SWIF digest 📬 25 August 2026

👋 Do you have your ticket yet? The SWIF shorts screening & mixer is this week, on Thursday 27th August at St Anne's House Bristol. Say goodbye to summer with great films, film fans, filmmakers and catch ups.

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

📸 Bristol based Producer, Sarah Dawes, releases season 2 of the interactive horror series Shadow Peak this week! Episodes released on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok from Sunday 30 Aug. Follow along to take control of the narrative.

🍻 Film & creative industries networking drinks takes place in Bristol tonight (25 Aug). - Eventbrite

👀 Meet fellow filmmakers at SWIF's shorts night at St Anne's House Bristol on 27 Aug. Stay for the Q&As to meet collaborators and hear what audiences think. - Headfirst

😃 FPS' next monthly social event in Plymouth, where filmmakers can workshop ideas, share work and connect, takes place on 27 Aug. - Eventbrite

🎤 Women in Film & TV are hosting a panel delving into the development and production process for scripted film and TV. 15 Sep in Bristol. - WFTV

📷 Frome’s monthly analogue photography get together takes place on 13 Sep. A welcoming and relaxed space to meet up with other local analogue photographers. - Eventbrite

🌍 A showcase of films by Wales based African diaspora filmmakers exploring migration, identity, belonging, family, music and community takes place in Cardiff on 13 Sep. Part of Watch Africa Film Festival. - Eventbrite

🤝 Networking takes place in Falmouth on 17 Sep. - Eventbrite

🐸 Networking for adventure, natural history and documentary filmmakers, storytellers and creative professionals takes place in Falmouth on 14 Oct. - Eventbrite

🛼 Bath Film Festival have announced a new programming strand pairing films with experiences across food, music, sport, performance and more. I wanna be at that Human Traffic rave! 17– 25 Oct. Bath Box Office

📕 The distribution playbook from Seed&Spark and Kinema has had an update. Read the comprehensive free resource online. - Notion

🏊‍♀️ Cornish short film Boobies, exploring body image, belonging and the pressures young girls face to fit in, is currently crowdfunding for production. - Crowd Funder

🫂 Final week to apply for Women in Film & TV's mentoring programme. Deadline 4 Sep. - WFTV

🦍 Silverback Films want to hear from Researchers with experience in natural history or conservation documentaries for Bristol based work from Sep onwards. - Silverback Films

🧑‍💼 Preston Street Films in Exeter are looking to connect with freelance film & audio Producers to work with them on a project-by-project basis. - Preston Street

✍️ Bristol based A Productions are hiring Storyboard Artists (28 Aug), an Animatic Editor (31 Aug) & an Assistant Animatic Editor (14 Sep). - A Productions

👨🏽‍💻 Art Department Co-ordinator (31 Aug) & Graphic Designer (4 Sep) needed at Peak TV Productions in south Wales. - Screen Alliance Wales

🧑‍✈️ Head of Culture & Creative Economy needed at Gloucester City Council. Deadline 27 Sep. - Arts Jobs

🎭 BAFTA Rocliffe's TV comedy writing competition closes for entries on 16 Sep. - BAFTA

💡 Apply to test an idea at Exeter Phoenix & Exeter Northcott's scratch night on 2 Nov. Submit by 28 Sep. - Exeter Northcott Theatre

🤑 The Kino short film fund has its final deadline on 20 Sep. - Kino

💸 Underscore Studios will soon be launching a short film fund supporting working-class filmmakers to move an original short film project closer to production. Sign up to their mailing to be the first to know more. - Underscore Studios

😱 Screams By The Sea Festival want to see more film submissions from female Producers, Writers & Directors and more south west made films. Discount codes available for eligible films. - Google Drive press release

🪱 Art Hole Cardiff have opened submissions for looping worm animations for their live music event on 24 Sep. Submit by 13 Sep. - Instagram

📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: Cardiff Animation (25 Aug), Southampton Film Week (28 Aug), Carmarthen Bay (31 Aug), Two Short Nights (31 Aug), Bournemouth International Film Festival (1 Sep), Cornwall (6 Sep) & Cardiff Mini (10 Sep). - FilmFreeway

🏔️ Bristol Documentary Film Festival takes place 3-5 Sep. - BDFF

🌍 Watch Africa Film Festival takes place 11-13 Sep in Cardiff. - WAFF

😺 ANiMiNSPO Mini Animation Festival takes place on 12 Sep in Bristol. - Animinspo

🎬 Encounters Film Festival takes place 23-27 Sep in Bristol. - Encounters

↗️ Elevation Film Festival takes place 3-4 Oct in Devonport. - Elevation

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

🍿 On film club: Querelle dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder (on Amazon Prime) & Noah Kahan: Out of Body dir. Nick Sweeney (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

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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.