Blog: Film festivals

Emerging Talent Film Festival - Winter 2024
Are you an ambitious filmmaker or screenwriter who wants to move forward in your career? Do you have a new short film or screenplay that deserves recognition? Could you be a rising star of tomorrow?

The Emerging Talent Film Festival has live screenings four times a year, numerous awards in many categories combined with a unique networking event. It is organised by the programmers from the New Renaissance Film Festival - one of Film Freeway's top 20 best-reviewed festivals, known for artistically-driven programming. From our inception in 2016, we have been introducing promising filmmakers and screenwriters to producers and industry professionals to help them with their careers. Since 2021, NRFF London has awarded more than £5,000 in cash prizes to emerging talent thanks to the generosity of our patron. These artists are individuals with a genuine commitment to working in TV and film and who are producing exciting, new work.

Why should you submit?

• Your film will be watched and judged by A JURY of established producers, directors and filmmakers from the TV and film industry.

• You have the chance to WIN LAURELS for your film or screenplay i.e. Finalist, Official Selection and Winner. These seals of approval can open doors to other festivals and marketing opportunities.

• If you are a filmmaker, GET YOUR FILM SCREENED. A selection of the nominated films will have a live screening at the cinema during the festival

• Selected filmmakers will be invited to ATTEND OUR NETWORKING EVENT in London with members of the jury, NRFF's patron Katie Partridge (the Saphira Group), representation from production companies and fellow filmmakers. Filmmakers will have a chance to articulate what their needs are to the various parties

• Selected screenwriters will be invited to PITCH YOUR SHORT FILM SCRIPT to the audience present at the awards presentation and the networking event.


How does submission process work?

• Although we advise you to submit into one of the MAIN CATEGORIES as well as one of the SUB CATEGORIES, feel free to pick and choose.

• After we've received all submissions we will decide who will be a Finalist. Each Finalist will receive a laurel and will compete with all other Finalists to be Officially Selected.


• Those who are Officially Selected will receive a laurel for this and will be Nominees in the various categories.

• All Nominated Films will be invited to attend the Awards Presentation and the Networking Event in London. A selection of the nominated films will have a live screening at the cinema during the festival.

• The Winners will be announced at the Awards Presentation. The winners will receive a Winners Laurel.

• A selection of the winners will be invited to the workshops and the screenings at the NRFF London festival in London in September


Reviews:

"Jan and Massi's festival is fiercely dedicated to promoting the highest caliber of independent cinema around today. Their commitment to championing filmmakers who they believe in is unparalleled in my experience. I've made friends and potentially collaborators for life. I am so privileged to have been a part of this inspiring and life-changing festival.” (Zoë Greenbaum, Emerging Talent Winner)

“I honestly can’t praise this festival high enough! Jan and Massimo are two of the best, most passionate festival directors I’ve ever met. Brilliant audiences that genuinely want to be there, an amazing cinema and brilliant networking throughout. I’m not alone in saying this festival has probably changed my career! Thank you!” (Nicholas Connor, Emerging Talent Winner)

“It's a brilliant festival. One I will continue to submit to throughout my filmmaking career.” (Chris Overton, Oscar Winner)

“This festival is incredible - its focus is on the filmmaker and spotlighting original talent, whether new or emerging, and the art form of filmmaking.” (Reneque Samuels, Emerging Talent Finalist)

“NRFF is a great festival with a lovely film community. I am honoured to have won Emerging Talent and make connections with talented filmmakers at my screening and the award night.” (Michelle Jones, Emerging Talent Winner)

“This was my first in-person film festival and they did an amazing job! Thank you so much for awarding my short script the best young talent screenplay. It means so much! This is definitely a film festival to submit to.!” (Niamh Dann)

“Jan and Massimo present an event that makes me as a filmmaker proud to have been selected. Their "eye" is exactly the one you want on your film. They "see" what you mean and they value a story well told. They inspire me.” (Stephen Mills, Winner)

“What a unique and powerful force of film this is! Always a great venue and always empowering the independent film maker! Thank you for our Award for ‘Swivel’ and for everything you do to push artists, community and film to be all of who we are!” (Lois Norman, Winner)