SWIF digest 📬 6 January 2026

👋 Hi filmmakers. I did a good/bad thing. I took a weekly planner for 2026 and wrote down one thing a week I need to do to get all my projects done. Now I feel both inspired and intimidated (before I've even started)! What a mess. 🤣

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

📸 BTS from Create Studios Swindon's recent cohort of trainees.- Instagram

🤝 Exeter Film Collective's next networking evening is 7 Jan. - Exeter Phoenix

🚀 WeAnimateOnTues' next meet-up for Animators takes place 13 Jan in Exeter. - Exeter Phoenix

🪶 FilmBath have added an extra night after selling out their Director Q&A screening of H is for Hawk. 17 Jan. - FilmBath

✍🏾 Bristol Old Vic's next new writing scratch night is 20 Jan. - Bristol Old Vic

📽️ Voices Gloucester are hosting a short film night on 20 Jan. - Eventbrite

🦦 Short film Bristol's Hidden River will screen with Q&A and art exhibition in Bristol on 22 Jan. - Eventbrite

👋🏽 Normal Girl are hosting a short film showcase & networking event in Bristol on 22 Jan. - Eventbrite

💙 Bluescreen short film night in Bristol takes plaxe on 28 Jan. - The Cube

⏳ Filmmakers Plymouth Social presents: 60 Minute Challenge. Dust of your camera and make your first film of the year. Working in teams you will be given a prompt & 60 mins to create a film from start to finish. 29 Jan. - Eventbrite

🌟 Cornwall Film Festival are hosting a "best of the west" shorts screening on 30 Jan in Saltash. - Saltash Studios

🧱 Short film Brick by Brick premieres in Bridgwater 6-12 Feb. Free tickets. - Somerset Film

🍚 Documentary Rice At Home will screen in Bristol on 14 Feb, followed by a Q&A with the cast and an opportunity to network. - Headfirst

🔔 DVMISSION's 48hr film challenge in Southampton closes for team registration on 30 Jan. - FilmFreeway

⛑️ Bristol City Council & CreativeShift are launching a regional creative health network for Bristol, N Somerset, S Gloucestershire, Bath & NE Somerset. If you are a creative health practitioner sign up now. - Creative Shift

🎤 A screenwriting & pitching workshop takes place in Bristol on 1 Feb. - MeetUp

✂️ ScreenSkills' HETV First Assistant Editor to Editor training course takes place in Cardiff 21-22 Mar. Apply now. - ScreenSkills

👻 Screams by the Sea Film Festival are looking for volunteers ahead of their next festival in March in Bournemouth. All sorts of skills are needed, from stewarding to social media. - SBTSFF

👨🏻‍💼 Producer/Production Manager needed for a short film in South Wales. - Tabb

💃 Casting call for 30-60yrs male & female actors in Bath. Deadline 9 Jan. - Tabb

🗣️ BFI Network SW's Working-Class Producer's Forum closes for applications on 8 Jan. - Watershed

📝 Last few days to apply for the TV Foundation's New Writers Collective. Deadline 8 Jan. - TV Festival

💰 Developing Room's short film fund is open for submissions until 28 Feb. - Developing Room

👩‍❤️‍👩 The personals: I'm taking offers on a very good condition A0 Orchard Ackworth drawing board with a-frame stand. Free delivery in Bristol area. - Email Holly

📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: Women in Film & TV Cardiff (8 Jan), Carmarthen Bay, Fortean (both 31 Jan), International Film Festival
of Wales (6 Feb), Gloucester Independent (7 Feb), Forbidden Worlds (13 Feb) & Bristol Documentary (14 Feb). - FilmFreeway

👾 Cardiff Mini Film Festival takes place 18 Jan. - CMFF

🤿 Archeo-Heritage Film presents: Into the Depths 5-8 Feb in Bath. - BAHFF

🍿 New film club! We're starting 2026 with a fresh list. Every week one film available for streaming from the following Letterboxd lists will be added:
➡️ Letterboxd’s Top 250 LGBTQ+ Narrative Feature Films
➡️ Letterboxd's Official Top 250 Documentary Films

This week on film club: Compartment No. 6 dir. Juho Kuosmanen (on BBCiPlayer) & Yintah dir. Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham & Brenda Michell (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

💌 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.