Sixth annual LJMU MA Short Film Festival is on its way
The annual LJMU MA Short Film Festival is making a return for its sixth year running.
The 2026 edition of the festival will take place this spring, online and in person from 20 to 27 March, including over 40 films from more than 20 countries.
Organised and run by MA Film students studying with the Liverpool School of Art and Creative Industries, the festival features four programmes, reflecting different film styles: Fiction, Animation, Documentary and Experimental.
The selection is highly varied, comprising a range of cultures and aesthetic tastes, showcasing excellence in student filmmaking from around the world.
Get involved
People can get involved in the festival both online through the festival website and on key dates in the city and on campus:
- 20 to 27 March watch all films online
- 20 March launch party at the Kazimier
- 23 to 26 March watch screenings and attend Q&As in the Redmonds Building, LJMU Mount Pleasant Campus
- 27 March awards ceremony at Scale
View the festival programme and book free tickets for festival events
When the festival opens, you will also be able to vote online for the best film which will receive the Paper Bird Audience Award.
Four juries, one per programme - consisting of last year’s winners, film industry and academic experts, and LJMU undergraduate students - will choose the 2026 Paper Bird Awards for Fiction, Animation, Documentary and Experimental. All of this year’s winners will be revealed during the awards ceremony.
Festival provides ‘hands-on’ learning experience for students
Since the festival’s debut in 2021, it has been curated, planned and run by LJMU’s MA Film students, offering an invaluable ‘hands-on’ learning experience. It helps them build a range of practical skills while also allowing them to express their creativity through poster design, social media promotion and of course the selection of films around the world.
LJMU MA Short Film Festival reaching its sixth edition is proof of the dedication that the MA Film students have given to making the event possible.
With a visually striking poster, designed by MA Film alumni Leo Lima based on ideas by our current students Will Knowles and Aimee Challinor, the sixth edition of the LJMU MA Short Film Festival promises a very exciting selection of international student films screened in person and online. I am so proud that the festival, curated and organised by the MA Film students is becoming ever more embraced by the community in Liverpool and beyond. Join us for the opening party, the screenings, Q&As and the closing ceremony!
Dr Lydia Papadimitriou, Festival Director and Programme Leader of MA Film
While students are involved in all festival related roles, the festival owes a lot for its smoothing running to Martin Jones, Festival Coordinator and Tutor.
Reaching its sixth edition is a testament to the hard work of the students who make the LJMU MA Short Film Festival possible. Each year, we aim to provide audiences with the best in emergent student filmmaking, and this year's edition promises to do just that. With an eclectic programme comprising 41 films from 24 countries, in the categories of Fiction, Documentary, Animation, & Experimental film, audiences are sure to find something to enjoy.
Martin Jones, Festival Coordinator and LJMU Tutor
