Quite simply, here is our ongoing and updated list of Film Festivals in the Midlands (2025/6 edition):

THE MIDLANDS MOVIES AWARDS  - Midlands region

27 June 2026 (submissions open October)

https://filmfreeway.com/MidlandsMoviesAwards

SHORT IS BEAUTIFUL FESTIVAL - Solihull

17th November 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/ShortIsBeautiful

WOLVERHAMPTON FILM FESTIVAL - Wolverhampton

May 2026 (dates TBC)

https://filmfreeway.com/Wolverhamptonfilmfestival

CINE-EXCESS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - Birmingham

20th - 26th October 2025

https://www.cine-excess.co.uk

https://filmfreeway.com/Cine-Excess

THE STRATFORD ON AVON FILM FESTIVAL  - Stratford on Avon

16th - 17th August 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/StratfordonAvonFilmFestival

THE POCKET FILM FESTIVAL  - Stafford

19th - 28th September 2025

https://www.unseencinema.co.uk

COVENTRY PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL - Coventry

24th - 26th April 2026

https://filmfreeway.com/CoventryPhoenixFilmFestival

WIRKSWORTH HORROR FILM FESTIVAL  - Wirksworth

2026 Dates TBC

https://www.wfcn.co/festival/whff

SHARED VISIONS FILM FESTIVAL (previous Nottingham International Festival)  - Nottingham

19th - 21st April 2026

https://filmfreeway.com/sharedvisions

https://sharedvisions.co.uk

LEICESTER FILM FESTIVAL - Leicester City

16th November 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/LeicesterCityFilmFestival

BORDERLINES FILM FESTIVAL - Herefordshire/Shropshire rural film festival

6th - 21st March 2026

http://www.borderlinesfilmfestival.co.uk

BIG PICTURE FESTIVAL - Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire

28th - 31st August 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/BigPictureFestival

BIRMINGHAM FILM FESTIVAL - Birmingham

14th - 23rd November 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/festival/Birminghamfilmfestival

MANSFIELD TOWN FILM FESTIVAL  - Mansfield, Notts

July 2026 (dates TBC)

https://filmfreeway.com/MansfieldTownFilmFestival

BUXTON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - Buxton, Derbys.

July 2026 (dates TBC)

https://buxtonfilm.org.uk/short-film-exhibition/

BALSALL HEATH FILM FESTIVAL - Birmingham

16th - 31st July 2025

https://flatpackfestival.org.uk/projects/balsall-heath-film-festival

BIRMINGHAM INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL  - Birmingham

July 2026 (dates TBC)

http://birminghamindianfilmfestival.co.uk

THE UK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL  - events in Leicester, Coventry & London

May 2026 (dates TBC)

https://www.tonguesonfire.com

SHOUT FESTIVAL - Birmingham

2026 dates TBC

http://shoutfestival.co.uk

PARACINEMA – Derby

May 2026 (dates TBC)

https://paracinema.co.uk

https://twitter.com/ParacinemaDerby

MAYHEM HORROR FILM FEST  - Broadway, Nottingham

16th - 19th October 2025

http://www.mayhemfilmfestival.com

FLATPACK FEST  - Birmingham

May 2026 (dates TBC)

http://www.flatpackfestival.org.uk

MARCELLO ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL - Birmingham

23rd - 24th August 2025 2025

https://www.marcellofilmfestival.co.uk

https://filmfreeway.com/MARCELLO

THE SMOKIES - Staffordshire

20th September 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/thesmokiesuk

BEESTON FILM FESTIVAL  - Beeston, Nottingham

23rd - 26th April 2026

https://www.beestonfilm.com

https://filmfreeway.com/BeestonFilmFestival

REPTON FILMFEST - Repton, Derbyshire

2026 Dates TBC

https://filmfreeway.com/TheReptonFestival

WIRKSWORTH FILM FEST - Derbyshire

12th - 21st September 2025

https://www.wirksworthfestival.co.uk

THE SHORT STACK FILM FESTIVAL  - Broadway, Nottingham

Bi-monthly local short film screenings

https://www.facebook.com/groups/841340665914084

NORTHAMPTON FILM FESTIVAL  - Northampton

27th Feb - 8th March 2026

http://www.northamptonfilmfestival.co.uk/

https://filmfreeway.com/northamptonfilmfestivaluk

WORCESTER FILM FESTIVAL - ODEON, Worcester

24th - 27th September 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/WorcesterFilmFestival

THE SHORT CINEMA - Leicester

2026 Dates TBC

https://filmfreeway.com/TheShortCinema

INDIE-LINCS - Lincoln Performing Arts Centre (University of Lincoln)

5th - 7th February 2026

https://filmfreeway.com/INDIELINCS

DEAFFEST UK International Deaf Film & Arts - Wolverhampton

8th - 10th May 2026

https://filmfreeway.com/Deaffest2026

BLACK COUNTRY HORROR SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL - Stourbridge

15th November 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/TheBlackCountryHorrorShortsFilmFestival

DERBY FILM FESTIVAL  - Derby

2026 Dates TBC

https://filmfreeway.com/DerbyFilmFestival-889247

BIRMINGHAM ANIME FILM FESTIVAL - Birmingham

17th August 2025

https://www.baff.uk

EARTH STORIES FILM FESTIVAL - Staffordshire

2026 Dates TBC

https://filmfreeway.com/EarthStories-1

GRINDHOUSE PLANET FILM FESTIVAL - Leicester

15th November 2025

https://filmfreeway.com/GrindhousePlanetFilmFestival

DARKNESS IN THE FIELDS FILM FESTIVAL - Derby

21st March 2026

https://filmfreeway.com/DarknessintheFieldsFilmFestival

FORWARD FILM FESTIVAL - Birmingham

2026 Dates TBC

https://www.forwardfilmfestival.com

BIRMINGHAM HORROR FILM FESTIVAL & CONVENTION - Birmingham

11th-12th October 2025

www.birminghamhorrorfilmfestival.com

FILMGAGE FESTIVAL - Birmingham

October - December 2025

www.filmgagefestival.com

Other useful Film Festival information can be found at these links:

http://film-directory.britishcouncil.org/festivals-directory

https://filmhubmidlands.org/watch/film-festivals/