SWIF digest 📬 26 August 2025

👋 Hi filmmakers. SWIF tour starts this week!

❤️ Thank you to all the amazing partners who have made it possible; Jess Scott at Filmmakers Plymouth Social, Luke Hagan at Exeter Phoenix, Radi Nikolov at Screams by the Sea Festival, Ella McDonald at BFI Network South West, Shahina Johnson at Create Studios and Ric Rawlins, Cara Bamford, Matthieu Gras & Ben Robins for the Think Tank in Bath. Thank you!

🤩 Come along to a tour event and meet these brilliant folks who want to support your filmmaking career. All events are free.

🧐 All film pub quiz with Filmmakers Plymouth Social.
Thu 28 Aug from 6pm at Everyman Cinema Plymouth. More details.

🍿 Short film open mic with Exeter Phoenix.
Fri 29 Aug from 7pm at Exeter Phoenix. More details.

🍦 “Ice-Screams by the Sea” beach day with Screams by the Sea Festival.
Sat 30 Aug from 2pm on Bournemouth beach. More details.

🎂 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. More details.

🤝 Creatives networking with Create Studios.
Wed 10 Sep from 6pm at Create Studios Swindon. More details.

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

🇵🇸 A documentary screening focusing on Gaza’s history & culture takes place 30 Aug in Bristol. Shot in July 2023, it was unknowingly filming a city on the brink of erasure. There'll be a post-screening Q&A with the Director. - Headfirst

💀 A free screening of three new animated short films exploring themes from the death positive movement takes place in Bristol on 14 Sep. - Arnos Vale

📲 Channel 4, Media Cymru & NFTS are offering a free two day workshop on developing & pitching digital content for Wales based filmmakers in Sep. This will lead onto an opportunity to pitch for up to £20k. - NFTS

📖 Take advantage of this free script reading service for short scripts from a local Reader. Period & historical drama welcome. - Edwina Tyrrell

😭 A Bristol short drama film is crowdfunding for a shoot this Autumn, with a focus on those left behind when a love one takes their own life. - Indiegogo

✅ Raindance have published a monthly filmmaker’s self-maintenance checklist. Looks like a really helpful resource. - Raindance

👷🏾 Assistant Location Managers & Unit Managers based in Wales who are ready to step up to Location Manager can apply for this free training programme. Deadline 30 Sep. - Screen Alliance Wales

🐯 Production Management Assistant needed at the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol. Deadline 27 Aug. - BBC

🧀 3rd Assistant Director needed at Aardman for their next stop frame feature film. Deadline 27 Aug. - Aardman

🐧 Aardman are hiring a Digital Producer for their social media channels. Deadline 31 Aug. - Aardman

🎥 Writer/Documentary Maker needed to document an Artist's creative practice over the next year in Bristol. Paid freelance arrangment. Deadline 31 Aug. - Arts Jobs

💃 Casting call for male & female actors in their 20s for a short supernatural film in Bristol. Deadline 7 Sep. - Tabb

🎭 Comedy & Drama Teacher needed at PQA in Torbay for their Saturday school for 6-18yr olds. Deadline 28 Sep. - Arts Jobs

⚡️ BFI's Discovery & Impact feature funding for debut Directors closes on 29 Aug. If you want to make a feature but this process looks overwhelming, commit to upskilling yourself in time for their next window opening in Jan 2026. - BFI

📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: Cardiff Mini (26 Aug), Pigeon Laughs (30 Aug), Two Short Nights, Carmarthen Bay (both 31 Aug), Cornwall (11 Sep), Bournemouth International (12 Sep) & Portsmouth Shorts::Cut (15 Sep). - FilmFreeway

⚡️ Ignite Film Festival takes place near Swindon on 27 Aug - 7 Sep. - Ignite

☠️ Pompey Wood Genre Film Festival takes place in Portsmouth on 30 Aug. - FilmFreeway

⛰️ Frontier Sapiens Film Festival takes place in Southampton on 5 Sep. - Eventbrite

👩‍❤️‍👩 The personals: Come up to me at a SWIF tour event and introduce yourself. I'd love to catch up with you. Here's a link to what I look like -> Holly

🍿 On film club: Nope dir. Jordan Peele (on Channel4) & Bound dirs. Lana & Lilly Wachowski (on BFIPlayer & Amazon Prime)

📣 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.