The Discover Film Awards is one of the biggest short film festivals in the world with over 5,000 annual submissions from 100+ countries. There are global premiers in London's Leicester square with packed cinema audiences, filmmaker parties, red carpet events and script-pitching round tables with funding available for new projects. This festival has one of the largest short film cash prize funds of over $50,000, including the prestigious Craghoppers Film Prize.
The Discover Film Awards is consistently voted by filmmakers in the top film festivals in the world. Spread over 5 days in March 2021, the festival involves public cinema screenings at the Prince Charles cinema in Leicester Square. Quentin Tarantino describes it as his favourite cinema in London saying it is "everything an independent movie theatre should be”. There is also an accompanying festival in Virtual Reality in a 360 custom built cinema for anybody unable to physically attend the event.
Discover Film looks for the best short films: stories that share a glimpse of the lives of filmmakers. This could be what bothers them or makes them laugh, of injustices, of unsung heroes, of the serious, the bizarre, the funny or just where filmmakers' imaginations take them. All types of short film are welcome to enter with awards for: action, animation, drama, experimental, sci-fi, fantasy, documentary, horror, comedy, and everything in between. A full list of award categories is provided, below. All films must be under 45 minutes.
A major supporting partner of the festival is Craghoppers, the global outdoor clothing brand, which awards The Craghoppers Film Prize, one of the largest cash prizes for short films. The prize is awarded annually to the best films from the April and October Discover Film Awards. The first prize is £20,000 ($26,000) in cash with a second prize of £5,000 ($6,500) awarded at the October event. There are awards of £5,000 ($6,500) for the best social impact film and £1,000 ($1,300) each for the best UK and international student films. In addition, there are various in-kind awards from sponsors.
Selected films get the option of various paid distribution opportunities including international TV, video on demand, major trains, hotels and airlines. Distribution is optional and entirely up to the filmmaker.
As well as cash prizes, winners can get help with future film projects in the form of discounted rates from partner firms (such as production houses) and mentoring from senior commercial film and business executives. The festival also introduces filmmakers to funding sources for future projects and offers publicity across a wide range of media (print and social) so enter today!
Cash Prizes:
Best overall short film in 2020 - £20,000 ($26,000)
Runner up overall in 2020 - £5,000 ($6,500)
Best social impact film 2020 - £5,000 ($6,500)
Best student films - £1,000 ($1,300) for best UK & £1,000 ($1,300) for best international.
These five prizes are awarded at the October prize ceremony - all films entered in March and October are in competition for these prizes.
There are also pitching competitions to investors with additional cash prizes to fund films and paid for distribution opportunities.
Physical Awards:
Audience Award
Jury Award
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Screenplay
Best Editor
Best Cinematography
Best Animation
Best Adaptation
Best Comedy
Best Cross-Over
Best Debut
Best Documentary
Best Drama
Best Experimental
Best Fantasy
Best Horror
Best Virtual Reality
Best Low Budget
Best International (various awards)
Best Foreign Language (various awards)
Best Micro (under 5 minutes - various awards)
Best Music Video
Best Non-Narrative
Best Sci-Fi
Best Student