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.
Past Winners
The relaunched BRADIFF has held two editions so far, with a compact but growing awards program.
2024 (inaugural relaunched edition):
- Best International Film: Lust for Freedom - dir. Jakub Zajac (traveled from Vietnam to attend)
- Best of Bradford: Kamal Kaan, for his BFI short film work
- Additional awards for Best Animation, Best Documentary, and Best Narrative Short Film
- 8 awards total at a sold-out ceremony, with 400+ attendees across the festival
2025 edition (awards ceremony November 2, 2025):
- 7 award categories: Best Narrative, Best International, Best Short Documentary, Best Short Animation, Best Student Film, Best of Bradford, Best Global Majority Short
- Best Student Film sponsored by MetFilm School Manchester
- 56 short films screened across 5 evenings
- Opening night: UK premiere of I'm Not An Actor (dir. Aditya Kripalani, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui)
The 2025 edition shifted its focus strand to Global Majority filmmakers, with a dedicated award category. The 2026 edition will shift the focus to female and non-binary filmmakers.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
BRADIFF is a young relaunched festival, so its alumni track record is still building. However, several connected films have notable trajectories.
- *All The Lights Still Burning* (2023) - Written by Kamal Kaan, directed by Dominic Leclerc. This BFI-backed short set in Bradford premiered at the London Film Festival 2023. It screened at BFI Flare 2024 and the London Indian Film Festival. It was selected for BRADIFF 2024. Kaan won the Best of Bradford award at BRADIFF 2024 and now serves as a festival judge. The film is being developed as a feature.
- *I'm Not An Actor / Main Actor Nahin Hoon* (2025) - Directed by Aditya Kripalani, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The film had its world premiere at Cinequest Film Festival in March 2025. It opened BRADIFF 2025 as the UK premiere. Siddiqui won Best Actor at the New York Indian Film Festival. The film received a theatrical release in India on May 8, 2026, and in Germany.
- *Scale (2022) - Directed by Joseph Pierce, produced by Chris Hees (a BRADIFF 2025 judge for Best Animation). This short was selected for Semaine de la Critique at Cannes. It was also BIFA-nominated. Hees also produced Wonderwall* (2025), similarly selected for Semaine de la Critique.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
BRADIFF is a short film festival with a 15-minute maximum runtime. Keep your film tight and focused. The festival accepts all genres, so do not self-reject based on category.
The selection process is unusually transparent. Every film is reviewed by 4 to 8 panel members who score and note each submission on FilmFreeway. Films are flagged as potential award nominees during review. This means your film gets genuine attention rather than a quick glance.
The 2026 focus strand highlights female and non-binary filmmakers, inclusive of trans women. If your film fits this strand, make that clear in your submission. However, all films are considered across the full program regardless of the focus strand.
Bradford-based filmmakers get free entry. If you are based in Bradford, take advantage of this. The festival values local voices and has a dedicated Best of Bradford award category in some editions.
The festival is AIFF-member and follows their charter for transparent procedures. No submission involving any festival or guest programming team member is eligible for nomination. Check the rules carefully if you have industry connections.
Industry Reputation Notes
BRADIFF is a small, relaunched festival still establishing its reputation. It is not yet comparable to major UK festivals like Sheffield DocFest or Leeds International Film Festival in terms of scale or industry pull. However, it fills a specific gap as Bradford's only international film festival.
The festival's AIFF membership signals a commitment to transparent practices and fair treatment of filmmakers. This matters for submitters who have encountered opaque selection processes elsewhere. The partnership with the National Science and Media Museum and the BFI gives it institutional credibility.
Bradford's UNESCO City of Film status and 2025 UK City of Culture designation brought additional visibility. The 2025 edition attracted 56 short films and a UK premiere with Nawazuddin Siddiqui attached. This suggests the festival is growing its programming ambition.
Compared to peer festivals like Aesthetica Short Film Festival in York, BRADIFF is smaller but more locally rooted. Aesthetica is BAFTA-qualifying and draws larger international submissions. BRADIFF's strength is its community focus and Bradford's unique cinema heritage. For filmmakers seeking a welcoming UK festival with genuine review of submissions, BRADIFF is a solid choice.
Watch
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.
