The Bristol Radical Film Festival began in 2011 to showcase contemporary and historical works of overtly political filmmaking. Our volunteer-run, zero-budget festival promotes and screens both classic and newly-released films that seek to disrupt, deconstruct, and divert from the mainstream.
At our events, films are a pretext for action and debate as much as they are important aesthetic and cultural objects in themselves. We always have a discussion or Q&A after our screenings, as we know that the films we screen are part of larger cultural movements that audiences engage with, rather than simply objects of consumption.
Our interpretation of the word ‘radical’ is an open one: while we believe that radical social, economic & political change is needed for a more equal, just & sustainable society, that fundamental belief can be articulated in a variety of ways. Film is a rich medium and we are very keen to exhibit works that interrogate political and aesthetic radicalism using new and challenging techniques.
We want to maintain the opportunity for full participation with minimal financial barriers. Submission has been free until last year - and out of necessity, we have had to charge a low entry fee. However, since this means we do not have the finances to hire staff to work through hundreds of submissions, we ask that entrants read and take seriously our submission guidelines.
Please note: we will not consider films that do not fit our remit. *READ THE BELOW DESCRIPTION FOR ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES.* If your film is not relevant to our remit, it will not be acknowledged.
We look forward to another year of progression, disruption and celebration!
Every year we select the best submissions from around the world to our open call for shorts, to create the Radical Shorts Programme. We promote these after the festival on our social media channels, to continue the dialogue with filmmakers and audiences.