The Raindance Film Festival is the largest and most important independent film festival in the UK. We showcase features, shorts, web series and music videos by filmmakers from the UK and around the world to an audience of film executives and buyers, journalists, film fans and filmmakers. Along with screenings, there are seminars, workshops and parties to allow everyone the chance to share our passion for film.
Raindance Film Festival is officially recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences USA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the British Independent Film Awards. Therefore accepted short films in the Shorts Strand may qualify for Oscar® and BAFTA nominations. Short films that play in competition and all British features that play in 2016 will be eligible for entry for the 2016 British Independent Film Awards BIFA.
Amongst others, Raindance has hosted the UK premieres of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Blair Witch Project, Dead Man’s Shoes, Memento, Humpday, Love Exposure, Ghost World, Capturing the Friedmans, Down Terrace, I Origins and Old Boy. Our programming receives plaudits from press and public alike.
Over the years, the festival has hosted such guests and filmmakers as Christopher Nolan, Shane Meadows, Ken Loach, Marky Ramone, Iggy Pop, Anton Corbijn, Quentin Tarantino, Faye Dunaway and Lou Reed.
Over the last few years our international Jury has included Lemmy, Armando Iannucci, Jason Flemyng, Andrew Scott, Amy Hubbard, Alice Lowe, Tom Waits, Vicky McClure, Sheridan Smith and Martin Freeman.
Current patrons of Raindance include Terry Gilliam, Mike Figgis, Ewan McGregor, Michael Winterbottom, and Marky Ramone.