Verve Bee Media are proud to present BUZZIN’ SHORTS, hosted by the London Film Academy in Fulham Broadway, London and part of the Association of Independent Film Festivals.
Every film selected for BUZZIN’ SHORTS will be screened in person at the London Film Academy cinema. The festival takes place over a Saturday and Sunday and includes film screenings, guest speaker panels, workshops and networking opportunities. The festival usually takes place on the last weekend of September OR the first weekend of October.
SUBMIT ON FILM FREEWAY next season opens May 1st 2027
2026 WINNERS
• Best Student Short: “The Land Keeps Watch”. Directed and produced by Iryna Tanasiichuk.
• Best Actor Student: Robert Peacock for “Acres Away”. Directed by Robert Colt and produced by Neah Hamman.
• Audience Choice Award Student: “Hot Mess”. Directed and produced by Tortor Smith.
• Best Indie Short: “The Crab Cake Kid”. Directed by Kirill Teslia and produced by Ross McCall.
• Best Actor Indie: Felipe Diana for “EMPATHY REHEARSALS”. Directed by Jacopo Cullin and produced by Antro Film.
• Audience Choice Award Indie: “Mutt”. Directed by Connor Difrancesco and produced by Olly Keane.
• Honourable Mention for Best Ensemble: “The Graduate Scheme”. Directed by Archie MacIntosh and produced by Marlowe Crick.
• Best Actor Student: Robert Peacock for “Acres Away”. Directed by Robert Colt and produced by Neah Hamman.
• Audience Choice Award Student: “Hot Mess”. Directed and produced by Tortor Smith.
• Best Indie Short: “The Crab Cake Kid”. Directed by Kirill Teslia and produced by Ross McCall.
• Best Actor Indie: Felipe Diana for “EMPATHY REHEARSALS”. Directed by Jacopo Cullin and produced by Antro Film.
• Audience Choice Award Indie: “Mutt”. Directed by Connor Difrancesco and produced by Olly Keane.
• Honourable Mention for Best Ensemble: “The Graduate Scheme”. Directed by Archie MacIntosh and produced by Marlowe Crick.
Festival Director Aifric O’Neill, and judges Josée Bekker and Iveta Trifonova
Iveta Trifonova presenting the 2026 trophies
The team behind Best Indie Short winner “The Crab Cake Kid”
A full cinema at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2026
The team behind Audience Choice Award Indie winner “Mutt”
Guest speakers Sivan Raphaely, Producer, Writer and Script Editor, and Adam Richards, Stunt Performer and Actor
The winners from Student Day at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2026
“Hot Mess”, winner of Audience Choice Award Student
“Mutt”, winner of Audience Choice Award Indie
Festival Director Jeffrey Salkilld
Guest speakers Sivan Raphaely and Adam Richards with panel host Iveta Trifonova
The foyer at the London Film Academy during BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2026
Iveta Trifonova with Luke Finn during the Sound Recording & Mixing Workshop
BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2026 filmmakers, guest speakers, judges and festival team
2025 WINNERS
• Best Student Short: “The Road to Valhalla”. Directed and produced by Thomas Salvage.
• Audience Choice Award Student: “Until Alive”. Directed and produced by Grace Z Chou.
• Best Student Screenplay: “Evergreen”. Directed by Jinkyung Song and produced by Blaine Marcano.
• Best Indie Short: “Her Love”. Directed and produced by Rich Rose.
• Best Actor Indie: Joe Carmichael for “Mein Surname”. Directed and produced by Adam Cowie.
• Audience Choice Award Indie: “Small Town Witches”. Directed by Melissa Graves and produced by Melissa Graves, Helena Cho and Gina Kartsonis.
• Audience Choice Award Student: “Until Alive”. Directed and produced by Grace Z Chou.
• Best Student Screenplay: “Evergreen”. Directed by Jinkyung Song and produced by Blaine Marcano.
• Best Indie Short: “Her Love”. Directed and produced by Rich Rose.
• Best Actor Indie: Joe Carmichael for “Mein Surname”. Directed and produced by Adam Cowie.
• Audience Choice Award Indie: “Small Town Witches”. Directed by Melissa Graves and produced by Melissa Graves, Helena Cho and Gina Kartsonis.
Best Student Short winner “The Road to Valhalla” with director Thomas Salvage.
Audience Choice Award Student winner “Until Alive” with director Grace Z Chou.
Festival Director Aifric O’Neill with guest speakers.
A full audience for the guest speaker panel at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2025.
BUZZIN’ SHORTS judges Loretta, Josée Bekker, Jeffrey Salkilld, Aifric O’Neill, Lewis Taylor and Raki Ralko
Festival Director Aifric O’Neill hosting a guest panel
Networking at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2025.
Josée Bekker hosting a guest panel with Adam Richards and Nicola Wright.
Guest speaker Adam Richards with a festival guest.
Networking at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2025.
Filmmakers and attendees networking.
Filmmakers and attendees networking.
Josée Bekker presenting awards and certificates.
2024 WINNERS
• Best Student Short: “Amuse-Bouche”. Directed by Matthew Turner and produced by Maximilian Sitwell.
• Best Actor Student: Harry Luke for “Hooked”. Directed by Lukas Bonilla and produced by Amelia Maxim and Stevie Hendriksz.
• Audience Choice Award Student: “Final Girl”. Directed by Sabrina Pate and produced by Bryan Logan.
• Best Indie Short: “Music to Die For”. Directed and produced by Rebecca Doherty.
• Best Actor Indie: Jason Lamar Ricketts for “An Eighth of Him”. Directed by Levi Aluede and produced by Dami Adeyeye.
• Audience Choice Award Indie: “DON’T F**K WITH ME”. Directed by Joe Tremain and produced by Niccola Wright and Paul McGhie.
• Best Actor Student: Harry Luke for “Hooked”. Directed by Lukas Bonilla and produced by Amelia Maxim and Stevie Hendriksz.
• Audience Choice Award Student: “Final Girl”. Directed by Sabrina Pate and produced by Bryan Logan.
• Best Indie Short: “Music to Die For”. Directed and produced by Rebecca Doherty.
• Best Actor Indie: Jason Lamar Ricketts for “An Eighth of Him”. Directed by Levi Aluede and produced by Dami Adeyeye.
• Audience Choice Award Indie: “DON’T F**K WITH ME”. Directed by Joe Tremain and produced by Niccola Wright and Paul McGhie.
The full lineup of Student Short winners at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2024
The full lineup of Indie Short winners at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2024
BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2024 judges Jeffrey Salkilld, Josée Bekker, Aifric O’Neill and Raki Ralko
A full cinema at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2024
The winning team behind one of the selected films speaking in front of the cinema screen at BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2024
Festival Director Jeffrey Salkilld presenting
BUZZIN’ SHORTS 2024 judges Jeffrey Salkilld, Josée Bekker, Aifric O’Neill and Raki Ralko
Josée Bekker presenting awards
HOW THE FESTIVAL WORKS
BUZZIN’ SHORTS is monitored by the Association of Independent Film Festivals https://www.aiff.uk/
Every submission is adjudicated. Under our honesty policy, every film submitted is watched in full and every submitted script is read in full.
Every selected film will be screened in person at the London Film Academy cinema in Fulham Broadway.
The festival runs over a Saturday and Sunday, usually on the last weekend of September or the first weekend of October. Student Shorts and Indie Shorts are screened on separate days. Filmmakers will be told which day their film is screening in advance.
Each day includes film screenings, guest speaker panels, workshops and opportunities to meet other filmmakers. Selected filmmakers will invited to speak briefly about their work in front of the audience.
Audience members vote for the Audience Choice Award during each screening day. Awards and certificates are presented at the end of the day.
Feedback is included with every submission. Submitters can book a free one-to-one feedback session with a judge, either in person during the festival or over Zoom.
Every submitter receives 2 free tickets to the festival. Additional tickets are kept affordable at £3.50 per ticket.