SWIF digest 📬 7 October 2025

👋 Hi filmmakers. I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm SWIF as a community for all filmmakers currently based in south west England and south Wales. This place is your home. This community is your home. Together we will uplift and support your artistry. Our many perspectives and experiences make the form of film richer.

I encourage everyone to watch each other's films, help out on each other's projects, support during each other's struggles and celebrate each other's successes.

🥰 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.

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

📸 BTS from a recent Bristol School of Acting shoot. - Instagram

😍 A showcase celebrating the creativity and innovation of twenty-five Black and racially minoritised artists & filmmakers from across the south west takes place on 11 Oct in Bristol. - Eventbrite

📝 Black South West Network are running a free workshop on writing grant & funding applications. 15 Oct in Bristol. - Eventbrite

🔋 Transition Bournemouth are hosting a screening & Q&A of Power Station on 21 Oct. A documentary about two artists who set out to take their street off the grid. - Eventbrite

🏄‍♀️ Watch short films at the SurfGirl Mag 83 launch party on 22 Oct in Newquay. - Eventbrite

😱 Forbidden Worlds Film Festival, Bristol’s biggest repertory genre film festival returns from 24-25 Oct with 'The Big Scream'. Two nights of cult horror grindhouse and exploitation movies from Australia. - Headfirst

👏 Blue Metaphor's returning Stories beyond the Veil mixed arts night (including a shorts screening & networking) takes place in Bristol on 1 Nov. - Headfirst

📇 Somerset Film are hosting a networking night for creatives aged 16-25yrs. 12 Nov in Bridgwater. - Somerset Film

🚸 Uni of Exeter are offering a free children's workshop on filmmaking on 15 Nov. - Eventbrite

💪🏾 We Are All People of Power screening & climate conversation takes place in Honiton on 20 Nov. A dive into the practical, positive projects and activities in the community. - Eventbrite

👨🏽‍💻 The All Set West Hub is now live. A free place to search for and post opportunities in the industry across the region. - All Set West

🎆 World VFX Day returns in Dec. This year's live streamed program highlights the partnership between VFX and animation studios with other areas of filmmaking and production. Suggestions of topics and speakers can be submitted now. - Google Form

🤨 Artists from Somerset working in any artform can apply for a free one-to-one surgery session to bring a digital element to their current practice or planned work. - Google Form

🎈 A Plymouth-based psychological/sci-fi drama short film is crowdfunding right now. - Crowdfunder

⛓️‍💥 SevenThreeOne are seeking a freelance creative writing workshop facilitator for their work with a prison in Devon, improving the quality of life for ex-offenders and hard to reach individuals. Deadline 10 Oct. - NAWE

👷🏾 Scenic Construction Apprentice needed in Cardiff. Deadline 16 Oct. - Screen Alliance Wales

🏭 Studio Manager needed at Firebug Studios in Barry. Deadline 30 Oct. - ScreenSkills

🧑‍💼 The Documentary Film Council are hiring their CEO. This role is open to remote working and job share. Deadline 7 Dec. - DFC

🤑 Look Aside's short film fund has its early bird deadline on 26 Oct. - FilmFreeway

👹 Raindance are running a micro-short horror film competition. It's free to enter and has a deadline on 27 Oct. - Raindance

📚 BBC Writers have announced the dates for their open script call, with a deadline of 2 Dec. - BBC

🏆 The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards are free to enter and have a deadline on 16 Dec. - Sony

📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: 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

🍿 Bath Film Festival takes place 17-26 Oct. - Film Bath

😇 Poetry Film Festival takes place in Bristol on 18 Oct. - Eventbrite

🕵️‍♂️ Film Noir Fest takes place 31 Oct - 2 Nov in Weston-super-Mare. - South West Silents

↘️ Queer East Film Festival on the road comes to Bristol 1-4 Nov. - Queer East

🙋‍♀️ Sistaland Festival takes place 11-12 Nov in Bristol. - Sistaland

🌍 Afrika Eye Festival takes place 14-16 Nov in Bristol. - Afrika Eye

👩‍❤️‍👩 The personals: Nothing this week. Get in touch for a free listing.

🍿 On film club: American Fiction dir. Cord Jefferson (on BBC iPlayer) & The Blue Caftan dir. Maryam Touzani (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.