The Bristol Radical Film Festival began in 2012 to showcase contemporary and historical works of overtly political filmmaking. Our volunteer-run, zero-budget festival promotes and screens both classic and newly-released films that seek to disrupt, deconstruct, and divert from the mainstream.
We want to maintain the opportunity for full participation with minimal financial barriers. Submission has been free for a number of years but out of necessity, we have had to charge a low entry fee which reduces the number of submissions and provides us with some very needed funds. Since we do not have the finances to hire staff to work through thousands of submissions, we ask that entrants read and take seriously our submission guidelines.
Awards & Prizes
Every year we select the best submissions from around the world to our open call for shorts, to create the Radical Shorts Programme. We promote these after the festival on our social media channels, to continue the dialogue with filmmakers and audiences.
Rules & Terms
We define ‘radical’ film loosely as anything which progresses the form (i.e. aesthetics, mode, experience) of screen media from traditional feature film to YouTube serials, or films with a radical political objective, such as campaigns for/stories about social change and justice, investigative journalism or political satire (which should always ‘punch up’).
Entrants are free to interpret this definition, but *DO NOT* submit work which cannot justifiably be called radical under this definition. The team will not respond.
The call is for short films ONLY. We will no consider any film longer than 15 minutes. You are welcome to email us directly to discuss a film that does not meet the submission criteria (for example, if it exceeds 15 minutes but it is still a short).
If you want to send us a longer film, please email us directly.
For more information and to submit your film visit here:
https://filmfreeway.com/BristolRadicalFilmFestival