Bradford International Film Festival (BRADIFF)

Overview

The Bradford International Film Festival (BRADIFF) is a short film festival held annually in October in Bradford, UK, the world's first UNESCO City of Film. The 2026 edition runs October 22 to 25, with submissions open via FilmFreeway. The festival accepts short films under 15 minutes in all genres from UK and international filmmakers.

BRADIFF is a member of the AIFF (Association of Independent Film Festivals) and follows their charter, including transparent selection procedures and low submission fees. Entry is free for Bradford-based filmmakers. The festival was relaunched in 2024 after a 10-year hiatus: the original festival ran from 1995 to 2014 under the National Media Museum (now the National Science and Media Museum), which cancelled the event in 2016.

The 2026 edition has 6 award categories: Best Narrative Short Film, Best International Short Film, Best Short Documentary, Best Short Animation, Best Student Film, and Best Film by a Female or Non-Binary Filmmaker. The 2026 focus strand highlights films by female and non-binary filmmakers, inclusive of trans women. Films by filmmakers of all genders are considered across the full program and awards.

The festival partners with the National Science and Media Museum and the BFI, and is part of Bradford's broader City of Culture 2025 celebrations. The 2025 edition ran October 28 to November 2.

Submission Details

Submissions are made exclusively through FilmFreeway. The festival does not offer waiver codes, citing free entry for local filmmakers and low fees for non-local submissions.

BRADIFF 2026 deadlines:

• February 6, 2026: Opening date
• May 31, 2026: Early deadline
• June 30, 2026: Regular deadline
• July 31, 2026: Final deadline
• August 31, 2026: Notification date
• October 22 to 25, 2026: Festival dates

Eligibility requirements:

• Short films under 15 minutes in length
• All genres accepted: drama, animation, documentary, comedy, horror, experimental
• Free submission for filmmakers based in Bradford
• No separate local category in 2026, but Bradford filmmakers are considered alongside all other entries

Submission fees:

• Bradford-based filmmakers: free
• Non-Bradford filmmakers: low fees with early, regular, and final deadline tiers (see FilmFreeway for current rates)

Key Sections

• Short Film Competition - all submitted films under 15 minutes eligible across 6 award categories
• Feature Film Screenings - classic, independent, and children's feature films outside competition
• Industry Talks and Events - program of talks, events, and practical workshops throughout the festival
• Focus Strand - 2026 focus on films by female and non-binary filmmakers, inclusive of trans women
• BRADIFF Awards Ceremony - closing event celebrating outstanding short filmmaking

What Filmmakers Should Know

BRADIFF is a relaunched festival with a 10-year gap in its history. The original festival (1995 to 2014) was a major UK festival run by the National Media Museum, featuring wide-ranging programs including Widescreen Weekend and cinema heritage screenings. The relaunched BRADIFF (from 2024 onward) is a focused short film festival with a different operational model.

The festival uses a transparent selection process: every film is reviewed by 4 to 8 members of the selection panel, who rate each submission on FilmFreeway with scores and notes. Submissions are also flagged as possible award nominees during this process. Once submissions close, the core festival team decides the official program. No submission involving any festival or guest programming team member is eligible for nomination.

The 2025 edition included a Global Majority filmmakers focus strand, with a dedicated award for Best Short Film from Global Majority filmmakers. The 2026 edition shifts the focus strand to female and non-binary filmmakers.

The festival's location in Bradford provides unique cultural context. Bradford was designated the world's first UNESCO Creative City of Film in 2009, recognizing its heritage as a center of early cinema technology, exhibition, and culture. The National Science and Media Museum houses the world's first permanent public IMAX screen and one of the most important collections of cinema technology and history globally. The museum's Pictureville cinema serves as a festival venue.

Bradford's 2025 City of Culture status brought additional programming and visibility to the festival. The 2025 BRADIFF was the second edition after relaunch, and the festival has confirmed it will continue annually.

Major Awards

2026 Award Categories:

• Best Narrative Short Film
• Best International Short Film
• Best Short Documentary
• Best Short Animation
• Best Student Film
• Best Film by a Female or Non-Binary Filmmaker

Previous editions also included:

• Best of Bradford Short (2025)
• Best Global Majority Short (2025)

Awards are decided by a panel of industry professional judges. The core festival team does not participate in award winner discussions, and the judges' decision is final.

Festival History

The Bradford International Film Festival was founded in 1995 and ran annually at the National Media Museum (originally the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television). The original festival was a major UK film event, featuring the Widescreen Weekend program celebrating large-format cinema (IMAX, 70mm, widescreen), a British film competition, and cinema heritage programming.

The festival was cancelled in 2015 pending a review, and the National Media Museum confirmed in 2016 that it would no longer run the event. The festival remained dormant for nearly a decade.

BRADIFF was relaunched in 2024 by an independent team, less than a year before Bradford's UK City of Culture 2025 celebrations. The relaunched festival focuses on short films rather than the broad program of the original edition. The 2024 edition was the first Bradford International Film Festival in 10 years.

The festival joined the AIFF (Association of Independent Film Festivals) and adopted their charter for transparent selection procedures and low submission fees. The 2025 edition ran October 28 to November 2, and the 2026 edition is scheduled for October 22 to 25.

Bradford's UNESCO City of Film status, awarded in 2009, remains a permanent designation. The city continues to host regular film and television productions, a major film education programme, and multiple film-related events aligned with the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

See Also

To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. To estimate your probability of acceptance based on festival tier and film characteristics, use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy. For UK cinema context, see International Film Markets. For film history, see History of Cinema.