Friday 22nd May 2026
11am - 2pm
Screen 5
Shutterspeed
Fifteen-year-old Cas poses for his school’s trainee teacher and amateur photographer Jard. When he becomes painfully aware of the power imbalance between them, he seeks to reverse their dynamic.
25 mins
Jasper De Maeseneer
Belgium
Dani&Billy
On a mediocre Saturday night, Dani leaves the club to smoke. Not finding his lighter, he approaches a boy who is sitting alone in a corner. Billy not only gives him a light, but asks him to come with him for a walk, thus changing the course of both of their nights.
13 Mins
Egoitz Carpenter
Spain
The last tuppeR
Gabriel, a 65-year-old man marked by the loss of his wife Alicia, faces the challenge of rebuilding his life after the arrival of Yuqi, a new tenant, and reconnecting with his daughter Lidia, with whom he has a distant relationship.
77 Mins
Manhal Aziz
Spain
11am - 2pm
Screen 7
Short Film Showcase 1
Emma
Ecclesiastes 3:4
Days pass in a quiet house with the echoes of a typewriter. But beneath the routine, something about Emma feels... unsettled.
13 mins
Emily Adams
UK

EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY
Every Dog has its Day is a detailed observation of a small event that relies on warmth, charm and character rather than scale and spectacle to tell the story of a little dog and its owner.
7 mins
Lindsay Van Blerk
South Africa
The Last Ingredient
A young man, determined to end it all, is repeatedly interrupted by his elderly neighbor, who keeps knocking on his door with increasingly absurd requests to bake a Bundt cake. Exasperated, he finally loses his temper, but the woman persists: all she needs is a little bit of milk, before he kills himself.
A black comedy that weaves despair and humor, reminding us that sometimes a single ingredient can make all the difference.
8 Mins
Lorenzo Cioglia
ITALY
DoppelgAnger
A woman disconnected from her environment and her personal relationships receives a visit from an intruder who will give free rein to her darkest desires.
18 mins
Alex García Molina
Spain
It's Not Me It's You
Best friends Amy and Beth are living together until Amy reveals she's moving to East London. A glimpse into navigating female friendship in your twenties whilst living in London.
12 Mins
Maud May
UK
Jamie's Wager
With the unexpected death of his father, Jamie finds himself in the middle of his Muslim uncle, Hafiz, and his father’s New-Age girlfriend, Alicia, at the office of William's Funeral Directors.
Presented with a series of burial options catering for every religious denomination, uncertain about his father’s beliefs, or his own, he finds himself at a crossroads between religious tradition and his secular upbringing. Should he be buried as a Muslim? Or was he a modern day “spiritual?”
17 mins
Sean Kardar
UK
Rock Paper Scissors Death
A man wakes up in a deadly game of Rock Paper Scissors. Again. He’s been here before, won before, and honestly? He’s over it. Tired of the endless life-or-death rounds, he just wants to lose this time and call it a day. But convincing his fellow players to let him lose isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially with an unseen psychopath pulling the strings and everyone else taking the game way too seriously. Can he trick reason with them and save their lives? Or will he be stuck in this deadly game of Rock Paper Scissors Death forever?
5 mins
Dayle Saunders
UK
SENIOR CONSULTANT!
A group of optimistic British Millennials compete for a bullshit corporate job title. What could possibly go wrong?
14 Mins
Simon Haines
UK
Cortex Alpha
Cortex Alpha is the cutting-edge of modern medical treatment. So when Zora Bartos enrols, she is hopeful they can cure her. As the procedure unfolds and she learns more about the facility, Zora discovers there's more to the facility than meets the eye.
15 mins
Omar Bradosti
UK
Why We Cry
A story of grief, unexpected companionship, and hope.
Grief and fear hang heavy in Nicky’s quiet home, where sympathy cards and fading flowers remind her of the heartbreaking reality her husband, the man who has been by her side through it all, is dead.
Alone, aching and unsure of the future, she moves through her days numb to the passing of time – until a chance encounter with a neighbour’s dog, Monty.
11 mins
Nadine Coulson
UK
11am - 2pm
SCREEN 8
Long Shorts
Luna
"Luna” is a reflective tale of loss, connection, and finding serenity in the face of inevitable endings.
39 mins
Andrew McKenzie
UK
The Cave
Late 18th Century. During the most successful and prosperous period for smuggling gangs in the southeast of Kent, England, Agnes, a young pregnant woman perishes after an attack from a supernatural vampiric stalker. Taking refuge in the local Smugglers’ caves, Agnes’ metamorphism from human to creature is disrupted by the fearsome Calais Court smuggling gang, ruled by its leader, the ruthless, cutthroat legend Joss Snelling.
35 Mins
J Fitzgerald Reed
UK
W: A Return to Oz
Locked and loaded with film tape, a man explores an abandoned rave house, once known as The Warehouse, that was once the beating heart of the South West’s clubland.

35 mins
Daniel Howard-Baker
UK
It Was Fun To Stay At The YMCA
Documentary about the very last day of the world's first and oldest YMCA site.
30 Mins
Chris Harvey
UK
2pm - 5pm
Screen 5
The Whole Thing
Two strangers meeting at a crematorium while picking up their loved ones' remains. They decide to spend the day together, killing time and watching the world go by.
16 Mins
Calvin Sang
New Zealand
License to Love
Katerina works in a registry office. She helps seal loving hearts, while her own marriage has been on hold for a long time. Katerina's husband has been in a coma for five years, and the family seems to be stuck with him. A new love brings a major change in Katerina's life, forcing her to make choices that she was previously afraid to make.
I03 Mins
Anton Maslov
Russian Federation
2pm - 5pm
Screen 7
The Skin I'm in
The Skin I’m In is a poetic short rooted in magical realism, exploring how women quietly abandon parts of themselves to meet expectations — and what it takes to reclaim them.
As a child, Nicole poured her imagination into making a jacket stitched with scraps, dreams, and a tiny watch sewn in place of a button. But when her well-meaning parents gently guided her toward medical scrubs — like her father, a dermatologist — something quietly shifted. Two decades later, she is now a dermatologist herself, her early creative spark long buried beneath layers of practicality.

15 mins
Elena Vialykh
UK
friendship was a safe bet
When Jen’s future becomes uncertain, she returns to England and seeks to reconnect with her estranged best friend, Andy. One afternoon. A tightrope between past and present. A glimpse at who they were, and what they could have been.
15 mins
Nara Toktoshova
UK
DANCING WITH THE SHADOWS
Based on a true story. The secrets that scar the soul.
Flora (Rovena Lule Kuka), a young journalist of Austrian-Albanian origin, works with an European Media visits her homeland to produce a feature on Mother Teresa. She was grown as the daughter of the enemy and she never knew her father poet who was killed by the communist regime. But soon she will face the surprise of her own identity, the clash of two times, yesterday’s and nowadays’. A knock at her door will change her life. Zigur, an ex-agent of the secret police, tells her a different truth. Flora learns the disturbing story of her family and herself from the shadows of the past.
98 Mins
Pluton Vasi
Albania
2pm - 5pm
Screen 8
Short Film Showcase 2
March 4th
A man tired from being up all night creating a feature film for a film festival by the March the 4th deadline finds he has no creativity.
2 mins
Chris Harvey
UK
Going Dutch
A Dutch exchange student agrees to teach her American host some Dutch, only to discover his confidence is built on ignorance. What begins as playful language lessons spirals into a satirical clash of ego, cultural misunderstanding, and comedic frustration.
4 Mins
John W Knowles
US
Echo
On a cold Sunday morning, a teenager and her mum share a rare walk to the shop.
5 mins
Andy Salamonczyk
UK
Strolling Down Brighton Pier
A young Edwardian gentleman, working as a photographer, falls madly in love with a captivating woman as she takes her daily stroll down Brighton Pier. Finally mustering the courage to approach her, he is devastated to discover that there's someone else in the picture.
5 Mins
Zach Stevens
UK
Fractured Frame
A woman's psyche is haunted and fractured by the relentless demands of the predatory industry she sought to break into.
5 Mins
Natalie Lauren & Simon London
UK
Bleeding
Mollie, a young woman in her twenties, is struggling with her mental health. She writes a diary entry, pouring out all the emotions she can’t express aloud. Her words reveal the depth of her isolation and the hopelessness of feeling all this pain bleed out of her without anyone noticing.
5 mins
Dany Horiuchi
UK
MERCY
Thirty years in the future, a dying woman reminisces about cherished moments with her grandson. In her final hours, she asks him for a last act of love, a decision that will profoundly transform both of their lives forever.
6 Mins
Aaron Shrimpton
UK
Olympus Lost
Now a mortal, the wrathful Greek God Zeus faces his greatest challenge to date: assembling a piece of flat-pack furniture.
6 Mins
Amadeus Redha
UK
Final Call
Hsiao Le tries to reconcile with her friend by inviting her to fulfill their old promise to set off fireworks at the summit of a mountain. Through their conversation, she realizes that the changes in their lives are irretrievable, forcing her to confront the reality of their altered relationship.
15 Mins
Chien Han Lai
UK
Put America First
As Trump supporters gather in D.C. for the 2025 Inauguration, they reveal their hopes for America's future.
16 Mins
Lana Marks
USA
The Secret Assistants
Sophie, an ambitious novice, walks a razor’s edge as her interview with titan of industry Henry Mann descends into a squalid power play.
20 mins
Katey Lee Carson
France/Germany/UK
Humans, Weightless
A wanderer in a foreign land, his search in vain, drifts like a specter amidst the city's refuse-laden hills. After the mountain fire, troubled deities strive to shield themselves, yet even humans' fervent prayers for blessings fail to illuminate the path to tomorrow.
23 Mins
Ting-Kin Chan
Chinan
5pm - 7pm
Screen 5
Made from Leakproof Plastic
As Sasha prepares to leave her newly sold home after her husband's passing, his presence lingers in his paintings of her. But an unrelenting fridge leak threatens to destroy them, forcing her to confront her memories. Blending animation and live-action, the film explores loss as a quiet, persistent presence - one that seeps through the cracks, demanding to be felt.
14 Mins
Anastasiya Mykhaylova
Canada/UK
SEEMS LIKE LOVE
Liza, a young and optimistic woman, arrives in Saint Petersburg for the first time, enchanted by the city's poetic bridges, legendary embankments, and vibrant bohemian parties. Her adventure begins when she meets a free-spirited artist named Vasya and his musician friend, Viktor. Together, they embark on a whimsical journey through the city, involving the sale of an antique bed, spontaneous conversations, and the magic of white nights. As the day unfolds, unexpected connections form, leading Liza to discover that love might be found in the most unforeseen circumstances.
92 Mins
Yana Klimova-Yusupova
Russian Federation
Game Over
Sunday afternoon is Scrabble day for an elderly couple. The sunny scene opens with the old man's hateful inner monologue as he is forced to take part for the umpteenth time in a ritual he loathes. His wife meticulously sets up the game, ignoring his exasperation. But the game suddenly intensifies when the old man realises that the words being played are becoming reality.
9 mins
Adrian Cacciola
France
5pm - 7pm
Screen 7
Full Tank
A getaway driver must wait three minutes for a gang of burglars to return to his car before making their escape.
There’s just one problem... he’s absolutely desperate for a piss.
7 Mins
Jonathan Williams
UK
The Worst Film Festival Ever
Recently dumped Alan, dreams of producing his own movies, but when his father suffers a heart attack, Alan is forced into running the Bargain basement Film Festival that Gabriel uses as a cynical money maker.
88 Mins
Danny Patrick
UK
5pm - 7pm
Screen 8
Garage
A severely depressed young man’s suicide plan is abruptly disrupted by his sister, forcing a raw confrontation neither of them is prepared for. A short film to raise awareness about suicide and mental health.
9 Mins
Dympna Jardine
UK
49 Miles More
On their way to an annual reunion with university friends, Max—an
unlucky insurance salesman struggling to find his place in life—and his carefree best friend Doug hit an unexpected roadblock when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
80 Mins
Oliver Cox
UK
8pm - 10pm
Screen 5
Mr Vertigo
Sam has a developing condition. He is losing his ability to feel. Vertigo is only one of the several symptoms. During a review of his ongoing diagnosis, he learns that in his new reality, pain is the price for the connection he craves. With his memory fragmenting, a mystery begins to unfold that explores the theme of Perception and the idea that two people can look at the same thing and see something different.
20 Mins
Marios Hamboulides
UK
Charlie Shaw's Revenge
An eclectic group of workers preparing for the re-opening of Forrestal’s Funland, a remote theme park on the brink of bankruptcy, find themselves stalked by a silent killer. Cut off from any form of rescue, the survivors must band together to fight for their lives.
89 Mins
John Langridge
UK
8pm - 10pm
Screen 7
Keep Young and Beautiful
A dark comedy about the Pressure to stay 'Young and Beautiful'
9 Mins
Neil Marshall
UK
Video Dreams: A VHS Massacre Story
From Blockbuster dreams to streaming screens, a filmmaker’s journey through a vanishing world. Follow a director’s thirty-year odyssey to get on the shelf of Blockbuster Video and beyond. A tale of struggle, perseverance, and what to do when your dreams no longer make sense. This multiple award-winning film features Lloyd Kaufman (creator of The Toxic Avenger), Debbie Rochon, Joe Bob Briggs, and many others. From Tom Seymour, creator of VHS Massacre 1 & 2 and American Expendables
82 mins
Thomas Seymour
USA
8pm - 10pm
Screen 8
Short Film Showcase 3
Lest We Forget
After getting lost driving through the woods, Jack and Caity's stay at a rural pub evokes a series of strange and chilling events, all linked to Jack, the pendant he wears around his neck and the pub's mysterious landlord. Can Jack and Caity worked out what is truly going on before he unravels completely?
16 mins
Scott Newman
UK
Evening Class
Martha, a housewife, arrives at community college for her first evening class in psychology. As the sun sets, she's joined by Rick, a friendly younger student. They wait for their instructor, growing increasingly certain that no one else is coming. When Martha decides to leave, what seemed like a scheduling error reveals itself as something far more calculated - and the empty classroom becomes a trap with no escape.
29 mins
Matthew Clark Haney
USA
O Mother, Where Art Thou?
“O Mother, Where Art Thou?” is a comedy short film about a motherless young woman who attends a bizarre speed dating style event, not to find love, but to find a new mum. She’s met with an eccentric carousel of overly keen, wildly mismatched maternal hopefuls. From the hyper nurturing to the casually toxic, each “mum” seems less suitable than the last. But as the clock ticks and the awkward small talk piles up, what begins as a tongue-in-cheek coping mechanism slowly reveals a deeper, unspoken grief.
10 mins
Dayle Saunders
UK
VOICE SHIFT
Voice Shift follows transgender femme individuals as they seek a voice that reflects their gender identity. Guided by a trans vocal coach, the film weaves together stories from different stages of people's journeys. But this is more than an exploration of vocal technique, this is a film about identity and resilience - blending lived experience with a wider social commentary on the power and politics of voice.
25 Mins
Roberto Duque
UK
BLACKPOOL
After 30 years of too many downs and not enough ups on life’s rollercoaster, Billy embarks on a final lost weekend in the funfair of a town that is Blackpool. The place he loved as a kid seemed as good as anywhere to end it all. Well, at least try to. Unfortunately, like so many other things in his chaotic world, it doesn’t quite go how he had hoped. In a hilarious, drink and drug-fuelled romp, Billy staggers from one failed attempt to another, but then suddenly finds a reason to live in all the madness.
14 mins
Stephen Gallacher
UK
Sunburn
We all face trauma, some worse than others. It's what makes us and sometimes breaks us. We follow Jason's life as he enjoys his time with friends at the beach until it suddenly hits him in the middle of the game. Can he hold it in and hide it, or will it show and affect his life?
7 Mins
William Allum
UK
Grandma´s house
During the celebration of her 18th birthday, Mer, a young girl with Down's Syndrome, makes an important decision: she wants to get her driving licence. However, hardly anyone at the table seems to support her, which unleashes in Mer a mixture of frustration and envy towards her older sister, Paloma, who is becoming more and more independent.
14 mins
Ashling Ocampo Colvin
Spain
