London Short Film Festival

An update on LSFF's year-round activity and looking ahead amidst COVID-19 shutdown

We're seeking a festival director to bring strategy and a creative vision to LSFF's future.

We're looking for pre-selectors for our UK, international, animation and documentary strands.

We're touring Deaf shorts and stories for Deaf and HoH cinema-goers. Catch you at your local indie!

Rounding up the winning films from this year's festival.

Filmmaker Kamal Aljfari responds to his own work and making art under occupation in this collection of essays.

LSFF Artistic Director Philip Ilson reminisces on the systems music scene of the '80s.

We're very pleased to announce the first UK pilot of smart caption glasses for D/deaf and HoH cinema-goers.

A 101 on ephemeral film and our January retrospective of propaganda, public service announcements and Prelinger archival gems.

London Short Film Festival is looking for friendly hosts for friendly filmmakers!

We're delighted to announce our 2020 jury and this edition's contenders in competition.

We're seeking to recruit a confident and experienced Festival Producer to become an integral part of the LSFF team.

We're looking for an ad hoc designer for LSFF 2020.

We're bringing D/deaf short cinema to your favourite local indie!

Short films looking out from our small island. LSFF celebrates the best in vital, urgent British short filmmaking reflecting on tumultuous times.

Forget the Academy Awards, here's what you need to know about LSFF's International Competition.

Young people, listen to this other young person!

God bless transparent holiday consumerism.

Everything you need to know about our inflatable PVC theatre barge this sentence didn't already cover.

Announcing our 2019 competition selection.

“Super 8 is the most accessible format, the soft drug. 16mm, 35mm, 65mm – that’s what happens when you’re seriously hooked.”

Rest in peace, we guess?

Our Creative Director Philip Ilson reviews Deliaphonic​, returning to electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire's hometown for a tribute to her life and legacy.

"How does heaven look when you go there?" A photo diary of Zoe Aiano's With Teeth commission.

This edition's three (female!) filmmakers premiere their With Teeth commissions.

D/deaf stories, on screen. We present our next touring shorts programme tailored to Deaf and HoH audiences, fully supported with BSL and subtitles.

With a sad old year of the film industry behind us that proved so thoroughly a disservice to the women in it’s cogs, we reckoned it timely to take stock of its smaller sister - short film.

Your non-fiction fix at this year's LSFF.

Simran Hans intro's you to the dreamy short cinema of Senagalese-French filmmaker, Mati Diop.

Roger Ebert once wrote that cinema is a ‘powerful empathy machine.’ Explore LSFF's International shorts to start your own engines.

LSFF's Artistic Director Philip Ilson's very own politique des auteurs.

12th - 21st January 2018; ICA, BFI Southbank, Rich Mix, Rio, Regent St Cinema, Curzon Soho, MOTH Club

Jameson First Shot's three winning shorts are ready for your next tea break.

Channel 4's Random Acts and their brand of brilliantly offbeat shorts are back, and we're hosting an exclusive premiere.

A breakdown of submitting your short film to next January's LSFF before our very final deadline.

3 new artists chosen for WITH TEETH commissions for their distinctive practice, voice and ideas. Together they will bring animation, experimental documentary and performance to the WITH TEETH table.

Announcing this year's #WITHTEETH shortlist! Check out the selected filmmakers and some of their past work. From LSFF alumni to new and emerging talent, we are so excited to take these artists to the next stage of the process.

With the deadline for Jameson First Shot just around the corner, London Short Film Festival’s Philip Ilson chatted to last year's UK Jameson First Shot winner Kat Wood about her experience making a short film with Maggie Gyllenhaal, and just how much Jameson First Shot has helped her career.

London Short Film Festival has launched the With Teeth 2017 open call for submissions, which will award grants of £2,000 to three artists, thanks tp Arts Council England national lottery funding.

Short filmmakers! Exercise those directorial muscles with none other than Dominic West and the 2017 edition of Jameson First Shot.

Our international programmer Thomas Grimshaw muses on short film from around the world and why the London Short Film Fest just can't get enough.

And why you should probably get yours into the upcoming 15th LSFF. A short history of the short film by our artistic director, Philip Ilson.

An excerpt from Clara Heathcock's riot grrrl-inspired zine 'Girl', commissioned to accompany LSFF's White Trash Girls, Gun Girls & Riot Grrrls.

Guess what?! We’ve packed up all of the best bits of London Short Film Festival 2016 to be screened in 19 cinemas around the UK, simultaneously on the evening of Oct 4th as Picturehouse Cinema’s eclectic weekly Discover Tuesdays programme.

Next year will be our FOURTEENTH London Short Film Festival. LSFF's Jenna Roberts looks back at 13 years and 13 winners of our 'Best UK Short' award.

Artistic Director, Philip Ilson and Programme Director, Jo Duncombe introduce you to the 13th London Short Film Festival: from cat videos to filmmaker retrospectives, from 38 new UK short programmes, to dedicated documentary and international screenings. There's something for everyone.

LSFF Artistic Director Philip Ilson chats about the forthcoming fundraiser event and looks at how the Festival has managed to survive over twelve years.

LSFF Director Philip Ilson writes about dance scenes in non-musical films.

LSFF's Philip Ilson previews two exciting and essential film festivals coming up in March and April

The eleventh London Short Film Festival has come to a close but you can check out the winner of the Best UK Short plus the names of all of the other winning films here!

Over the next few weeks, LSFF will be shining a spotlight on the festival partners and sponsors that help us make LSFF a success.

This Friday London Short Film Festival is thrilled to welcome Tony Grisoni to the Curzon Soho for a retrospective and Q&A.

Visit east London during the festival for two exciting programmes at Stratford East Picturehouse and Aubin Cinema

We announce the 8 films nominated for the Best UK Short Film (as sponsored by the British Council).

London Film Festival Shorts Programmer, Philip Ilson discusses this year's shorts programme as well as the LSFF alumni to look out for!

Scalarama kicks off today. LSFF Director Philip Ilson was interviewed for the first Scala Forever brochure in 2011, to reminisce about his film education at this iconic London cinema. The interview is re-printed here as a celebration of the 2013 Scala season:

LSFF partners & filmmakers share their thoughts on the first edition of Down on the Farm.

London Short Film Festival Director, Philip Ilson on his recent visit to Sheffield Doc/Fest and Hamburg International Short Film Festival.

Julia Jones has been a film publicist for over 25 years and her job is a crucial behind the scenes role with a very wide brief. On Sunday 2nd June, LSFF were delighted to host a session with Julia at our first ever Down on the Farm.

Filmmaker Kate Shenton writes on the LSFF Projections blog about her first Cannes experience, and we felt she has a lot of honesty lost in some of the more experienced and official Cannes reports we’ve read. Kate has screened shorts at LSFF for a number of years, and at the last Festival we previewed her debut feature documentary “On Tender Hooks” about the art of human suspension. Kate was in Cannes looking for distribution for her film, following a successful crowdfunding campaign to get there. Here’s her report:

The London Short Film Festival are delighted to announce our Saturday Night Networking Meal sponsor.

LSFF aanounce core sponsor for its short film weekend getaway on 31st May - 2nd June.

Can you make a short film in 24 hours?

Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival opens its submission deadline!

The most glamorous student film festival returns for a fourth year with a stellar line up of films, panels and parties..

Fashion Popcorn know how to party and they're treating you to a night of short films and networking with up and coming fashion filmmakers!

LSFF sponsor The Film Festival Doctor offers all LSFF fans and followers a 5% discount on her film surgery consultations!

London Short Film Festival and Underwire present 'Through the Looking Glass: Female Filmmakers Dinner' in association with BAFTA.

Over the past 6 months, LSFF & i-D Magazine have been featuring the winners of the past 9 festivals. Here, LSFF reflects on all 9 as we approach our tenth festival in January.

LSFF & British Council announce the nominees for Best Short Film 2013.

Digital Bootcamp Deluxe returns to where it all began: The Frontline Club on Friday 11 Jan at 2pm as part of the tenth London Short Film Festival.

The London Short Film Festival are proud to announce its newest sponsor for LSFF10 - The Film Festival Doctor. To celebrate this partnership, The Film Festival Doctor is giving two lucky filmmakers the opportunity of a one-to-one session, to design a festival strategy for your film!

London Short Film Festival co-founder and director, Philip Ilson introduces our tenth edition of the festival which begins on Friday 4 Jan 2013.

A very big LSFF thank you to everyone who donated to our crowdfunding project!

Chipotle Mexican Grill will screen its award-winning short film, Back to the Start at this year’s London Short Film Festival with an exclusive ‘Buy One Get One’ offer on its delicious burritos from 4th – 13th January 2013, exclusively for festival ticket holders.

To help celebrate World Toilet Day on November 19 2012, PooP Creative in association with the London Short Film Festival announce the two winning shorts of The Golden Poo Awards.

LSFF Director Philip Ilson gives his views on Quadrangle Documentary Film Festival.

The Shortlist for the The Golden Poo Awards 2012 has been announced..

The London Short Film Festival is looking for new British feature films for our friends at LOCO LONDON, the city's only comedy film festival.

LSFF Director Philip Ilson responds to the BFI Greatest Films of All Time list

To celebrate 10 years of innovative and exciting British filmmaking, the London Short Film Festival (LSFF) has teamed up with i-D online magazine to highlight the amazing talent over the last 9 years. Check out our 2007 winner here.

London Short Film Festival and Sugarhouse Studios bring you an evening of screenings and discussion with Andrew Kotting and Iain Sinclair, filmmakers of Swandown.

Join the London Short Film Festival for some afternoon tea and / or early evening drinks following the Landscapes short film programme at Open City Documentary Film Festival on Thursday 21 June, 4pm

To celebrate 10 years of innovative and exciting British filmmaking, the London Short Film Festival (LSFF) has teamed up with i-D online magazine to highlight the amazing talent over the last 9 years. Check out our 2006 winner here.

To celebrate 10 years of innovative and exciting British filmmaking, the London Short Film Festival (LSFF) has teamed up with i-D online magazine to highlight the amazing talent over the last 9 years. Check out our 2005 winner here.

As the London Short Film Festival hurtles towards its 10th anniversary in January 2013, Festival Director Philip Ilson takes stock of what is ostensibly a career in film programming, covering a period of nigh on 20 years, and considers what informs and drives his approach to curating screenings.

To celebrate 10 years of innovative and exciting British filmmaking, the London Short Film Festival (LSFF) has teamed up with i-D magazine to highlight the amazing talent of the last nine years.

The Golden Poo Awards 2012 Competition Announcement

LSFF9 announces the winners of their nine festival-wide Awards

2 LSFF9 Films nominated for BAFTAs!

LSFF and Dirty Looks announce the winner of the Best Music Short Award!

LSFF9 and Underwire Festival announce Best Female Character Shortlist.

LSFF Director Philip Ilson responds to David Cameron's remarks.

LSFF announces shortlists for some key Festival Awards!

Animate Projects and LSFF announce the winner of the 9th London Short Film Festival Award for Best Experimental Short!

LSFF and LWL announce the winner of the Best Lo-Budget Short!

LSFF are pleased to introduce Samefive – an exciting new interest network perfect for film aficionados.

LSFF announces the 12 short films competing for the British Council Award for Best New Short at the 9th London Short Film Festival (

LSFF needs YOU! Download an application form and get it to us by Monday 12th December.

Alan Lomax: American Patchwork, Q&A with Philip Trevelyan, Story Spectacular in Battersea, and Q&A with Andrew Kötting.

Details of entry deadlines for LoCo Film Festival, Big Dance Shorts, Current TV, Pears Short Film Fund, Hamburg International Short Film Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Branchage review, Zipango Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Encounters and Fortnum 145.