.
🤝 Creatives networking with Create Studios.
Wed 10 Sep from 7pm at Create Studios Swindon. More details.
Here’s your weekly digest for independent film in the South West:
📸 BTS from Normal Girl's participation in the recent Bristol 48hr film challenge. - Instagram
🏳️🌈 Short film night & networking takes place as part of Newport’s 'Pride in the Port' on 4 Sep. - Instagram
🇵🇸 Animation Night by Children of Gaza present a screening of 45 short stop-motion films created over 45 weeks by children in Gaza. In Bristol on 6 Sep. - Headfirst
🌍 Cables & Cameras' next A.T.L.A.N. (Africans Transforming Lives And Narratives) takes place on 12 Sep in Bristol. An evening dedicated to celebrating the rich legacy of African storytelling in cinema. - Headfirst
🤝 Somerset Film's next networking event takes place on 13 Sep in Bridgwater. - Somerset Film
✍️ Exeter Phoenix are hosting a free monthly silent writing club from 15 Sep. Write your screenplay in a supportive space alongside other writers. - Exeter Phoenix
🟦 The next 'Bluescreen' short film night takes place on 24 Sep in Bristol. Submissions are open until 15 Sep. - Bluescreen
🥳 New film festival alert! 'In The Walls' takes place 4 Oct in Weston-super-Mare. Run by CIC We Are Super, this is an oppurtunity for filmmaker networking and putting your work out there. Submission deadline 4 Sep. - FilmFreeway
✅ Indie Wire has published 9 essential tips for film festival submissions. - Indie Wire
👩🏻💻 NFTS' Prime Video Production Academy Apprenticeship is open for applications until 17 Sep. This cohort has a focus on production management with placements in real Amazon/MGM productions. NFTS
👨🏽🏫 A one day beginner scriptwriting course takes place at Exeter Phoenix on 24 Oct. - Exeter Phoenix
📦 Standby Props Trainee needed on a feature film in South Wales. Deadline 4 Sep. - Screen Alliance Wales
📖 Talking Shorts are launching an annual print publication and are looking for pitches from Film Writers & Critics. Deadline 8 Sep. - Talking Shorts
🐑 VFX Editor needed on Aardman's next Shaun the Sheep feature film. Deadline 10 Sep. - Aardman
🧐 Researcher needed for a documentary series. Deadline 16 Sep. - Production Base
🛸 Casting call for a short sci-fi film. Non-binary, global majority, playing age 30-40yrs. Deadline 19 Sep. Email for more info. - Email
🎞️ Editor needed for a pilot of a lifestyle programme for Channel 4. Deadline 29 Sep. - Production Base
🧳 'lab: Displaced Women Pitch' is a two-month pitch development program for women working in film with a migrant or refugee background who are living in the UK. Open to fiction and documentary pitches. Deadline 10 Sep. - Liminal POV
🫵 BFI & Film4's Future Takes shorts fund offers support for higher-budget live action shorts from teams who are almost ready to jump into features. Applications are open from 8 Sep to 20 Oct. - Future Takes
📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: In The Walls (4 Sep), Cornwall (11 Sep), Bournemouth International (12 Sep), Cardiff Mini, Portsmouth Shorts::Cut (both 15 Sep) & Cardiff Animation (22 Sep). - FilmFreeway
⚡️ Ignite Film Festival takes place near Swindon on 27 Aug - 7 Sep. - Ignite
⛰️ Frontier Sapiens Film Festival takes place in Southampton on 5 Sep. - Eventbrite
👽 Encounters Film Festival takes place in Bristol on 24-28 Sep. - Encounters
📽️ Wellington Film Festival takes place 3-5 Oct, including a Q&A with James Purefoy. - Wellington Film Festival
🧱 In The Walls Independent Film Festival takes place in Weston-super-Mare on 4 Oct. - FilmFreeway
👩❤️👩 The personals: Nothing this week. Get in touch for a free listing.
🍿 On film club: Saint Omer dir. Alice Diop (rent on BFIplayer) & Morvern Callar dir. Lynne Ramsay (stream on BFIplayer)
📣 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. bsky website
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.
