Please find below the most common questions related to the submissions process.
Submissions - Frequently Asked Questions
What is London Film Week?
London Film Week (LFW) is an annual film festival inviting the general public alongside many British and international film industry visitors to discover the best film productions from all over the world.
The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote the various aspects of international cinema in all its forms.
What is comprised in the Official Selection?
London Film Week is divided in different sections:
- Official Programme – 7 short films + 7 feature films
- Virtual Reality Projects Showcase – the best of VR
- Education: a Film Forum open to anyone interested in film/VR
- Film Professional’s Meetings: Co-Productions days
- Carte Blanche: a carte blanche to a guest country
When is London Film Week?
The next edition will take place between December 2nd and December 8th 2019.
Where is London Film Week taking place?
The Festival is taking place in the heart of London’s buzzing West End, at the Regent Street Cinema.
The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is an area of Central London in which many of the city’s major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings and entertainment venues are concentrated.
Our other festival venues will be announced one month prior to the event.
Which films/projects does London Film Week showcase?
LFW welcomes following films/projects:
– short films (narrative, documentary and animation shorts)
– music videos
– feature films (narrative, documentary and animation features)
– Virtual Reality projects
How do you distinguish short films from feature films?
Films with a total running time of less than 45 minutes (including credits) are classified as shorts. Films with a total running time of 45 minutes or longer are classified as features.
Do you require a Premiere Status for films/projects screened at LFW?
We do not require a Premiere Status for short films and Virtual Reality projects.
We require a UK Premiere status for all the feature films selected at LFW.
When are the submission deadlines?
The following deadlines are the dates by which your film must be received by LFW:
Early Submissions Deadline: 02 July 2019
Regular Submission Deadline: 10 September 2019
Late Submission Deadline: 09 October 2019
Notification date: All films will be notified on 31 October 2019
What are the submission fees?
Fees depend on the submission deadline, the earlier you submit the cheaper it is:
Short films: $20 > $50
Feature Films: $40 > $80
Virtual Reality Projects: $20 > $50
Music videos: $20 > $50
All the submission fees can be found on our FilmFreeway submissions page
May I submit a work in progress?
Yes, we accept projects which aren’t completed yet. A large number of projects submitted to us are unfinished versions with incomplete or temporary sound, missing scenes, no credits or titles, etc..
Do you accept 'old' projects?
We accept projects completed in 2017 and 2018 for the 2018 London Film Week.
If your project was completed prior to 1 January 2017 it is not eligible for submission.
If your production took place prior to 1 January 2017 and the project is completed in 2017 or 2018 it is still eligible.
Which formats do you accept for submissions?
All the projects must be submitted via FilmFreeway. You will be able to upload your project on this platform. Our preferred option is to watch online screeners (via FilmFreeway), however we also accept DVDs sent to our office.
If you wish to send a submission DVD to us, please post it to:
London Film Week
85 Great Portland Street
W1W 7LT London
United Kingdom
If my project includes non-English dialogue, do you require English subtitles?
Yes! Please ensure all subtitles are hardcoded to your video file (we do not accept a translated list of dialogue on paper).
Do I have to fill out the online application?
Yes, via FilmFreeway.
Once you have completed your application your submission will be assigned a unique tracking number, in order to be recognized by our system. Unregistered submissions will not be viewed. If you have any trouble registering online, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you through the process.
May I submit multiple versions of the same film in different categories?
If you have created two different cuts of the same film with different running times, you may submit both as separate submissions (e.g. one short film submission and one feature film submission). Please note you will need to register the two versions separately, each version with a unique tracking number, and will have to pay the submission fee for each version registered.
If my project has aired on television/online, may I still submit it?
If it is a short film or a Virtual Reality project, yes you may still submit as we do not require any Premiere Status.
If it is a feature film, we require a UK Premiere status. This means no paid public screenings in the UK before your Festival screening, and no television/online screenings either.
Are there any Awards & Prizes?
Entry into London Film Week guaranties all the films/projects to be In Competition and therefore to be nominated for following Awards:
– Short Films: Best Short, Jury Prize, Audience Award
– Feature Films: Best Film, Jury Prize, Best Director, Best Acting (features both male and female nominees), Best Screenplay, Audience Award
– Virtual Reality Projects: Best VR Project, Audience Award
There is a £1,000 cash prize for Best Short, and £1,000 for Best Feature Film. All other prizes are in-kind (which will be announced one month prior to the event).
What are the perks for filmmakers at London Film Week?
London Film Week invites film directors and leading actors to attend the presentation of their films in London. A certain number of hotel rooms are made available during the event. All selected filmmakers will have free access to the Film Forum organised during LFW. And besides the Q&A sessions to meet the audience, we’ll be hosting daily networking lunches in order for filmmakers to meet with film industry guests.
Any other question related to submissions?
Please contact us and we’ll happily answser any additional question you have!