Manchester Film Festival

Submit Your Film

Submissions are now open for Manchester Film Festival 2027 — the city's biggest celebration of independent cinema.

About the Festival

Manchester Film Festival (MFF) is one of the UK's leading independent film festivals, now in its twelfth year. Held annually in March across venues throughout Manchester city centre, the festival attracts filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences from around the world.

MFF champions bold, boundary-pushing storytelling — from debut short films to international feature premieres. We believe every story deserves an audience, and our mission is to connect exceptional cinema with the people of Manchester.

12+
Years Running
11 Days
of Screenings
150+
Films Screened

Submission Categories

🎬

Feature Films

Narrative and documentary features, minimum 40 minutes.

🎞️

Short Films

Fiction, documentary and experimental shorts under 40 minutes.

✏️

Animation

All animation forms and lengths welcome.

📝

Screenplay Competition

Unproduced screenplays for shorts, TV pilots and features.

What You Need to Know

Submissions are accepted via FilmFreeway only

Films must not have been commercially released in the UK before the festival

All genres and nationalities are welcome

Subtitles required for non-English language films

Decisions are sent by email — check your spam folder

Full terms and conditions available on FilmFreeway

Key Dates for MFF27

Next Deadline
27 October 2026
Reduced fees
Final Deadline
24 November 2026
Standard fees
Festival Dates
March 2027
Manchester city centre

Ready to Submit?

All submissions are handled through FilmFreeway. Create a free account to get started.

Can't afford the submission fee? Request a fee waiver.