Manchester Film Festival

Submissions for this year's British Independent Film Awards are now OPEN!🏅

As a qualifying organisation, if your film played at MFF '24 you can now submit it to BIFA for FREE🤩
Rules & criteria via BIFA's website, good luck and we can't wait to see some of our alumni picking up awards! https://www.bifa.film/

psst...Don't forget to submit to MFF '25 before our next deadline (Jul 23rd) - you don't want to miss this one!🐝
https://filmfreeway.com/ManchesterFilmFestival

There's even more to look forward to next month, and if you have any opportunities to share with the MFF community comment below!📣

2. The first ever MUBI FEST in the UK is coming to Manchester. Discover incredible art, meet good people and watch the best movies.
12 + 13.07 at Factory International

3. Bad Gal Film Club is back for a special screening of Sofia Coppola’s dazzling PRISCILLA, the fascinating story based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir about her time with Elvis.
14.07 at Ducie Street Warehouse

4. Slick Films, in association with Bolton Film Festival, has announced the “Slick Films Fund” with up to £10,000 available. The fund is designed to discover and nurture emerging talent with a special category for first-time filmmakers.
Apply by 15.07

5. As part of this year's Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, see 'At Home in Gaza and London' a film following the lives of people living in two locations separated by great political, economic and physical divides.
15.07 at The Bluecoat

6. BFI NETWORK with the BFI London Film Festival provides opportunities for up to 15 UK screenwriters, directors, and producers working across fiction and documentary to participate in screenings, events and one to ones with industry professionals.
Apply by 17.07

7. Bad Gal Film Club are proud to present a screening of Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola's Oscar-winning romantic comedy-drama starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.
24.07 at Cultplex

8. Glasgow Film Festival have opened applications for the second year of ANIMATIC, the animation development project, funded by The Scottish Government's Festival EXPO Fund.
Apply by 24.07

9. Mansfield Town Film Festival is back for another year of celebrating cinema, local talent, and community spirit. Explore over 100 screenings to see across the weekend plus an engaging programme of industry events.
26 - 28.07 at Mansfield Palace Theatre

July is just around the corner, and there's plenty a-foot for film lovers all over the UK!

2. Little French Cinema present 'Les Pires' ('The Worst Ones), winner of the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes 2022.
04.07 at Oldham Library / tickets via Eventbrite

3. Mansfield Film Festival presents 'The Best of MTFF23', an evening looking back on last year's programme highlights before the start of MTFF24 later this month.
04.07 at Mansfield Palace Theatre

4. "A bold and joyous celebration of trans identity", catch new documentary 'Orlando, My Political Biography', plus a post-screening discussion lead by academics from UoM.
05.07 at HOME

5. Join SQIFF and the Scottish Documentary Institute, alongside likeminded filmmakers, to share ideas and learn more about the opportunities for documentary makers in Scotland.
06.07 at CCA Glasgow

6. As part of the National Festival of Making, Dirty Faces Studio are hosting a line-up of independent films, talks, exhibitions and more, from mill-towns across the North and beyond.
06.07 at Tony's Empress Ballroom

7. Apply now for the Video Production Bootcamp. Plan, capture & produce exciting video content with help from some of the best in the business, hosted by Reform Radio.⁠
08.07 - 26.07

8. Apply today for the BFI's Short Form Animation Fund, supported by the National Lottery. The fund supports narrative short form projects in any animated technique or genre.
Apply by 09.07

On the Silver Screen🎞
From today you can watch TWO of this year's features at your local cinema📽

The Moor: a character-driven, atmosphere-laden British horror with elements of folk horror and true crime.

Sorcery: an enthralling fable of anti-colonial revenge and self-discovery steeped in ancient folklore.

If you missed these tantalising thrillers in March (or you want to see them again!) don't delay - find a screening today!

COMING SOON: ADVANCE DEADLINE

It's less than a week until our next submission deadline - if you're waiting for the right moment to submit your work to Manchester Film Festival, this is it!

Please get in touch if you have any questions about the submission or selection process, and we look forward to seeing your films!🐝

Happy Volunteers' Week!🌟

Volunteers are a crucial part of the MFF team, and we want to say a HUGE thanks to everyone who has given their time and skills to keeping the festival running smoothly - we couldn't do it without you!

Want to join the crew?
We have a variety of opportunities across the festival, if you have any questions just get in touch and look out for volunteer sign ups later this year🐝

Nominations are OPEN for this year's and Manchester Film Festival is in the running!🤩🏆

If you felt inspired, entertained and transported by MFF, we'd hugely appreciate you taking the time to nominate us for 'Best Event' via the link in our bio.

Thank you for supporting arts, culture and creativity in Manchester, we can't wait to be back again next March!🎬
Manchester City Council

Happy Pride Month from Manchester Film Festival!🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

To celebrate, the MFF team are shouting out their favourite pieces of q***r cinema - we'd love to hear your choices and recommendations, comment below!

Francesca - "Although my choice may seem a little on the nose, I will never stop recommending Pride to everyone I meet. It has it all; heartbreak, love, beauty, connection and history. It's overwhelmed by fantastic performances and somehow finds uplifting moments in every painful one. A touching story that is just perfect for Pride Month."

Neil - "Dog Day Afternoon is often held up as a really macho film but has incredibly compelling q***r characters and themes at its heart. It's completely before its time, really accessible for contemporary audiences and shows that q***r themes can exist within any type of film."

Alan - "Tokyo Godfathers is an important film because it shows family can exist anywhere you need it to, and what binds us is empathy, not blood.
Hana, a transgender woman, is a mother through circumstances, homeless through ignorance and a role model through choice."

Carl - "Stylish direction by Lana and Lily Wachowski, compelling performances by Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly and its groundbreaking portrayal of a same-s*x relationship make Bound a gripping, neo-noir thriller."

Leonie - "One of my all time favourites, But I'm a Cheerleader means so much because it really shows the pure joy which comes from living authentically, and I think that's at the heart of all the best q***r cinema. It's campy, it's hilarious, 10/10!"

Emily - "All Of Us Strangers recently broke my heart over and over again. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal's beautiful performances are real stand-outs."

Max - "My choice is Théo et Hugo dans le même bateau; it's somehow the s*xiest but also most touching q***r film I can remember seeing, all about finding love in the most unlikely places."

Tom - "A favourite from this year's festival, Love Lies Bleeding really does have everything, harking back to the best of classic action films whilst centring a relationship between two women which is layered, passionate and exciting."

Opportunity Round Up - June part 2☀️

2) Sheffield Doc Fest is back next month, with a huge programme of documentaries PLUS a bumper industry schedule of panels, workshops and networking events
12-17.06, various venues

3) Northern Silents is back with a special screening of The Passion of Joan of Arc, accompanied by a live score from trailblazing pianist Utsav Lal.
15.06 at The Stoller Hall

4) Creative Access are offering 14x funded places on Thrive – an unrivalled year-long career development programme for freelance music composers & sound designers.
Apply by 16.06

5) Weekend Film School's Sunday Film Making Club returns, bringing together filmmakers of all levels to create exciting new short films.
16.06 at 1853 Studios, OL9 6QH

6) Film London and Arts Council England with the support of The Fenton Arts Trust present The FLAMIN Fellowship, a major development programme for early-career artist filmmakers living in England.
Apply by 17.06

7) The Independent Cinema Office present ID Screening Days 2024, comprising of curated sessions designed to make a lasting difference to who is included in the audience and workforce of UK film.
19.06 (online) & 21.06 (Watershed, Bristol)

8) Cinema for All are hosting the Community Cinema Conference; a chance to celebrate accomplishments in volunteer-led cinema and look towards what’s next for the sector.
22.06 at The Workstation, Sheffield

9) Film Hub North have launched a new film fund grant for emerging filmmakers aged 16-25. Eligible applicants can apply for £1000 towards making a micro short.
Apply by 23.06

10) Manchester Centre for Youth Studies are hosting a screening of Tish (plus Q&A with producer Jen Corcoran), followed by a discussion on the legacy of Tish Murtha's work and the experiences of creative industries for those from working-class backgrounds.
28.06 at MMU School for Digital Arts (tickets via Eventbrite)

If you've got an opportunity you'd like to share with the MFF community just send us a DM or comment below!

Opportunity Round Up - June☀️

There's a whole lot going on for film buffs next month, make sure to get these ones in your diary!

2) CULTPLEX proudly presents CULT MART, a market and fair celebrating all things pop culture, from cult films to tv to games to comics and more!
01.06 at Fairfield Social Club

3) IndieFlicks returns, offering the perfect balance of a social night out and blended with top drawer, festival quality short films from around the world!
02.06 at Ducie Street Warehouse

4) Beyond Babel Festival is back, celebrating multilingual life by showcasing films that can open discussions on how multilingual experiences and related themes are represented on screen.
03-05.06, various venues

5) Head to New Writing North for The Channel 4 Writing for TV Awards, a unique opportunity for emerging writers in the North of England to take their first steps into working in television.
Apply by 04.06

6) Make a Scene Film Club are screening 80s camp classic Heathers the way it should be seen…as a big teenage sleepover with beds in the cinema, pillow fights, pizza, truth or dare, drag queens, quoting-a-long and…erm, croquet!
08.06 at Cultplex

7) Bad Gal Film Club are proud to kick-off Pride Month with a special screening of Shiva Baby (2020), celebrate an independent film, screened by a women-led film community - with free snacks available! 🍿
09.06 at Ducie Street Warehouse

8) Prestwich Community Cinema present Stop Making Sense, Jonathan Demme's iconic masterpiece, largely considered to be the best concert film ever made.
09.06 at The Carlton Club

9) Applications for Cinema for All's Platform micro-bursaries are now open! Have ideas for a film festival, special event or heritage project? Access a £1000 bursary to help Platform your next big idea
Apply by 10.06

10) Film Hub North are on the hunt for Northern filmmakers hoping to showcase their shorts in the next round of Northern Exposure
Submit your film via Filmfreeway by 10.06

If you've got an opportunity you'd like to share with the MFF community just send us a DM or comment below!

Send us your films!

March 2025 might seem like a while away but we're already counting down the days til next year's festival - submit your work via FilmFreeway before the end of the day tomorrow for significant discounts, the programming team are ready and waiting!🤩

NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM📺

Missed out on something you wanted to see at MFF? Fear not, because two features from the 2024 programme are now available to watch online!

I Think I'm Sick (winner of our Best International Feature award) and Dagr (featured on Empire Magazine's "111 Movies To Look Forward To In 2024") can both be found across a number of platforms and are a must see for your next home movie night🍿

AND be sure to head to ITIS director Danny Gevirtz's YouTube page to watch his behind-the-scenes video of his experience coming to Manchester Film Festival for the film's international premier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zE4aX337ac

And just like that it's somehow been a whole month since the end of Manchester Film Festival!🤯

Thank you again to everyone who joined us for a fantastic year and congratulations to every filmmaker who sent us their work, the quality of submissions was sky high and we're so grateful to be trusted with your incredible films.❤

Things might be a little quiet now as we're busy behind the scenes planning for next year, but submissions are OPEN for MFF 2025, we'll see you there!

🏆AWARD WINNERS - SHORTS🏆

A huge congratulations to all our award winners this year!

Choosing the winners was far from easy, and to every filmmaker who shared their work a huge thank you! Your creativity is what powers MFF and inspires our audiences, and it was a pleasure to meet so many of you over the 10 days of this year's festival.❤️

It's Sunday, Day 10 and that can only mean one thing ...... all good things must come to an end. It's been another amazing day at Manchester Film Festival with too many highlights to mention (ok I will mention Richard Armitage!!). A final day of more incredible films, and the awards ⭐️ Of course everyone is a winner at Manchester Film Festival. Thanks to everyone who came and made it such a great festival.

There was so much excitement (and glamour) on the red carpet on Saturday. It's lovely to meet the film makers and actors, and hear all about their incredible films. Huge crowds came to see 'Unicorns' and its stars Jason Patel, Zina and Ali Afzal. There was also great excitement when we were joined by YouTube star and director Danny Gevirtz. Danny was incredibly gracious and generous with his time, speaking to all his fans after the screening of 'I Think I'm Sick'. Only one more day to go ......

Don't be sad it's almost over, rejoice that there's still a day left!

Keep an eye out for the different Love Lies Bleeding screens - it's truly going to be a night to remember!

You can have a parliament of owls, a prickle of porcupines, and a cauldron of bears, but what's the collective name for thought-provoking and entertaining new films?🤔

Whatever it is, we've certainly got it here - this is our busiest day yet, and there's so much to see! Secure the best seats in the house and get your tickets today🎟
https://manchesterfilmfestival.com/tickets/

Friday, and the weekend starts early 🤩 at Manchester Film Festival. The red carpet was BUSY ..... film makers from far and wide, including the Dito team from Japan and the Rising Sun team from Ukraine. We've got a packed weekend ahead of shorts and features, and much more 🤩

🌟Thursday at MFF '24🌟

Red carpets! Panels! Q&As! Incredible new films to knock your socks off!
It's all happening at the Odeon, and there's still 3 days to enjoy - if you've not joined us yet, where have you been?!

🎟Tickets and passes still available on our website🎟

That Friday feeling? Why yes indeed, and it's been brought about by another day of incredible shorts and features at Manchester Film Festival!

To see these incredible films before anyone else in the city, the Odeon Great Northern is the place to be📍

Tickets and passes still available on our website - don't wait around if there's something you've got your eye on!

📣MFF EXCLUSIVE📣

In support of his powerful new film Unicorns, MFF is thrilled to announce that Jason Patel will be joining us this Saturday!

Jason plays a q***r nightclub performer living a double life in this groundbreaking new LGBT+ drama. To watch the film and hear directly from one of its talented stars, pick up your tickets via our website today🎟
https://manchesterfilmfestival.com/tickets/

🔥Things really are heating up at MCR Film Festival🔥

From today we'll be occupying not two but THREE screens at the Odeon, meaning you have even more opportunities to watch some fantastic new cinema right here in Manchester!

For more information on all the shorts & features and to buy tickets just head to our website: https://manchesterfilmfestival.com/official-selection-2024/

A great evening at Manchester Film Festival of feature films and North West Shorts. We were joined on the red carpet and for interviews by the team from The Moor and NW Shorts. There's a busy weekend ahead of great films and industry events 🤩

And for this evening's menu, we're serving up the finest selection of cinema to be found in Manchester, today only🍽

Tickets are running low for The Moor and NW Shorts 2, make sure to pick up yours on our website sooner rather than later!🎟
https://manchesterfilmfestival.com/official-selection-2024/

"a disjointed but compelling 1980s-set crime thriller filled with blood, s*x and brawn..." (BFI)🤩

In response to incredible demand, we're thrilled to announce a third screening for Rose Glass' scintillating new thriller, 'Love Lies Bleeding'💪

🎟The other screenings sold out in record time so don't delay - get your tickets today!
https://manchesterfilmfestival.com/

Tuesday's here, and we're officially half way through Manchester Film Festival 2024!🎬

Head down to the Odeon Great Northern tonight for the Manchester premiere of four incredible new films hailing from the USA, Italy and Denmark.
Tickets available on our website: https://manchesterfilmfestival.com/tickets/

Thrillers, chillers and contract killers - it's all happening at Manchester Film Festival this evening!🐝

Tickets are still available for tonight's screenings, why not kick off your week with some amazing independent cinema at the Odeon Great Northern?
https://manchesterfilmfestival.com/tickets/

Will is literally jumping for joy to be on the red carpet today! He also stole the Q&A session 🤩 We've had a really busy day with all the film makers from North West Shorts, plus loads of great features. There's lots more to see, we've only just got started!