SWIF digest 📬 21 April 2026

👋 Hey filmmakers! Thank you to everyone who has sent in their short films so far. Still taking submissions for future SWIF screenings of films made in the last five years. Submit here.

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

📸 First look teaser photos released for horror short film Paper Girl. - Instgram

📽️ Tonight (21 Apr) visit Boomsatsuma Weston-super-Mare for the unveiling of a digital film project with students from local secondary schools. See the synchronised triple-screen installation & talks from 5.30pm. - Email

🗣️ Join Creative Enterprise in Bournemouth on 23 Apr for conversations with the region's screen innovators and to connect with founders & industry partners. - Eventbrite

🏆 Filmmakers Plymouth Social have their regular meet up on 23 Apr, and have also announed their one shot challenge event for 21 May. - Eventbrite

🎵 Filmed in Bristol, debut feature film Surviving Earth releases in cinemas this weekend. - Watershed

⚓️ Mark Jenkin is currently on a Director's Q&A tour with his latest film Rose of Nevada. (It's hard to find the Q&A dates on this site, so it might be easier to check your local independent cinema's own site). - Rose of Nevada

🏳️‍🌈 CWÎR, a space for LGBTQIA+ creatives in Cardiff to connect & collaborate, is hosting a talk on 'how to build a screen-worthy vision and pitch it' on 28 Apr. - Eventbrite

💸 Last few tickets remaining for a talk on funding & resourcing independent features. 29 Apr in Bristol. - Eventbrite

☕️ Creative Mornings Cardiff welcomes Writer/ Producer/ Performer/Composer Carys Eleri as their speaker on 1 May. - Creative Mornings

🏝️ Spike Island Bristol's open studios weekend takes place 1-3 May, with a shorts screening on Saturday afternoon. - Spike Island

😍 Watch locally made shorts on 2 May in Bristol. - Eventbrite

🎥 Join the Guild of Television Camera Operators for an informal evening social. Open to members & non-members in any camera related role. 6 May in Cardiff. - Eventbrite

🌳 Watch short films at Plymouth Urban Tree Festival on 14 May. - PUTF

✍🏾 Creative Cardiff's next writing workshop takes place on 20 May and will focus on editing. - Eventbrite

👩🏻 WFTV’s short film club comes to Cornwall on 28 May with free tickets. Submit your films by 27 Apr. - WFTV

💻 A new web app for shotlist creation has just launched in beta and is looking for feedback from users. You can try out a free version of Shotly with your collaborators now. - Shotly

😈 This Cornish animated short is seeking its crowdfunder stretch goal to support a young animator. - Kickstarter

👩‍❤️‍👩 The personals: Director seeking Director to shadow and learn about shooting on 35mm. - Email Gilbert

📣 Co-Director needed for a documentary on women with AuDHD. Deadline 30 Apr. - FILMD

🍊 Boomsatsuma Bristol Film School are hiring three roles in their SEN provision team. Deadlines 30 Apr. - Boomsatsuma

🎭 Drama Facilitator needed for children's workshops with Bristol Academy of Drama. Deadline 1 May. - Arts Jobs

🕺🏼 Casting call for a micro-budget horror feature filming in Bournemouth. - Instagram

🏦 Unsolicited Scripts' short film fund has its final deadline on 15 May. - Unsolicited Scripts

🤑 The BFI Expanded Screen Fund is offering up to £150k for immersive works of fiction from experienced producers & creative leads. Deadline 3 Jun. - BFI

😹 Scribe Lounge have announced their Elevate Comedy competition and are accepting TV comedy scripts until 22 Jun. - Scribe Lounge

📺 Channel4 have launched a new unscripted proof of concept fund. Deadline end of July. Open to companies only, not freelancers. - Channel4

📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: ANiMiNSPO (22 Apr), Queer Bath Film Festival (27 Apr), Bristol Documentary (30 Apr), Electric (1 May), Gloucester Independent (2 May), Encounters (4 May), Wildscreen (13 May) & Cardiff Mini (15 May). - FilmFreeway

🖍️ Cardiff Animation Festival takes place on 23-26 Apr, with an amazing industry day line-up on 23 Apr. - CAF

🤖 Forbidden Worlds Film Festival takes place on 23-26 Apr in Bristol. - FWFF

🟠 Carmarthen Bay Film Festival takes place on 18-21 May. - CBFF

🌍 Watch Africa Film Festival takes place in Cardiff on 11-13 Jun. - WA

🍿 On film club: The Haunting dir. Robert Wise (on BBC iPlayer) & Buena Vista Social Club dir. Wim Wenders (on Disney+).

📣 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

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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..