SWIF digest 📬 20 October 2026

👋 Hello filmmakers. I've had so much fun preparing for my workshop on micro-budget short filmmaking at Bath Film Festival today that I'm thinking of hosting another one. If that's of interest do get in touch.

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

📸 Congrats to Trail 3 Films on their company launch in Bristol last week. Find out about their upcoming productions on their socials. - Instagram

🧌 Get into spooky mode with a showcase of horror short films funded by BFI Network South West at Forbidden Worlds Film Festival. 22 Oct in Bristol. - Headfirst

🪩 Watch a screening of documentary Free Party on 23 Oct in Saltash as part of their Rip It Up season. - TicketTailor

📽️ Chapter Cardiff's monthly showcase of short films is 2 Nov. Submissions are open. - Chapter

🌦️ Cardiff Met Uni is hosting a series of free screenings of the climate docu-series HOPE! We Are On Time across communities in Cardiff. Watch episode one on 5 Nov. - Eventbrite

🥢 Watch a film screening of the cultural contribution of Chinese restaurants in South Wales on 7 Nov in Cardiff as part of a day of activities 'exploring being human'. - Eventbrite

🏊 Lido Lives, a community dance film celebrating the history and continuing significance of Hilda Lido to the people of Portsmouth, screens with a Q&A on 14 Nov in Corsham. - Eventbrite

🏚️ Watch a 60th anniversary screening of Cathy Come Home, followed by a discussion on driving change to end homelessness in Gloucestershire. 17 Nov in Gloucester. - Eventbrite

🏃🏿‍♀️ The Trails In Motion Film Tour comes to Penryn on 21 Nov, featuring eight films exploring endurance, perseverance, mountains, rebirth, family and the extraordinary places that running can take us. - Eventbrite

🧠 The Grierson DocLab development programme for early to mid-career practitioners already working in factual television and documentary is open for applications until 5 Nov. - Grierson Trust

🚥 Solas Mind & Screenskills are offering one to one career coaching sessions for D/deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent freelancers working in high-end TV. - Deadline 27 Nov. - Screenskills

🦄 A children's 3D animated series needs remote working roles: Producer, Director, Script Co-ordinator & Production Co-ordinator. Deadlines 22 Oct. - FSTVS

🔋 Last week to apply for the Community Producer roles at Rising Arts in Bristol. Deadline 25 Oct. - Rising Arts

📸 Photographique Bristol are hiring a Lab Technician. Deadline 26 Oct. - Instagram

🪚 Set Construction Technician Demonstrator with significant experience in carpentry, joinery and scenic construction for theatre, film or television production needed at Arts University Bournemouth. Deadline 28 Oct. - Arts Jobs

🐊 BBC Studios Natural History Unit in Bristol is hiring a Researcher. This role is part of the BBC Extend programme for disabled people. Deadline 28 Oct. - BBC

☎️ Development Manager needed at Cult Cymru. Deadline 30 Oct. - Screen Alliance Wales

🖌️ Graphic Designer needed at Beyond Nine in Bristol. No stated deadline to apply. - Bristol Creative Industries

🤖 The Pitch has returned with a new commission for short film ideas that question 'what does it mean to be human in the age of AI?' Deadline 14 Dec. - The Pitch

🐎 The Chaucer Heritage Trust is offering a short film fund for films that engage with Geoffrey Chaucer’s narratives or life story. Deadline 15 Feb. - Aesthetica Film Festival

📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: Celtic Media Festival (6 Nov), Screams by the Sea (8 Nov), No Reason Short (22 Nov), Bristol Documentary (18 Dec), Encounters (21 Dec), Carmarthen Bay (23 Dec) & Pigeon Laughs (9 Dec). - FilmFreeway

🎥 Bath Film Festival takes place 16-25 Oct. - Film Bath

🗣️ Poetry Film Festival takes place on 17 Oct in Bristol. - Eventbrite

🔪 Forbidden Worlds Film Festival takes place 22-24 Oct in Bristol. - FWFF

🎃 Heligan Folk Horror Film Festival takes place 24-31 Oct near Pentewan. - Heligan

🕵️‍♀️ Film Noir Festival takes place 30 Oct - 1 Nov in Weston-super-Mare. - Ti.to

✊ Bristol Radial Film Festival takes place 6-8 Nov. - BRFF

🍿 On film club: The Silence dir. Ingmar Bergman (on BFIplayer) & The Golden Spurtle dir. Constantine Costi (on ITVX)

📣 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.