Expression of interest deadline: July 1st, 5pm
Margate Film Festival returns for a 6th edition in November 2025. This year we are expanding to include a wider programme of expanded & immersive screen events and installations, as well as performances, workshops, talks, live scores and more.
Margate Film Festival is a project born out of the turbulence of changing cultural landscapes and a love for the chaos of creativity. A journey through the wilderness of the cinema; of art, politics, identity, feminism, music, performance and more.
The festival connects local communities and artists with national and international initiatives to create a DIY, collaborative film & visual arts celebration. For 2025, we will be expanding our offering with a focus on young audiences and family-friendly events.
In a town with no cinema, we want to take film out into the streets, into unusual spaces and experiment with what defines “cinema”. We’re looking to collaborate with individuals, venues, organisations and businesses to deliver an unforgettable experience for all audiences. We want to hear from filmmakers, artists, makers, performers, educators, speakers and musicians, to those with quirky spaces, time to spare and skills to lend.
At this stage, we are looking to discuss ideas for potential collaborations or events that align with our festival vision for 2025 before we begin submitting funding bids. Ideas should be;
Inclusive; accessible to all
Immersive; taking film outside the cinema and out around town
Diverse; celebrating the broad range of age, culture and background.
Challenging; sparking debate and conversation
Communal; promoting community bonding and progressive change
Nostalgic; looking at the history of Margate and the surrounding areas
Sustainable; minimising the impact on the environment
Previous successful pitches include;
- Projection mapping & walk around installation space by Melanie King and Amy Cutler
- Live score screening of 1922 ‘Haxan’ by Autohaus
- Live choir performative soundtrack for short film ‘Omphalos’ by Umut Gundez
- An interactive ink light show by Jullian Hand
For artists:
We are looking to commission new and innovative audio-visual works that take film beyond the screen, offering financial support via ticket splits, or grants via funding. The call-out is open to all creatives, local and international, of any background, experience level, medium or style.
For curators/programmers:
We are interested in hearing ideas for specialist programmes of films and events that could bring a fresh perspective to political and cultural zeitgeists – this could be a short film programme, or a themed strand of features and talks.
For organisations:
We’re looking to collaborate with individuals, venues, organisations and businesses to deliver an unforgettable experience for all audiences. We want to hear from artists, set designs, performers, educators, speakers and musicians, to those with quirky spaces, time to spare and skills to lend.
…And for filmmakers:
We’re open for shorts and feature submissions to local, national and international filmmakers of all styles, skills and subjects – with a special interest in films exploring rebellion, feminism, music, LGBTQ+ identities and the sea.
To submit a screen-based film, go to https://margatefilmfestival.co.uk/submit/
Estimated timeline:
Expression of interest deadline: July 1st
Shortlisted submissions confirmed by: July 15th
Further details required by: July 29th
Final commissions confirmed by August 18th
Festival dates: Late Nov
If you’d like to ask further questions, please reach out to us at hello@margatefilmfestival.co.uk