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Program Description

ABOUT NEW RENAISSANCE LONDON

Our friendly and welcoming art-house festival based in London is genuinely passionate about promoting the highest calibre of independent cinema around today. New Renaissance has been described as “One of the UK’s top film festivals,” alongside Raindance and Aesthetica (London METRO, O1.08.16), appeared in reputable publications such as Vogue, GQ and iD magazine, and is a registered IMDB film festival.

Filmmakers and screenwriters are a discerning audience and the 100+ five star reviews from filmmakers around the world is proof of our commitment and respect for the hard work and care that goes into making a film or a script. Since 2021, we have been awarding cash prizes to support talented up-and-coming filmmakers we believe in thanks to a generous sponsor (see below).

SUCCESS STORIES

We have premiered and screened films that went on to win an Oscar (The Silent Child, 2017) or later received a major distribution deal (A Bird Flew, 2022; Avi, 2022; Roy, 2022; A Living Dog, 2021; Into The Mirror, 2019; You Go To My Head, 2019; and Phantompain, 2018) to name just a few.

TOP RANKING

Since September 2016, NRFF has been ranked in the top 100 best reviewed film festivals on FilmFreeway (#11, October 2021), out of 12,000+ worldwide.

Despite the festival's relatively small size, there are each year many gems to be found among the many short and feature films in the programme. Furthermore, many filmmakers and actors are traditionally present - and a lot of productive networking takes place.

WHY SHOULD YOU ENTER OUR SCREENWRITER COMPETITION?

Each year we have different categories like Feature Screenplay, Short Screenplay, LGBTQ+ screenplay and 3 minute screenplay.

During the first round we select the FINALISTS and at the Awards Ceremony in Central London at the Courthouse Hotel we announce the Winners and the Second PLace. Each Finalist is invited to attend and to mingle with the filmmakers, producers and the actors.

2025 will be our TENTH year in London, a city known for its diversity and innovation in the creative arts. For 3 days in September, we will screen around 100 outstanding films in the heart of London. The programme will include narrative shorts, features, documentaries, animations, dance and music videos, a NETWORKING party and AWARDS CEREMONY at the Courthouse Hotel in Soho in London.

Running alongside the festival will be a SCREENWRITING COMPETITION, a series of MASTERCLASSES by film industry experts, a filmmaker's PANEL DISCUSSION, Filmmaker Q&A's, and other networking opportunities.

EMERGING TALENT AWARDS

Apart from a high number of UK and International films, NRFF London has a category for EMERGING TALENT (talented Gen Z, debut or early stage filmmakers embarking on their careers in the film industry). Those selected can win CASH PRIZES. We found a sponsor for this in 2021 and 2022 and are happy to announce that they will continue supporting these cash prizes for emerging talent in 2023.

Please read our Rules & Terms before making your submission.

Key Dates:

Submissions for 2025 are open. The festival will take place in mid to late September 2025, and all contestants will be notified at least 4-6 weeks prior to the event.

SUPPORTING FILMMAKERS AND SCREENWRITERS

It is our passion to not only provide a stage for our filmmakers and the screenwriters but also to strengthen the INDEPENDENT film community, by building an engaged audience through social media - especially Instagram and Facebook. We actively encourage directors, screenwriters, producers and actors to network during the festival and after the event. By doing so, new artistic collaborations have occurred.

NEW RENAISSANCE ALUMNI

Former New Renaissance attendees and or winners include: Oscar winning couple Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton (The Silent Child); Oscar winning actress Whoopi Goldberg (Palace); BAFTA and Emmy winning actress Anna Friel (The Sea); Great Expectations and Top Boy director Brady Hood (Sweet Maddie Stone); Oscar winning writer/director James Lucas (Paint The Dragon's Eyes); BAFTA winning actress Sophia Myles (All That Glitters); BAFTA winning actor George MacKay (Infinite); Ivor Novello winning musician Gary Kemp (InSolo); BAFTA winning and double Emmy nominated documentary director Zoe Dobson (The Cunning Man); BAFTA winning animator Catriona Black (You Are At The Bottom Of My Mind); Emmy winning actress Tatiana Mislany (Souls of Totality); Oscar nominated cinematographer Jarin Blaschke (A Million Eyes); BAFTA nominated director Shona Auerbach (Rudy); Actor Tom Cullen (Souls of Totality); BAFTA nominated actress Celine Buckens (Prangover); Silent Witness actress Emilia Fox (The Ghost); Chicago actor Darren Day (Rudy); Rag Doll actor Ali Cook (The Cunning Man); Olivier Award nominated actress Amy Lennox (Near); student Oscar winner Tristan Holmes (The Fragile King); and student Oscar winner Ariel Heller (Mammoth).

 

 

Deadlines and Fees

Early
Dec. 10, 2024
Regular
Feb. 10, 2025
Late
Apr. 10, 2025
Final
June 10, 2025
Extended
Aug. 31, 2025
Feature Screenplay
Standard Fee
$50
$55
$60
$65
$70
ISAConnect Fee
$45
$50
$55
$60
$65
Short Screenplay
Standard Fee
$41
$43
$45
$47
$50
ISAConnect Fee
$36
$38
$40
$42
$45

Program Benefits

Finalist, Winner and Second Place Winner in the following categories: Feature Screenplay, Short Screenplay, 3 minute Screenplay and LGBTQ+ Screenplay.

We may add or combine one or more categories.

Finalists are invited to the Awards Ceremony at the Courthouse Hotel in Central London

We are looking into cash prizes for screenwriters.

London October 2025

Winning Screenwriters at the NRFF festival in London 

Announcement Dates

Notification Date

Sept. 10, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where does the NRFF take place?

The New Renaissance Film Festival takes place in London. A spacious cinema and a green room for photos and interviews are included. 

 

How can I submit?

You can only submit your screenplay ONLINE.  You always retain 100% of all rights to your intellectual property.

 

What happens once I’ve submitted my film  or my screenplay?

Once we have your information from the ISA, your fee and your link to your screenplay document, we will start the judging process. Please be patient – in most cases you won’t hear from us until after the very final deadline has passed.

 

How do you decide which screenplays to award?

We will not simply select scripts that already have won an award. We hope to find new gems and discover excellent stories that move us, challenge us and above all inspire us.

We realise this to be highly subjective, but we will definitely try to be open to a diversity of different voices and points of view. We also will introduce you to the filmmakers, and we have found that new projects have been created as a result of that!

 

After the judging process is complete, can I get any feedback?

The judges unfortunately cannot offer any feedback on unsuccessful entries.

 

Are there any age restrictions on submitting to the festival?

You must be at least 18 to enter. Work can be entered on behalf of someone who is under 18 and it is your judgement call as to whether you think the work is suitable.

To enter a screenplay into the Young Talent category you have to between 18 and 21 years in order to qualify.

 

Can I alter my entry once it has been submitted?

No alterations can be made to submissions once they have been received. 

 

Can I enter more than one screenplay?

You may enter as many as you like. You must purchase a separate entry fee  and form for each submission.

 

Is entry to the festival open to international entrants?

The festival is open to international submissions. We welcome submissions from all over the world and look forward to seeing a huge variety of entries. 

 

Do you ever consider waiving fees?

Rarely. All indie filmmakers struggle financially but if we waived the fee for every filmmaker who asked then we wouldn’t be here unfortunately.

 

Will you pay for my accommodation if I attend the festival?

No, we can’t afford to put you up either. We can advise you on accommodation though, if you wish. We are currently seeking for sponsorship to develop our hospitality budget.

Rules

Rules & Terms
(1) New Renaissance Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilise an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes. (2) The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorised to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.
(3) All entries should be in English or with English subtitles.
(4) All scripts must be original screenplays, for which the applicant(s) hold the copyright. Where the screenplay is based on another piece of work it is the responsibility of the screenwriter to obtain written permission/copyright clearances from the original author or publisher.
(5) The judges reserve the right not to enter into any correspondence after the announcement of the winner.
(6) To qualify for a cash prize the winner must satisfy all the terms of their category, and attend the festival in person to receive the award.
(7) The judges reserve the right not to award a cash prize if there is no clear winner in the category, the winner is not in attendance at the festival, or if the sponsor cannot honour their financial pledge. The Applicant shall hold harmless New Renaissance Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses which may be incurred in such circumstances.
(8) If award winners are not in attendance the festival will not ship out trophies or certificates after the event.
(9) The applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless New Renaissance Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, cash prizes advertised, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.
(10) We know all too well that most filmmakers have to work with a tight budget. Unfortunately however, WE CANNOT WAIVE THE SUBMISSION FEE.
(11) Due to Covid we may have to replace the live screenings with an online festival. We will try to avoid this if possible. The festival will organise this to its best abilites, but the festival cannot be held accountable for any technical difficulties that may occur during or as a result of the online screening.
(12) PLEASE NOTE THAT SUBMISSION FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE, DEADLINES, PROGRAMS, VENUES AND DATES MAY CHANGE. ALL RESPONSES TO FILMMAKERS WILL BE BY EMAIL.

Contact Information

[email protected]

7963137026

82 Worcester Road

82 Worcester Road, Sutton, Surrey

SM26QQ

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