A prestigious opportunity for short films, feature films, experimental works, and screenplays to compete for the Golden Bee Award in British cinema; a BAFTA- and BIFA-qualifying event
Festival Name: Manchester Film Festival
Location: Manchester, England
Festival Dates: March 11-21, 2027
Edition: 13th Edition
About the Festival: Manchester Film Festival is proudly a BAFTA-qualifying festival for British short films and a BIFA-qualifying festival for both short and feature films. All films selected for the festival’s official selection will compete for awards in their respective categories. Winners will receive the prestigious Bee Award at the festival’s annual closing ceremony.
Awards:
- Best Experimental Film
- Golden Bee – Feature Film
- Golden Bee – Short Film
- Special Jury Prize – Feature Film
- Special Jury Prize – Short Film
- Best British Feature Film
- Best Feature Documentary
- Best International Feature Film
- Best British Short Film
- Best International Short Film
- Best North West Short Film
- Best Student Film
- Best Short Documentary
- Best Animation
- Best Music Video
- Best Director – Feature Film
- Best Director – Short Film
- Best Actor – Feature Film
- Best Actor – Short Film
- Best Actress – Feature Film
- Best Actress – Short Film
- Best Cinematography – Feature Film
- Best Cinematography – Short Film
- Audience Award – Feature Film
- Audience Award – Short Film
- Unproduced Screenplay Competition
Eligible Categories: Experimental Film; International Narrative Feature; Feature Documentary; International Narrative Short; Short Documentary; Student Film; Animation; Music Video; Short Screenplay (1-40 pages); Television Screenplay (25-45 pages); Television Screenplay (46-65 pages); Feature Screenplay (75-120 pages); Long Feature Screenplay (over 120 pages).
Running Time: Under 45 minutes
Production Year: After January 1, 2024
Language and Subtitles: Non-English-language films must include English subtitles.
Submission Fee: USD 60
Submission Deadline: September 22, 2026
Additional Information:Works in progress and films with distribution are eligible for submission. However, works in progress must be completed before the final deadline, and the submitted version must be updated accordingly.
Films made using artificial intelligence, or works in which artificial intelligence has been used to a significant extent during production, are not eligible.
With the exception of music videos, films must not have been publicly screened in Manchester before the festival dates.
