First Frame Film Festival is presented annually by Film students at the University of Leicester. This year, the festival will be held on the 11th-12th April 2025.
The festival is FREE ENTRY and we are not currently running on a booking system, you can just show up! Any changes to this will be posted over our socials.
The festival is focused on shining a spotlight on the work of student filmmakers. Our goal is to provide a platform to honour the contributions of amateur filmmakers, both behind the camera and on screen. Through our curated selection of films, we aim to celebrate the work these filmmakers have put into crafting stories and to showcase their talents.
In spring each year, the festival exhibits exclusively student made films and embeds them within a program of special events. This year’s schedule includes a screening session on the University’s campus, followed by a masterclass with industry professionals and a closing ceremony with awards and prizes. The voting for the best picture award will commence after the screening, with the winner announced during our closing ceremony at the end of the festival.
* The age rating for the festival is 16+ (all submitters and attendees must be 16 by the date of the event)
Awards & Prizes:
- Best Film (Peoples Choice)
- Best Original Music
- Male in a Lead Role
- Female in a Lead Role
- Cinematography
- Editing
- Best Original Script
- Best Director
There will also be a PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD that will be voted for and announced on the day of the event.
Our curation team will review all submissions and shortlist 3-5 nominees for each award category. These nominees will then be screened to the rest of the event teams and we will collectively decide on a winner for each category.
Earth & Nature
The First Frame Film Festival’s 2025 theme is nature! whatever kind of nature, human or earthly send it through!
Our Mission
Run for students by students, our festival targets a demographic that is often overlooked by larger film festivals. We have a strong belief in the ability of film as a medium to transform lives and improve the world. It can open people’s minds to fresh viewpoints and concepts, promoting intercultural understanding and enhancing community engagement. We believe it is vital to promote film culture. By making the festival free to attend, this ensures that it is accessible and open to all.
Our Objectives
- To successfully organise a student-led and student-focused film festival that celebrates the talents of amateur filmmakers
- To provide an opportunity for emerging filmmakers to experience a live audience reaction to their films and to receive feedback on their filmmaking
- To provide a cultural space for independent filmmakers who want to connect and develop their craft
- To promote the arts and facilitate film culture
- To promote Leicester as a destination for film production