Liverpool John Moores University is proud to be hosting the fifth annual edition of the LJMU MA Short Film Festival this spring. The festival will launch online from Friday 28 March, with in-person events running from Monday 31 March until Friday 4 April.
Since it began in 2021, the festival has been able to build and improve every year, transforming into a multiplatform event with an international reach. MA Film students running the upcoming 2025 edition, under the guidance of Dr Lydia Papadimitriou and Martin Jones, received an astounding 2,691 film submissions from 112 countries, ranging from Ecuador to Taiwan, India to Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, to the UK.
The LJMU MA Short Film Festival is distinctly programmed by students for students. It highlights the talent, creativity, and remarkable storytelling ability of young and upcoming filmmakers across the globe. Inclusivity is the priority to ensure that submissions are free for student filmmakers. The same goes for audience access to both the online and in-person events.
LJMU MA Short Film Festival Genres
This year’s programme features a diverse selection of 37 movies. These include light-hearted comedies, inspirational tales of overcoming adversity, and challenging explorations of sexual violence and grief. Furthermore, the films are in four strands: Fiction, Documentary, Experimental, and Animation.
So, one film from each strand will be chosen by a jury, made up of industry professionals, academics, previous winners, and LJMU undergraduate students, to win a coveted Paper Bird Award. Visitors to the festival website can vote for their favourite film to receive the special Audience Award.
Dr. Lydia Papadimitriou says: ‘I am so proud to see this unique festival, curated and run by a new group of MA Film students every year, successfully reach its 5th year and grow from strength to strength in terms of film submissions, audiences, and the quality of the work behind the scenes.’
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Martin Jones says: ‘Reaching our fifth edition marks a significant milestone. It’s a moment that feels like a true turning point in our journey. It is an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come. It’s to celebrate the incredible talent, hard work, and dedication of both our current and former MA students. Not forgetting the student filmmakers whose work we’ve had the privilege of showcasing.’
Festival goers can watch the films on the festival website from Friday 28 March 2025. They’re also available at live screening events commencing on the evening of Monday 31 March. There is a different strand screening each night until Thursday 3 April. The live events will take place in LJMU’s own Redmonds Building, followed by Q&A’s with some of the featured filmmakers.
The festival closes on Friday 4 April 2025 with a live awards ceremony. This brings filmmakers and audiences together to celebrate the films and the success of the festival.
