First annual 'South West Film Fest' heralded "an absolute success"

The beautiful Standish Village Hall in Gloucestershire has a detailed history spanning several centuries and in recent years has become a favoured venue used by the television and movie industry, not only as a filming location, but also to host film festivals and awards presentations - and last week the inaugural South West Film Fest.

Part of the Fortean Film Festival group, and with a remit to celebrate films from all over the world, the new festival and annual awards competition will feature a dedicated showcase to champion films and filmmakers from the South West of the UK each year.

Started by documentary filmmakers Paul Cowmeadow and Carl Marshall, the new event which took place on Friday 5th December was met with intrigue and enthusiasm: "We've had a surprising number of submissions for our opening season", said Paul. He added: "There have even been a few international submissions as well, which we weren't expecting. It's been wonderful to be able to showcase the work of filmmakers from other countries, as well as our local filmmakers which all of us here are so proud of. All in all it's been a great night and an absolute success!"

The film selections covered a broad range of genres but this year also included a special selection of films with a focus on stories relating to mental health, with the Judge's Award for Best of Show going to Steve Wood's new hard-hitting short, 'Joe' - which scooped a Platinum Award for Best Movie (Short) as well.

Also picking up a Platinum Award for Best Movie (Short) 'The Aftermath', directed by Tori Hughes and Sarah France, and produced by Claire Ward, is based on a true story and confronts the subject of domestic abuse, telling one woman's story survival, and of the everlasting trauma she carries with her in its aftermath.

Staffordshire-based filmmaker Luke Saklatvala submitted an emotive and thought-provoking movie titled 'You Would've Thought I Was Fine' which picked up a Silver Award for Best Documentary (Short).

Award winners also included music videos, feature films and flicks from the genres of comedy, science-fiction and horror - with the evening being topped off by a cool nostalgic documentary diving deep into the history of The Warehouse in Plymouth - the South West's famous 90s rave venue, using archive footage and interviews with the people who danced, partied and gurned the nights away there to tell the story firsthand. W: A Return to Oz by Daniel Howard-Baker closed the show and was a hit with the audience and jury, scooping a Gold Award for Best Documentary (Short).

The South West Film Fest will return to Standish on Thursday 3rd September 2026, and will re-open for submissions in the new year.

In review of the festival US filmmaker Jean-Yves "Jeeve" Ducornet whose experimental film 'Spoken For' was recognised with an Honorable Mention said: "The South West Film Festival was an outstanding experience. The programming was thoughtful, diverse, and artistically curated, showcasing filmmakers with bold creative voices... I felt genuinely honored to have my work included, and the engagement from both organizers and audiences made the experience truly memorable."

Find the South West Film Fest on Facebook:

To submit your film please use the following links: https://filmfreeway.com/SouthWestFilmFest