Following a successful in-person run earlier this month, the Bolton International Film Festival 2025 has launched its online edition, extending access to audiences and industry professionals worldwide.
Running from 8–19 October 2025, the virtual programme features more than 300 short films from emerging and established filmmakers, including the festival’s award-winning selections across fiction, documentary, animation, and immersive categories.
Now in its ninth year, the BAFTA- and BIFA-qualifying event continues to expand its international reach, blending cultural discovery with professional development opportunities for new voices in short-form storytelling.
This year’s winning titles underline the breadth and vitality of the short form. Hard; Like Cleaning Blood took Best International, while Masterpiece Mommy earned Best UK Short. The Best Documentary award went to To the Embers, a powerful personal essay on trauma and accountability that has generated strong word-of-mouth among festivalgoers. Playing God claimed Best Animation, and Himalia won Best Women in Film, further cementing Bolton’s reputation for championing diverse creative voices.
Bolton’s hybrid format is increasingly viewed as a sustainable model for the short-film circuit — combining the communal energy of physical screenings with the reach and longevity of digital access. For industry insiders, the online platform offers not only discovery but also data: filmmakers receive viewing analytics and engagement insights that can inform funding pitches, distribution strategies, and future festival submissions.
In a crowded international calendar, Bolton’s continued evolution positions it as one of the most adaptable and inclusive short-film platforms in Europe — a festival equally grounded in its community roots and attuned to the global conversation on cinema’s future.
The online edition of Bolton Film Festival runs until 19 October 2025, with access available via boltonfilmfestival.com.
More info about the online schedule HERE.