Encounters Film Festival

Encounters is Bristol’s international gathering place for film culture. Its annual festival is home to the UK’s longest-running short film competition, providing a global platform for bold emerging filmmaking talent. Founded in 1995 to mark the centenary of cinema, Encounters takes place each September on Bristol’s harbourside in a UNESCO City of Film and is a qualifying festival for BAFTA, BIFA and the European Film Awards. The festival’s international short film competition brings together new work from around the world across fiction, documentary, animation and experimental film. Encounters connects filmmakers, audiences and screen-industry professionals, and operates as a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity.