SWIF digest 📬 23 September 2025
It's back to school September with lots of training to dig into...
👋 Hi filmmakers. I'll be volunteering at Encounters Film Festival in Bristol this week. So if you see me about then do say hi!
🥰 Please consider supporting this resource for the filmmaking community. You can now give a one-off amount, or take an on-going membership if you want access to the filmmaker resources. Which now includes a spreadsheet of annual short films funds.
Here’s your weekly digest for independent film in the South West:
📸 BTS from Exeter-made short folk horror film, Knell, which will screen at Hell-Tor Film Festival this week (26-28 Sep). - Devon & Cornwall Film
💡 Explore cutting-edge lighting tech with Panalux, demos & networking. This event is tailored for Gaffers & lighting professionals. 25 Sep in Cardiff. - Eventbrite
👽 One of the panels I'm most excited to see at Encounters Film Festival this week is 'In Conversation: Women in Genre'. 26 Sep in Bristol. - Encounters
⚡️ Jolt in Gloucester are hosting networking on 2 Oct and every first Thursday. - JOLT
⏳ Films made for the recent Bristol 48 Hour Film Project are screening at the Bristol Megascreen on 5 Oct. - 48 Hour Film Project
👩⚖️ Women in Film & TV are hosting a meet the commissioner and networking event with the Head of Film & Drama at S4C, Gwenllian Gravelle. 7 Oct in Cardiff. - WFTV
🥳 Rising Arts are celebrating their 9th birthday on 8 Oct in Bristol. Celebrate the talent in their community by watching a "fiery" showcase followed by a mixer. - Humanitix
🤹 A selection of short circus films from across the world will screen as part of Circus City 2025 in Bristol on 9 Oct. - Headfirst
🇵🇸 A screening of 45 short stop-motion films created by children in Gaza takes place on 11 Oct in Bristol. - Headfirst
👩🏾🦱 The CultureBiz Connect Artist showcase will celebrate the creativity and innovation of twenty-five Black and Racially Minoritised artists and producers across the West of England. 11 Oct in Bristol. Eventbrite
🦋 Devon based Animators and Illustrators get yourselves to this monthly animation gathering for of networking and building opportunities. We Animate on Tues next meet on 14 Oct in Exeter. - Exeter Phoenix
🌈 A panel event discussing how to craft authentic stories followed by networking, takes place on 15 Oct as part of Iris Prize Film Festival in Cardiff. - Eventbrite
🏆 You can now vote for your favourite cinema in the BIFA awards. Why not make it a south west choice. - BIFA
👥 Warner Bros Discovery Access & HBO's Director programme closes for applications on 24 Sep. This is a UK only opportunity. - Warner Access
🔫 Swashbuckling Cornwall are running a one-day course on muskets for movies! 12 Oct near Liskeard. - Swashbuckling Cornwall
💻 Black Magic have released their workbooks for learning DaVinci Resolve online free. Includes editing, VFX, sound design and colour grading. - Black Magic Design
📚 Bristol Old Vic Theatre School have updated details about their masters courses. - BOVTS
🏳️⚧️ Transforming Film have launched a free online toolkit for the screen industries on how to support trans professionals. - Transforming Film
🐑 Runner needed at Aardman Bristol for the next Shaun the Sheep feature. Deadline 29 Sep. - Aardman
🏃🏿♀️ Runner needed for a branded content shoot in Bristol & Cardiff in Oct. Deadline 30 Sep. - Production Base
🍻 Casting calls for Actors 18 years+ for a Bristol rom com. Filming in Nov with expenses paid. Need to be comfortable in a bar setting and simulating drinking & taking drugs. - Email
🤣 Producers, Writers and Writer/Directors developing their first or second comedy feature can apply to Funny Features supported by Glasgow Film Festival and BFI Creative Challenge Fund. Deadline 7 Oct. - Glasgow Film
📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: Two Short Nights (30 Sep), Portsmouth Shorts::Cut (6 Oct), Southampton Film Week (10 Oct), Gloucester Independent (11 Oct), Pigeon Laughs (31 Oct), International Film Festival of Wales (7 Nov) & Screams by the Sea (10 Nov). - FilmFreeway
👘 Fashion in Film Festival continues 5 Sep - 25 Oct in Bristol, Exeter & Plymouth. - FiF
👽 Encounters Film Festival takes place in Bristol on 24-28 Sep. - Encounters
🩸 Hell-Tor Film Festival takes place 26-28 Sep in Exeter. - Exeter Phoenix
📽️ Wellington Film Festival takes place 3-5 Oct. - WFF
🧱 In The Walls Independent Film Festival takes place in Weston-super-Mare on 4 Oct. - FilmFreeway
🌙 Moon Fest takes place in Bristol on 4 Oct. - Made on the Moon
✊ Bristol Radical Film Festival takes place 4-5 Oct. - BRFF
🍿 Bath Film Festival takes place 17-26 Oct. - Film Bath
🙋♀️ Sistaland Festival takes place 11-12 Nov in Bristol. - Sistaland
🌍 Afrika Eye Festival takes place 14-16 Nov in Bristol. - Afrika Eye
👩❤️👩 The personals: I'm looking for a Colourist for my short film, preferably based near Bristol or Bath. - Email
🍿 On film club: Selma dir. Ava DuVernay (on BBC iPlayer) & Capernaum dir. Nadine Labaki (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.
