SHORT FILM SUBMISSIONS

Short Films Submissions (regulations 2027)

SHORT FILM ELIGIBILITY

We are accepting short films up to 15 minutes in length of any genre and from any country of production produced after January 2024. (Long Shorts category - up to 30 minutes; VR - up to 20 minutes; Music Video/Dance Films category - up to 10 minutes).

We now accept Virtual Reality (VR) short films of any genre or of multi-genre elements that can be viewed using virtual reality headsets. VR submissions are uploaded or linked via FilmFreeway in a standard video format for preview purposes. Please contact us for more technical information if in doubt: info@thebayfilmfestival.com

Submissions must be complete, self-contained short films. Projects that are excerpts, pilot episodes, or segments of longer works (including web or TV series or feature films) are not eligible.

We are also currently NOT ACCEPTING: commercials, promotional films, experimental films (unless they have clear narrative core). If you are not sure about your film's eligibility, please contact us in advance.

WORKS IN PROGRESS

Our programmers will consider rough cuts and will judge the film accordingly. We will not reject any film on the basis of being incomplete, however you should be confident that your film will be complete well in advance of the start of the Festival.

If you need to send the film when there is still post-production work left to do, then please let us know what is left to be done (e.g.: colour grade, sound mix, vfx). It is also useful to add this information in the notes under your secure online screener.

Please note that we cannot guarantee that programmers will be able to watch the completed film at a later date, so it is best to wait until you have a cut you are happy with.

PREMIERE STATUS

We do not require a premiere. However, the film should not be released and publicly available on the internet before the Festival.

SUBTITLES

All submissions that have all or partial non-English dialogue must have English subtitles. If non-English dialogue is not supposed to be subtitled due to the story reasons, you need to specify this in your cover letter.

FEES

TBIFF charges a submission fee which contributes towards the administrative expenses of running the festival. The submission fee is non-refundable. If your film does not match our film selection criteria and you still submit your film, your film will not be considered, and we cannot refund your fee. It is the filmmakers’ responsibility to ensure that the submitted film meets the eligibility criteria.

If you are a filmmaker from Morecambe area or if you won an award at our previous editions, you can email us and ask a fee waiver. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer fee waivers for any other reasons.

VIEWING AND JUDGING

All submitted films undergo a rigorous three-stage evaluation process. In the first stage, each film is viewed by two pre-selectors from our team who evaluate the submissions using 10 star system based on four core criteria: Originality/Creativity, Storytelling, Emotional Impact, and Thematic Depth, along with optional technical categories where applicable. Films receiving an average rating of 6+ advance to the second stage, where they are evaluated by professional filmmakers using the same framework. Films receiving 7+ at this stage earn Semi-finalist status and progress to the final programming stage, while those rated 5-6 receive Quarter-Finalist recognition. 

Final selections and award nominees are determined by the Festival Programmers, with winners selected by our distinguished jury of industry professionals. This systematic approach ensures each film receives fair consideration based on its artistic merit, regardless of budget or origin. 

OFFICIAL SELECTION

We will only be able to screen a limited number of short films. Long-listed films will get "Quarter-Finalist" laurels, shortlisted films will get "Semi-Finalist" laurel. We cannot promise to screen long-listed and shortlisted films, although this might change in some cases of which you will be notified.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Quarter-Finalists are not a part of our OFFICIAL SELECTION. This equals to honourary mention. Some of the Semi-Finalists might end up in the OFFICIAL SELECTION, but not all. Please don't state that your film was Officially Selected if you are NOT in the final programme.

Some of the films might be screened during the year after the festival in other venues around the Morecambe Bay – you will be notified of this if we wish to screen your film more than once.

NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION DECISIONS

The programme will be finalised in December 2026. We will contact you by email provided on your page. If your contact details change during this period please let us know so that we could update our records.

If your submission is successful, you will be notified by invitation and our official Entry Form and Screening Guidelines will be sent to you for completion and return.

If your submission is unsuccessful, we will inform you by email as soon as possible. Please note that TBIFF is unable to provide comments or feedback for any films not selected for the programme.

SCREENING COPY

Should your film be accepted for our official selection, screening formats will be discussed with you by our Technical Director. Full details for required technical format will be supplied with the Official Selection form. We might require to have DCP of your film depending on the venue where it will be screened. We can help creating DCPs for the films which don't have one.

SCREENING

We do not offer screening fees. By submitting your film to TBIFF you agree with this condition. We provide 2 complimentary festival passes to filmmakers of officially selected films who wish to attend the festival. A limited amount of travel grants to nominated films might be available, this is TBA later.

TRAILERS & PROMOTION

We reserve the right to use excerpts from submitted films and stills in the Official Selection for festival publicity and marketing purposes. Entry of a film implies permission to publish information and images provided when the film was submitted, on the Festival website, social media and press.

By registering at TBIFF, participants also agree that photos, videos or interviews may be taken and recorded during the event for non-commercial purposes. Participants consent to the use of these images, video or sound recordings for non-commercial purposes by TBIFF.

COPYRIGHT

Producers, distributors or other parties who submit works to TBIFF must guarantee they are legally authorised to do so and have all the necessary authorisations from the co-producers, authors, directors, actors and all the people involved in the film in general in order to enter the film in compliance with these regulations.

Participants guarantee that they hold or have obtained all the rights, in particular, but not limited to, the rights relating to the images, music, filming locations, screenplays, rights of the various authors, directors and actors, as well as the right to use, quote and reproduce the photographs, first and last names and pseudonyms of the various participants.

Participants guarantee TBIFF against any disturbance, claim, eviction and any action by any third party on any grounds whatsoever. Participants shall bear the cost of any damages and all costs, in particular those relating to any judicial, administrative or criminal litigation including pre-litigation, (in particular, but not limited to, costs and fees of legal counsel, disbursements, expert fees, etc.) and those relating to any enforcement measure that TBIFF is required to pay following either a judicial decision with provisional enforcement, or a settlement signed with the plaintiff. Participants are reminded that failure to hold all the rights and authorisations necessary for the film to participate in the national and international competitions, may result in the application of criminal and civil penalties as provided for by the law. Furthermore, failure to comply with this clause may result in your exclusion from the competition.

AGREEMENT

Submission to TBIFF constitutes agreement to all rules, regulations and conditions contained in this document and your consent that your film be considered for any awards that may be given at the Festival.

No film selected may be withdrawn from the Festival programme after it has been accepted by the TBIFF selection board.