The world’s first moving images were shot in Leeds in 1888 by Louis le Prince. Today Leeds is a major centre for film production and exhibition. A qualifying event for the BAFTAs and the Oscars, Leeds International Film Festival is a national celebration of global filmmaking culture.

LIFF primarily supports outstanding new talent and established talent that has not received deserved exposure in the UK. LIFF considers narrative, documentary and animated films, in feature-length and short formats, in multiple genres and from all countries. The festival presents audience awards for fiction and documentary features and short films, and seven national and international jury awards for short films with total cash prizes of £4000.

Leeds International Film Festival Jury Awards:

• Louis le Prince International Short Film Competition – cash prize £1,000
• World Animation Competition – cash prize £1,000
• British Short Film Competition – cash prize £1,000
• Yorkshire Short Film Competition – cash prize £500
• Leeds International Screendance Competition – cash prize £500
• Leeds International Music Video Competition
• The Dark Owls International Fantasy Short Film Competition

Additionally, the winners of LIFF’s Louis le Prince International Short Film Competition and World Animation Competition may be submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for consideration for nominations for the Live Action and Animated Short Film categories of the Oscars® respectively. Any British short film selected by LIFF may be submitted to the British Academy of Film & Television Arts for consideration for nominations for the British Short Film category of the BAFTAs.

Submissions are being accepted through FilmFreeway and Withoutabox.
The Earlybird Deadline is 31 March 2017.

PS: If your film is family-friendly, why not submit to LIFF’s sister festival Leeds Young Film Festival? Now in its 18th year, the festival features a programme of the best international cinema for young people and is the largest film event of its kind in the north of England. All official short and feature film submissions will receive feedback from LYFF’s programmers and emerging short filmmakers compete for awards and cash prizes. Submit through FilmFreeway by 30 December 2016.