SWIF digest 📬 29 April 2025
Meet ups, screenings, film funds and more for the south west independent film community.
🎥 Hello filmmakers. I've got a lot of personal news and film plans coming up this summer. If you want to be involved or be kept up to date, sign up to my personal newsletter on my website.
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Here’s your weekly digest for independent film in the South West:
🥳 Congrats to Bristol based Normal Girl Productions who are celebrating their one year birthday this month! Here they are a year ago on their first short.
🍲 Community vegan meal & film night continues every Sunday in Easton Bistol. - Headfirst
🤹 Scratch night coming up at Exeter Phoenix on 6 May. - EP
🍿 Cellar Door Cinema screening of music sessions from Bristol artists will include short films on 7 May. - Headfirst
🔋 Rave on for the Avon's Producer Sonia Wargacka shares "how storytelling can empower us all" on 7 May in Bristol as part of Queeries new monthly "ted talk" series. - Headfirst
☕️ Networking for creatives takes place in Bath on 8 May. - Ticket Source
🎨 A programme of experimental film & art from students at University Centre Weston screens on 8 May in Bristol. - Headfirst
🏪 Locations & Productions departments have their own networking event in Cardiff on 15 May. Bectu are offering 3 months free membership to attendees. - Eventbrite
🫱🏽🫲🏾 Women in Film & TV are hosting networking in Cardiff on 16 May. - WFTV
🎂 Celebrate Normal Girl Productions' birthday at their afternoon party on 17 May in Bristol, attendees get complimentary headshots! - Eventbrite
🤗 Filmmakers Plymouth Social's next meet up is 22 May. Meet, share work & hear about what other SW filmmakers are up to. - Fotonow
📺 Cornwall365 now has a watch on demand page for Cornish made shorts. - C365
🕵️♂️ A satirical comedy short taking a poke at Bond & Amazon has a crowdfunder running this week only. - Crowdfunder
🏋️♀️ Three skills bootcamps in Bath & Bristol on event production, creative freelancing and leadership are running in May. Deadline to apply 6 May. - MUTI
💎 Applications are open for the Production Guild’s free 'step up to production accountant training' in Bristol 23-27 Jun. - Production Guild
✍️ Applications for WFTV's Kay Mellor screenwriters lab are now open. No deadline but there is a cap so act soon. - WFTV
🏬 Plimsoll Productions Bristol are seeking crew across Directing, Casting, Production & Research for a new premium architectural series. Deadlines from 29 Apr. - PP
👩🏼🎨 Brisons Veor invites applications for self-led residencies in Cape Cornwall. Deadline 30 Jun. - Brisons Veor
😇 Poets in Exeter working in video are invited to apply for a city of literature residency in Heidelberg. Deadline 18 May. - City of Literature
🌎 The British Library's fellowship for lens-based artists wanting to explore their collections of photographic material of and from Latin-America & the Caribbean closes on 2 Jun. - British Library
🙋🏽♀️ First Flights' female voices short film fund has its deadline this week on 30 Apr. - FF
💷 BFI Doc Society's short film fund has its deadline this week on 1 May. - BFI
😎 BIFA's Springboard programme for writers, directors & producers who have a second feature in development, closes this week, 5 May. - BIFA
📽️ Fringe Arts Bath is open for submissions for its short film night on 6 Jun. Deadline 10 May. - FAB
📣 BFI Network SW & Bournemouth Film School's Directors Lab is back this summer. Applications deadline is 23 May. - Watershed
💀 Blue Metaphor Presents is back in Bristol with a themed film night on 1 Nov. Submissions of films on the theme of death (in all forms) wanted by 20 May. - Google form
📮 Upcoming film festival submission deadlines: Pompeywood Genre & Cornwall Monologue Competition (both 30 Apr), Short Sounds Student Takeover (4 May), Encounters (12 May), Bristol Independent (14 May) & Cornwall (19 May). - FilmFreeway
🏳️🌈 Queer Bath Festival takes place 26 May - 30 Jun. - QB
⛵️ Celtic Media Festival will take place in Newquay Cornwall this year, 3-5 Jun. - CMF
👻 Forbidden Worlds Film Festival takes place in Bristol 28 May - 1 Jun, including a shorts showcase on 31 May. - FWFF
👩❤️👩 The personals: Nothing this week. Get in touch for a listing.
🍿 On film club: Daughters of the Dust dir. Julie Dash (on BFIplayer) & Prayers for the Stolen dir. Tatiana Huezo (on Mubi).
📣 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. bsky website
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.
