Short Film Festivals

This is another way of exhibiting short-films.  Short-film festivals are a chance for aspiring/amateur and student film makers to get their work noticed.  The festivals work just like an average film festival would, but short-film festivals only accept short-films.  There are subcategories for some short-film festivals, but most accept all genres of short-films.

London Short Film Festival

Is a 10 day short-film festival founded by Philip Ilson in 1994, sponsored by the UK Film Council.  It has changed its name once: from The Halloween Society Short Film Festival to The London Short-Film Festival in 2008.  It used to be a monthly film screening, up until 2003 when it became a film festival.  

It now screens only UK work and has expanded with its venues and film genres that it accepts.  As from this year, it's going to put the winning films on to the BFI Archive.  It showcases 250 short films and has over 11 venues plus nearly 10, 000 audience members.  The Times describes it as "A London bastion of cutting-edge short-films and multimedia".  

There are different awards for different categories.  The Best Film of the Festival winner is the ultimate winner.  2010 nominees were:

THE BEDFORDS (Henry Coombes)
BELIEVE (Paul Wright)
JADE (Daniel Elliot)
KID’S MIGHT FLY (Alex Taylor)
LAST TRAIN (David Schofield)
THE REAPERS (Nick Jordan / Jacob Cartwright)
RED SANDS (David Proctor)
STRANGE LIGHTS (Rosie Pedlow / Joe King)
THE WAKE (Loren Slater / Kerry Kolbe)
YOU’RE THE STRANGER HERE (Tom Geens)

Ultimately, the winner was 'You're the Stranger Here' directed by Tom Geens. 

Future Shorts Festival

Started in 2003 and has "a rapidly expanding network that allows film makers the opportunity to have their work seen on the largest theatrical platform worldwide".  It's recognised by the media as an avant garde short-film festival.  Not only do Future Shorts hold short-film festivals in the UK, but they do it worldwide.  Their website claims to have 90 cities and 19 countries in their expanding network.  They hold regular festivals.  

This works differently to any other film festival: film makers only have to enter their work once in to the contest for their shorts to be exhibited worldwide.  Some films are even selected as part of the monthly programme, which comprises of 15 UK venues, theatrical venues and none-theatrical venues.   

Films are normally screened in the old-fashioned style, with live music, performers and other exhibits.  There's not just one winner to this event, there are multiple winners.