Glasgow Film Festival (GFF)

Overview

The Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) is Scotland's largest film festival. The 22nd edition (GFF26) ran February 25 to March 8, 2026, screening 126 films across 12 days at the Glasgow Film Theatre and partner venues across the city. The 2026 program included 16 World, European, and International premieres, 68 UK premieres, and 18 Scottish premieres, with titles from 44 countries across six continents.

GFF is a feature-only festival. It does not accept short films. All submitted films must be at minimum a UK premiere, meaning they cannot have been screened publicly in the UK before the festival. Films available publicly online are not eligible. The festival pays screening fees to selected filmmakers or alternatively contributes toward travel and accommodation for attending filmmakers.

If you have a feature film seeking UK exposure in a city with enthusiastic, large audiences, GFF offers one of the most accessible major UK festival platforms. Submit via FilmFreeway.

Submission Costs and Deadlines

GFF accepts submissions through FilmFreeway only. The 2026 festival submission schedule was:

For the 2026 edition (GFF26), submissions closed October 24, 2025, with notification on January 16, 2026. The same fee structure applied across three submission categories: Narrative Features, Documentary Features, and Scottish Features.

Submission fees are non-refundable. GFF does not grant fee waivers and explicitly states this in their regulations. Scottish filmmakers with a strong Scottish connection may contact programme@glasgowfilm.org about fee discounts before submitting.

Eligibility Requirements

• Format: Feature films only (fiction and documentary), 60 minutes or longer. Short films are not eligible.
• Premiere status: Minimum UK premiere. Films cannot have been screened publicly in the UK prior to the festival.
• Online availability: Films available publicly online are not accepted.
• Completion date: Films must have been produced after September 1, 2024 (for GFF26).
• Works in progress: Not accepted.
• Subtitles: All non-English language films must be subtitled in English.
• Submission method: FilmFreeway only. No postal submissions.

Key Sections

• Official Selection - competitive feature films from open submissions, curated into the main program
• World, European, and UK Premieres - high-profile regional premieres. GFF26 included 16 World/European/International premieres and 68 UK premieres.
• Scottish Film - new work by Scottish filmmakers. GFF26 opened with the UK premiere of Felipe Bustos Sierra's documentary "Everybody to Kenmure Street" and closed with James McAvoy's directorial debut "California Schemin'," both Scottish films.
• FrightFest - horror and genre programming. FrightFest returned for its 21st year at GFF26, running March 5 to 7, 2026.
• Retrospectives and Special Events - in-conversation events, archival programs, and UK-wide special screenings

Awards

• GFF Audience Award - voted by festival audiences across the official program
• Best Short Film - competitive short film prize (programmed through curatorial selection, not open submissions)

What Filmmakers Should Know

GFF's February timing places it immediately after Sundance and during the Berlin Film Festival. This scheduling allows GFF to program acclaimed discoveries from those festivals for Scottish and UK audiences, but it also means filmmakers seeking a world premiere should look elsewhere. The UK premiere requirement is strictly enforced.

For Scottish filmmakers, GFF is the most important domestic platform. The festival actively supports Scottish talent and offers fee discounts for projects with a strong Scottish connection. Contact the programming team before submitting if your film qualifies.

The festival pays screening fees to selected filmmakers. This is not standard practice at all UK festivals and makes GFF more financially viable for low-budget filmmakers than festivals that do not pay.

GFF26 screened films from 44 countries. The festival's audience is large and engaged: Glasgow has one of the highest cinema attendance rates per capita in the UK. Filmmakers who attend consistently report that the audience Q&A sessions are among the most substantive they experience on the festival circuit.

Industry Program

GFF hosts a program of talks, workshops, and networking events for industry professionals at every career stage. The industry program runs alongside the public festival. Details are announced closer to each edition.

Festival History

GFF was founded in 2005 by the Glasgow Film Theatre, one of the UK's oldest independent cinemas. The festival grew from a supplement to the Film Theatre's year-round programming into Scotland's major annual cinema event. The 2025 edition (GFF25) screened 92 World, UK, and Scottish premieres from 39 countries across 12 days.

The festival has been consistent in its format: 12 days in late February and early March, based at the Glasgow Film Theatre with satellite venues across the city. Glasgow's post-industrial identity and working-class cultural character give the festival a less formal atmosphere than Edinburgh or London equivalents.

Practical Information for Attendees

• Dates: GFF26 ran February 25 to March 8, 2026. GFF27 dates have not been announced as of July 2026.
• Venues: Glasgow Film Theatre (12 Rose Street) and partner venues across Glasgow.
• Tickets: GFT CineCard holders get early access, followed by general public sale. Tickets available online at glasgowfilm.org and at the GFT Box Office.
• FrightFest: A separate ticketed strand within the festival, typically running Thursday to Saturday in the festival's second week.

See Also

For Scottish cinema, see International Film Markets. For UK festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. Use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator to evaluate whether the submission cost makes sense for your project.