The St Andrews Film Festival

The St. Andrews Film Festival (SAFF) is the platform for Self-Expression and Filmmaking Education. We elevate Scottish cinema and foster cross-cultural exchange. As a charity, we provide a platform for emerging filmmakers to learn, compete, and grow through Q&As with international filmmakers, filmmaking masterclasses and film exhibitions. SAFF connects new talent with professionals, highlighting Scottish cinema in the global spotlight while promoting unity between people of different backgrounds through diverse storytelling. We welcome you to the film festival in the heart of historic Scotland.

Our focus is on films that reveal our shared humanity, encourage reflection on the challenges we face, and celebrate the rich diversity that makes the world such a fascinating place. No matter where a film comes from or how local its story, we select those that have something meaningful to offer a global audience.

Share Your Vision

To be eligible for SAFF 2026 your film must abide by the festival rules:
- All submitted films must be completed after 1st of January 2025.
- The maximum number of submissions per submitter is 1 film.
- You are happy for your film to be screened online as well as physically.
- Maximum runtime for Short Films is 30 minutes. No Maximum run time for features.
All non-English films must come with English subtitles embedded.
Submissions are reviewed and selected under the following criteria:
- We accept all genres of narrative, documentary or experimental short films. We look for films that are able to convey a message through the film medium and have a good standard of production values.
- The independent nature of the production.
Our curatorial team watches your films and makes notes. There are monthly meetings in which your film is discussed and a final decision is made before the notification date.
We take into account every film we receive and give feedback to the filmmakers that didn't make the cut upon request.
You must do the following:
- Supply the festival with a DCP / MOV / MP4 of your sent via WeTransfer /Google Drive
- You must also allow your film to be downloaded via Film Freeway or Vimeo when your film is selected.
- Send an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) to saffestival@saintfilm.org.uk
Each year our jury panel compirsed of industry filmmakers and film scholars award 12 short films and 1 feature film.
The Top 3 Short Films receive film distribution to our partnering film festivals.
Awards for the Short Film and Feature Film Competition are as follows:
All award-winning films will receive our glass-engraved trophies. The prize for The Saint Andrew Award for Best Short Film and The Alexander Mackendrick Award is a film distribution opportunity to our online platform as well as our partners in Europe.
Short Film:
1. The Saint Andrew Award for Best Film
2. The Alexander Mackendrick Award for Best Director
3. The Jorge Sanjinés Award for Best Dramaturgy
4. The Sean Connery Award for Best Actor
5. The Nevena Kokanova Award for Best Actress
6. The Mahmoud Kalari Award for Best Cinematography
7. The Lyudmila Feyginova Award for Best Editing
8. The Zagreb School Award for Best Animation
10. The Sara Gómez Award for Best Documentary Film
11. The Award for Best Scottish Film
12. The Audience Award
Feature Film:
1. The Saint Andrew Award for Best Film

Send Film

Previous Edition of SAFF

Bring distinctive films and meaningful conversations to St Andrews. Your donation—of any size—powers screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and year-round engagement that champions rising voices from Scotland and beyond.

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