Enter Depict short film competition

Entries for 2022 are now closed

The deadline for entries was Monday 13 June 2022, 5.00pm BST

Competition information

The Challenge

We want to see great films – it doesn’t matter what your budget is or what genre you’re working in. The competition is open to anyone from anywhere in the world, and entry is absolutely free – but there is ONE simple rule:

Your film MUST be 90 seconds or less in duration.

If your films are longer than 90 seconds, you can enter a film to Encounters Film Festival.

Entry requirements:

• Must be 90 seconds or under
• For 2022 the films must have be completed after January 2021

Read full entry requirements →

Why Ninety Seconds?

… because it will challenge you to think creatively and to cut ruthlessly. More importantly, it will get you and your work noticed.

“Winning the DepicT! Main Award with Fabulous last year really gave me and the team a huge boost and we are now building on this success. We are using the prize money for our next project, so that we can take our filmmaking to the next level. My advice to anyone entering DepicT! is to have a lot of fun but also use it to hone your skills and challenge yourself.” Main Depict Award 2020 winner James Skinner for Fabulous

“Constraint is a very useful tool for creativity. Forcing yourself to tell a story in 90 seconds makes you lose all extraneous or self indulgent elements. I think a big problem with short films is they are often not very short! I love the 90 second format.”
Ninian Doff of DepicT! 2013 fame – he scooped both the Main DepicT! Award and The Shooting People RPS Audience Award with comedic gem Cool Unicorn Bruv

“I never dreamed that a 90 sec short made on an impulse like mine could take me so far and open doors to exciting, new opportunities.”
2018 British Special Mention Award winner Aimie Willemse for Echo

What You’ll Get

All shortlisted films get:

• Film exposure and promotion through depict.org, at Encounters Film Festival and through associated partners
• A Festival pass for the upcoming digital edition of Encounters Film Festival
• Half price Shooting People membership for the shortlisted filmmakers

DepicT! Showcase 2019 at Encounters Film Festival

Prizes

Main DepicT! 2021 Award

£1500 cash + Lifetime membership to Shooting People
Supported by The Royal Photographic Society and Aardman Animations.

DepicT! Royal Photographic Society Cinematography Award

£1000 cash
Supported by The Royal Photographic Society

DepicT! 2021 British Award

A special package of support which will both promote the winning 90-second film and further develop the filmmaker’s skills including:

• Access to some key BAFTA events
• A place on a short course at the National Film and Television School in 2021-22, subject to availability
• Exposure on the BFI NETWORK industry platform, a one to one with Head of BFI NETWORK Jessica Loveland and a discounted pass to the BFI London Film Festival
• Lifetime membership to Shooting People
• Note: It’s a great opportunity but be aware that it does require some commitment on your part. For teams of filmmakers, note that unfortunately, we can only offer the full package of support outlined above for one of the filmmakers involved in your film

Supported by BAFTA, BFI NETWORK & NFTS

DepicT! Random Acts Award

A mentoring session with Channel 4 Random Acts commissioning editor Shaminder Nahal.
Supported by Channel 4

Encounters Film Festival

Encounters Film Festival (Bristol, UK) is the UK’s longest running competitive short film and animation festival. It presents one of the world’s best-known showcases and meeting points for emerging talent, and seeks to promote the importance of short film as a means to develop the next generation of filmmakers and animators. Encounters is also a gateway to the world’s most prestigious short film and animation awards: the BAFTAs, the Oscars®, the European Film Awards and the Cartoon d’Or.

“Much has changed in the worlds of short and animated film-making in the past 20 years – digital has transformed the industry, short-film debutants have become major directors – but this festival has remained Britain’s premier destination for both.”
Steve Rose, The Guardian on Encounters Film Festival