26th July • Day 1
International Shorts – 10:15AM – 11:45AM
The Clogging (04:15)
Directed by: Eric Larson
After clogging the only toilet at a party, a man must do everything he can to stop tensions from rising further.
Murdrum (05:00)
Directed by: Joseph Job Gailey
A man wakes to find a second version of himself, but he can’t stop his consciousness from being split, unless he tries something desperate.
Doorway (09:46)
Directed by: Siddharth Gautam
Within the fractures of family bonds, a doorway materializes, propelling Stephen through a life-altering odyssey that reshapes his existence and weaves an indelible tapestry of change for his loved ones.
Wasted Seed (17:25)
Directed by: Nino Mancuso
A couple’s desire to have a child sets them on a journey that will test the threshold of their love and connection.
The Two of Us (14:48)
Directed by: Conor Struan Forrest
11-year-old Jerry is a regular kid with an “evil” big sister, Madison, and pretty ordinary parents. He starts to develop a crush on a girl and in the process becomes confused by the relationships around him.
The Visit (06:10)
Directed by: Sean Patrick Folster
A man. A woman. An afternoon that could make all the difference.
Mug (06:34)
Directed by: Yegor Bugayenko
This is a “semi-finished film”. The main character experiences a deep disappointment about what has happened, but the viewer doesn’t know exactly what occurred.
Cycles (14:25)
Directed by: William Darbyshire
When a dinner with the new neighbours goes awry, an antisocial and severely codependent couple reignite the spark in their relationship by covering their tracks.
Cults (15:00)
Directed by: David Padilla
Catholic boarding school, 1970. Father De Monval is supervising a film projection when a young schoolboy sees something that will turn his life upside down…
Student Shorts – 1:45PM – 3:15PM
Chords of Conflict (08:00)
Directed by: Tom Holden
Harry, who struggles with conflict, enlists the help of his ukulele duo partner to help him end things with his girlfriend, Becca.
Rickshaw (08:20)
Directed by: Raphaël Hernandez
Paul and his family are going for a fun rickshaw ride when a sudden encounter stops them on their way back home.
My Gray Face (10:00)
Directed by: Gustav Arthur Simon
A failed writer fights his fading memories in a surreal, parallel world while his neglected family comes back to haunt him.
Bittersweet (13:00)
Directed by: Raiyan Chinoy
“I love you mum…” After Hadi’s mother falls terminally ill, he finds himself lost in a liminal maze, haunted by grief and regret.
What Am I To Do – Seth Ling (05:11)
Directed by: Dan Griggs
Secondary Strobe (07:55)
Directed by: Maddie Barnes
In Great Britain deaf athletes currently receive no funding to compete at high level competitions. This film follows Libby Gotta, a competitive swimmer and member of the Great British Deaf Swimming Club. Follow her on the pursuit of world championship qualification while she faces a lack of Funding and recognition.
Good Friday (09:11)
Directed by: Clea Reeder
In the wake of a tragedy, three friends spend a pivotal night together struggling to learn where they can place their faith.
Long Way From Home (13:00)
Directed by: Laura Martin
After graduating from university Maya still does not know what to do in her future. Frustrated with society’s expectations towards young adults, she decides to move to a different city with the hope of a fresh start. When an old friend offers to give her a lift, the car ride is spent rekindling the friendship, remembering the past, and contemplating the future.
CoD and Chips (05:00)
Directed by: Francesca Rae Cross Hall
Following the passing of his wife, Steven cooks dinner for his teenage son, Oscar, every night but ends up eating alone due to Oscar’s video game fixation. After appearing to have forgotten his father’s birthday, Oscar attempts to make it up to his father by buying him a present that has the power to unite them.
Fly Tipping (09:42)
Directed by: Gareth Malone
Margo contemplates her future after losing her baby.
Documentary Shorts – 5:15PM – 6:45PM
Road to Tram Line Spot (16:35)
Directed by: Georgianna Scurfield
This film documents the years of work from Nottingham’s skateboarders and their allies to create a multi-use, community designed public space in the heart of the city.
Unconditional (15:33)
Directed by: Theo Gee
In this captivating 15-minute short documentary ‘Unleashed’ delves into the incredible story of renowned canine behaviorist Will Atherton, whose life takes a dramatic turn when his dog becomes his saviour after a period of dark depression and a suicide attempt, revealing the extraordinary power of love and resilience in the face of despair.
A Dumpling Story (02:45)
Directed by: Carl Woods
Step into Blowwater Cafe in Kings Heath, Birmingham, and take a journey across memory and food with Sabrina, a creative from Hong Kong who finds community and friendship in a new city.
I am Kanaka (15:00)
Directed by: Genevieve Sulway
A local Hawaiian hero fights to save his culture by teaching traditions, sustainability and life skills to disadvantaged indigenous kids.
The House of Culture (14:10)
Directed by: Becky Miková
The House of Culture used to be the centre of community in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. After years of neglect, it is now in decay and ruin. We follow the building’s history through the Miková family’s memories.
Fabulous Femininities (20:00)
Directed by: Jonothon Lees
Fabulous Femininities is a feature documentary that explores the lives and journeys of six unique burlesque performers across the UK.
Opening Night Variety Pack – 8:00PM – 10:00PM
Twinkleberry (12:20)
Directed by: Daisy Ifama
“The story of my super gay school year that had 30+ queer students in one year group during 2005 to 2012, in a small town on the border of the Midlands and the West Country in England, UK.”
Blyth (05:00)
Directed by: Tom Dream
This short film music video hybrid is an exploration of the witch burnings and the dancing plagues of the 16th Century which swept across Europe like wildfire.
An Ordinary Day in Mansfield (06:29)
Directed by: Sophie Johnson-Hill
An animated film co-created by children and young people on the autistic spectrum about their hometown.
Come Closer (02:59)
Directed by: Harry Tomlin
A single-take journey through a summer garden party. Navigating social anxiety in crowded spaces and how friendship can often be the antidote.
Art (13:56)
Directed by: Ben Kernow
Life at the end of the line has always been tough. With the cost of living going up and pressure to cash in on their now quaint fishing cottage’s financial potential, Biddy and Rob find themselves at the end of the line in more ways than one.
Exchange Rate (08:25)
Directed by: Emma Stansfield
A mother struggling to make ends meet, details the incremental sacrifices she will make to give her daughter a brighter future.
Nerd (03:10)
Directed by: Gustavo Andres Menese
Nerd is a conceptual animation about realizing what we truly are. It tells the story of Gus, a kid following his path to understanding reality through science. Each frame of this animation has been painted digitally, totaling 2213 individual paintings created over 3 years.
Beyond the Sea (25:00)
Directed by: Hippolyte Leibovici
Lady Casca, a drag queen in her sixties, is about to go on stage at her cabaret for the last time. The next day, retirement by the sea awaits her. But her son Thomas, whom she has not seen for a long time, interrupts the festivities. He has sad news to tell her.
Crusts (10:52)
Directed by: Alfie Dale
Words and sandwiches are shared round a grave as an Irish family tries to grieve the untimely death of a loved one. Dark Comedy-Drama.
You’re a Psychopath, I Love You. (09:59)
Directed by: Ben Sapir
John is leaving for university, sending him and his partner Kelsey back into a long-distance relationship. Not willing to say goodbye, Kelsey tries to get him to enjoy their last moments together.
Colour Set (03:38)
Directed by: Yufei Du
Set in a world without sunlight, our protagonist, with a blurred head, seeks definition through various light sources, mirroring the human quest to understand light.
27th July • Day 2
LGBTQIA+ Voices – 10:15AM – 11:45AM
Making Up (15:00)
Directed by: Ryan Paige
Making Up is set in the late 1980s, framed within the gritty drag scene of London’s East End.
Stonewall Postal Action Network (12:00)
Directed by: Sarah Elizabeth Drummond
Stonewall Postal Action Network (SPAN) is a short documentary, telling the story of Austin’s activism, his letter writing campaign and the packing up of his life work for an archive as he contemplates his legacy from his new home in rural Wales.
Pillow Chocolate (9:25)
Directed by: Charlie Tidmas
For transman Jamie, a one-night strand is more than just sex, it’s a question of self-worth.
Where Are All The Gay Superhero’s? (14:55)
Directed by: Tom Paul Martin
After saving the world (again), two closeted gay superheroes meet in secret to discuss their relationship.
Sally Leapt Out Of A Window Last Night (19:47)
Directed by: Tracy Spottiswoode
Ireland 1778. Two women flout convention and scandalise society to escape the fate of their families plan for them. They elope. Based upon the true story of the legendary “Ladies of Llangollen”.
Ticker (9:10)
Directed by: Thom Petty
Howard drives his partner Joseph to hospital to undergo a high-risk operation, and the intimacy of the car, alongside a long forgotten mix tape, sees the masculinity of their forty year relationship start to yield.
Working Class Voices – 1:45PM – 3:15PM
Inappropriate (17:30)
Directed by: Jonathan Blagrove
When a volunteer turns up for his shift to help guide a young offender through the process of his arrest, he gets more than he bargained for.
The Drop (15:00)
Directed by: Jack Parr
In a gripping slow-burning crime thriller, the lives of two police officers, two drug traffickers, and a dealer converge within three cars. As their journeys intertwine, the lines between law and crime blur, unveiling their shared humanity and complex desires.
Tomorrow (11:05)
Directed by: Thomas Elliott Griffiths
Three siblings reunite on the eve of their mothers funeral
It’s Not All That Bad (20:00)
Directed by: Nikolas Novak
A snack bar, an online date, Teddy and Alicia, both in their twenties. One of them has a secret…
Inside Turn (7:03)
Directed by: James Cookson
Whilst trying to steal from a sick pensioner, to impress a gang, a lonely teenager finds something unexpected and altogether more valuable.
Ill Fares The Land (18:15)
Directed by: Patrick Ireland
Mermaids. Migrants. And The Far Right. A young boy finds a mermaid washed up on the shores of his seaside home while his older brother is swept up in the rising tide of far-right nationalism.
Neurodiverse/Disabled Voices – 3:45PM – 5:15PM
Hedgehog (17:41)
Directed by: Adam Smethurst
Poised between adolescence and adulthood and living with the challenges of NF1, Josie’s only connection with the world is a love of Shakespeare. When new girl Ash shows up at drama class, Josie seizes the chance to change her story.
This Prison I Built You (04:24)
Directed by: Jack Dixon
In 2020, I contracted a viral infection in my brain. In this short documentary I use the medium of film to depict what it was like inside my head at a time I couldn’t speak for myself.
Sunday Morning, Sunday Evening (10:38)
Directed by: Euan Pollock Foulis
A Father and Son day out causes a tragic realisation from eight year old Lewis.
Pen Pals (12:30)
Directed by: Lucas Frison
A young man with Down syndrome pursues a romantic relationship with his pen pal.
A Perfect Balance of Absolute Chaos (10:24)
Directed by: Carl Woods
A journey into the mind of Paralympian and British number 1, Rob Oliver, delving into his obsessive desire for podium glory and the personal impact of being milliseconds from success.
Darwin the Dreamer (04:32)
Directed by: Don Dixon
Darwin the Dreamer tells the tale of a blind child who uses his imagination to see. The film is a lesson on how to manifest one’s destiny and explores the power of imagination and turning your dreams into reality, while in the face of adversity.
In Your Hands (11:38)
Directed by: Luigi Sibona
Late evening in a London barbershop, an awkward stranger becomes enamoured with a charming barber. An unlikely attraction sparks between them and after a life-changing shave for The Stranger, the two go for a drink.
Firefly (16:00)
Directed by: Anne-Marie Scragg
A young girl who is deaf, living in a rural fishing village with her widower Dad and Grandad, sees her life turned upside down when she is left with an increasingly abusive stepmother. A story of resilience against adversity.
Women’s Voices – 5:45PM – 7:15PM
Safe (9:53)
Directed by: Debbie Howard
Anne an office cleaner, finishes work late one evening to be pursued and harassed by a man at the bus stop.
Bienvenidos A Los Angeles (17:00)
Directed by: Lisa Cole
Oscar shortlisted & inspired by true events, “Bienvenidos a Los Angeles” was filmed at LAX airport and tells the story of Imani, a Nigerian single mother living in Los Angeles, who offers to help a perfect stranger reunite with her son. In doing so, Imani learns this simple act of kindness threatens to jeopardize her path to citizenship.
Homemaker (9:00)
Directed by: Ciara Kerr
Renne loses herself in a controlling relationship and the abuse she suffers gets worse until she is utterly trapped.
Grass On Your Class (24:30)
Directed by: Claire Barrault
At the Victor Hugo High School, French teacher Leila Al Bachir has called a disciplinary hearing for one of her students: Simon Petit. In Her quest to find a fair sanction for Simon, she realises her workplace is in serious trouble…
What If (18:00)
Directed by: Yanghuixiao Gao
During a short trip back home for a memorial ceremony for her recently departed grandmother, YILIN confronts a sore point between her and her mother.
Over Her Shoulder (15:10)
Directed by: Izzy Thompson
Carrie navigates an unexpected visit from her volatile partner: troubling her housemates and challenging the extent to which she can ignore her intuition.
Saturday Night Variety Pack – 7:45PM – 9:45PM
Runaway (17:00)
Directed by: Ciaran James Shea
A queer thriller set on the streets of Nottingham. When Sally accepts Alex’s offer to go for a late-night drive, she’s unaware that she’ll end the night on the run.
Wider Than The Sky (10:58)
Directed by: Philip Taylor
Jenny’s father has been diagnosed with Cancer. To cope, this deeply creative child makes scenes inside shoeboxes into which she escapes. One day a chance encounter with a seemingly ordinary cafe owner provides the catalyst for a truly magical happening.
What You Sorry For? (3:00)
Directed by: Harry Tomlin
Running through London, chasing after an ex, belting out a pop banger never looked like so much fun. Kat Penkin puts her detective hat on and follows her ex as he appears to have already moved on. As the realisation sinks in, she brushes it off and asks What You Sorry For?
Area Boys (10:00)
Directed by: Bruno Atkinson, Toye Oladinni
Two cousins smash a footbridge in South-East London and extort passersby for the privilege of crossing.
Disconnect (7:30)
Directed by: Teymour Tehrani
Here HE (27) is. A disappointment! As he observes himself in the gloomy light of his living room mirror, the young man starts to hear intensifying voices from his past.
Pink Elderflower Moon – Falling Apart (5:20)
Directed by: Frederick Willatt
In this video we explore themes of addiction, mental health and overcoming our darkness that lies within each of us.
A Reflection (13:59)
Directed by: Laurie Barraclough
Cam is brought back to her childhood home with three things to reckon with: her father’s heart attack, her estranged mother and the giant dragon following her around.
Horologist (6:14)
Directed by: Jared Lee
Obsessed with time, Sand found a way to sell time itself. While his rich customers stay young, they never question Sand’s discovery and the source of their youth. Find out in ‘Horologist’.
The Lure (1:28)
Directed by: Tony Hipwell
Late at night, a lone fisherman discovers he is not the only one hoping to hook something.
Blind Spot (13:18)
Directed by: Soph Webberley
In this coming-of-age parable, an overconfident father imparts his unfounded wisdom on his sulking teenage daughter as they drive around the city.
Fish & Chips (13:18)
Directed by: Benjamin Wadsworth
Created by an ex-miner and an aspiring filmmaker that met in a pub. A Pop anthem for the East Midlands of England, featuring the true key to everyone’s heart – the splendid, the fantastic, fish and chips.
The Space You Once Were (3:00)
Directed by: Jasper Sekhar Banerjee
Three intertwining short vignettes explore how modern loneliness interacts with technology; and how that interacts with distance, performative masculinity and social anxiety.
Skewered (16:36)
Directed by: Nick Ray Rutter
Opposing sexual appetites and dietary ethics bring a stagnant relationship to a theatrical and surprising crescendo as a heartfelt revelation confronts the elephant in the room.
28th July • Day 3
Sunday Morning Variety Pack – 10:15AM – 11:45AM
The Limits of Light and Sound (16:34)
Directed by: Shivam Pota
Taking place over the course of an evening two strangers meet at an empty film screening for a film deemed a failure, they soon realise they both harbour a deep connection to the film.
Car Sick (15:33)
Directed by: David Hayman Jr
Inspired by true events – A woman living in her car on hospital grounds during the coldest Scottish winter in years ignores the growing concerns of others, but she
must come to accept what is holding her there or face the inevitable consequences.
Bunun Adi Şam (03:14)
Directed by: Emir Yener
It’s a visual storytelling journey in which Şam recounts his life’s evolution, weaving a narrative that bridges his past and present. The music video serves as a captivating visual companion, enhancing his stories with metaphors and wordplay, creating an engaging and vivid experience.
Catwalk (15:00)
Directed by: Maria Michael
In a dystopian fashion contest, an aspiring designer orchestrates a revolution after being betrayed by her best friend, a former competitor. Relying on a new ally to impress society’s elite and escape together, she discovers the toxicity of success.
Ariane’s Baby (23:00)
Directed by: Mahée Merica
Ariane is a single and lonely woman who craves love after a history of abusive relationships. The birth of her child represents a chance to start everything anew and form her own happy family, but she worries about not being up to the task.
You’ll Make It Home (03:54)
Directed by: Sheryl Jenkins
You’ll Make It Home is an animated music video using traditional, frame by frame drawn animation accompanying the track from Newcastle based acoustic band, Brick.
Beautiful Meadow (13:37)
Directed by: Laurence Mason-Guetta
Roman Clark, a holiday cottage host, finds his guests triggering bad memories and radical ideology, leading to vicious repercussions.
The Virtual Llama (09:49)
Directed by: Tom Cozens
A call with her newly virtual sister, Francis, convinces Emily that her sister no longer really exists. Flashbacks reveal Francis choosing to upload her mind to ease global overpopulation, leaving her body and sister behind with their childhood toy llamas.
Fell Reigns (05:20)
Directed by: David Gregory
The Scottish witch god of winter (the Cailleach) dragging the physical incarnations of storms from the graves to herald the start of winter.
The Walk (11:38)
Directed by: Michael Jobling
Pilgrimage or purgatory? Every Wednesday Amar endures a 24-mile round trip on foot to the JobCentre and back to sign on. Today the walk is particularly gruelling as he grapples with the recent death of his father, avoiding a phone call he’s too ashamed to face.
Light of My Life (02:01)
Directed by: Benjamin Dodds
Two candle flames flicker to life and experience life and loss upon a windowsill.
Narrative Shorts – 2:15PM – 3:45PM
Under the Blue (15:00)
Directed by: Linda Ludwig, James Curle
Bruised, hungry and only halfway through her late shift, a lonely and disillusioned police officer forms an unlikely connection with an appreciative and thankful criminal.
Bridge (15:55)
Directed by: Tara Aghdashloo
BRIDGE, a young receptionist working at a healthcare practice, grapples with heartbreak, motherhood and a crumbling healthcare system.
The Soldier on Smithdown Road (12:30)
Directed by: Barney Pell Scholes, Thomas Harnett O’Meara
Liverpool, 1947. Two British soldiers are kidnapped and murdered in Mandate Palestine. In the aftermath of the so-called ‘Sergeants Affair’, a wave of antisemitic riots sweep across the UK. Louis Scholnick, a British-Jewish World War Two veteran, is forced to defend his family’s
shop from a violent mob.
Better the Neville You Know (16:00)
Directed by: Paul Stainthorpe
Following a personal tragedy, Neville is ready to face the world again. He inadvertently gets embroiled in a situation that leads to another but with devastating consequences.
Hollywood Nights (19:00)
Directed by: Liam Sanderson
Nick Hollywood is a young school boy who works at his Uncle’s video shop. He pirates the tapes and sells them at school to staff and fellow pupils. When one of his customers turns up dead and another disappears Nick finds himself at the centre of a murder mystery with
a starring role.
Gomorrah (16:40)
Directed by: Aaron J McIntyre
A recovering addict relapses in the rough industrial estates of Glasgow, Loving every second until it all becomes horrifyingly unfunny. Gomorrah is mean spirited exploration of addiction and
the physical and mental consequences of chronic self-indulgent neglect.
Sunday Evening Variety Pack – 5:45PM – 7:45PM
Tunnels (13:08)
Directed by: Paul Bloomfield
Rosie suffers from an undiagnosed case of Papilledema – a condition in which increased pressure around the brain causes visual blackouts and affects a person’s judgement.
Dog Days (08:50)
Directed by: Carlotta Beck Peccoz
Adele is a young girl who struggles with confidence in her body. When she’s challenged by a group of kids during an afternoon at the swimming pool, Adele is forced to confront her insecurities and decide whether she will fit in or not.
To Have and To Hold (15:05)
Directed by: Jess Moore
Suddenly left alone in the aftermath of an attack, a woman attempts to escape from the home she is trapped in while her partner constantly calls her as he makes his way back to her.
Buzz (09:48)
Directed by: Bryn Chainey, Andrew Brand
On a prairie millions of miles from home, a grumpy space farmer is having trouble with one of her hive: a robot bee called Buzz that keeps going rogue. After failing to reprogram the mischievous bee she follows him into the belly of a volcano and discovers something that will
change life on Mars forever.
Joni (14:30)
Directed by: Gregory Nice, Jack Stanton
A daughter struggles with her Mothers young on-set dementia.
Cakes! (02:20)
Directed by: Johnny Herbin
A grieving woman follows a singing cake into a magical world within her oven.
Harvest (19:57)
Directed by: Sophia Seymour
Conflicted about Motherhood, the director addresses the taboo subject of not wanting children with women at their local swimming pool. All whilst undergoing the gruelling emotional process of freezing her eggs to insure against the risk of changing her mind.
The Friendship of Fish (03:25)
Directed by: Sherice Griffiths
Animal lover Warren finds himself transporting a goldfish through a city park in a plastic bag. What should (literally) have been a walk in the park turns into a disaster when the bag starts leaking!
A Positive Contribution (11:55)
Directed by: Nuri Moseinco
In the near future, criminals are given a choice – go to prison or get their memories wiped and replaced with fictional ones so they can make a positive contribution to society.
Sherbet (23:00)
Directed by: Danny Gibbons
Set entirely inside the confines of an taxi cab, on what seems like just another late-night taxi fare, this particular trip is anything but, altering the course of the lives of both driver and rider forever.