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About

A school,
a festival,
a city.

{[["Established", "2021"], ["Edition", "Six"], ["Host", "LJMU"], ["Module leader", "Dr. L. Papadimitriou"], ["2026 dates", "20–27 March"]].map(([k, v], i) =>
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{/* ── Opening statement ── */}

{t("intro", "Since its inception in 2021, the LJMU MA Short Film Festival has been dedicated to showcasing the talents of student filmmakers from across the globe. Entries are accepted in the categories of fiction, documentary, and animation, with an experimental showcase featuring emergent talent that pushes the boundaries of film.")}

{/* ── Edition posters grid ── */}
EDITIONS · 2021 – 2026
{[ [imgs.poster1, "First", "2021"], [imgs.poster2, "Second", "2022"], [imgs.poster3, "Third", "2023"], [imgs.poster4, "Fourth", "2024"], [imgs.poster5, "Fifth", "2025"], [imgs.poster6, "Sixth", "2026"]]. map(([src, ed, year]) =>
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The festival poster series
{/* ── What Makes Us Unique ── */}
What makes us unique

Entirely student-run.

{t("unique", "The LJMU MA Short Film Festival is unlike any other festival in that it is entirely run by the MA students at Liverpool John Moores University as part of the Exploring Film Festivals, Distribution and Exhibition module on their course. They do this under the guidance of module leader Dr. Lydia Papadimitriou and festival coordinator Martin Jones, but the festival rests almost completely in their control.")}

{t("unique2", "The students make a huge effort to be inclusive of filmmakers from all genders, ethnicities, and parts of the world. This results in an incredibly diverse program of short films across the four strands — fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental — all of which are made by students from other universities and film schools.")}

{/* ── Exploring Film Festivals module ── */}

Film Festivals: History, Theory, Method, Practice (2016)

The module

Exploring Film Festivals, Distribution and Exhibition

{t("module1", "The festival operates from within the module Exploring Film Festivals, Distribution and Exhibition, which is led by Festival Director and Reader in Film, Dr Lydia Papadimitriou and collaboratively taught with Martin Jones, Festival Coordinator.")}

{t("module2", "Exploring Film Festivals goes beyond production and representation, to consider the different ways in which film circulates. It examines the historical and contemporary significance of film festivals both in assigning value to film (through programming and awards) and in providing an alternative distribution network, while also assessing the significance and function of film programming in festivals.")}

{t("module3", "The study of film festivals is a relatively recent field and a key source is the collection of essays Film festivals: History, theory, method, practice (2016) edited by Marijke de Valck, Skadi Loist and Brendan Kredell.")}

{/* ── MA in Film ── */}
MA in Film

Liverpool John Moores University

{t("maFilm1", "The festival is part of the MA Film at Liverpool John Moores University. The programme leader of this course is documentary filmmaker Dr Lydia Papadimitriou, and the MA Film combines theory and practice, fostering innovative approaches to both the making and understanding of film and film festivals.")}

{t("maFilm2", "In the UK, Liverpool is the second most filmed city (after London) and has a vibrant media and cultural industry. With the Twickenham Studios film production facility due to open in the Littlewoods Building in the near future, the MA Film and its festival are firmly rooted for a growing future.")}

MA Film at LJMU
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{/* ── Paper Bird ── */}
The Paper Bird Award

Our trophy.

{t("paperBird", "The Liver Bird is a symbol of Liverpool John Moores University and the City of Liverpool, whilst the material of paper reflects the academic context of the LJMU MA Short Film Festival. Each paper bird trophy is colour-coded to its category.")}

{t("paperBird2", "The trophies are the creation of Dave Treadwell, an incredibly talented artist, musician and director.")} @bongoplayingmonkey

"According to popular legend, they are a male and female pair: the female looking out to sea, watching for the seamen to return safely home, and the male looking into the city."

— Wikipedia on the Liver Birds
Follow the festival
{[["Instagram", "https://www.instagram.com/ljmumasff/"], ["Facebook", "https://www.facebook.com/LJMUMASFF"], ["TikTok", "https://www.tiktok.com/@ljmumasff"], ["YouTube", "https://www.youtube.com/@ljmumashortfilmfestival6785"], ["LinkedIn", "https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9152987/"], ["Bluesky", "https://bsky.app/search?q=ljmumasff"], ["Threads", "https://www.threads.net/@ljmumasff"]].map(([n, h]) => {n} )}
Filmmakers
Submit a film.

Short films across all four strands. Students worldwide. Free to submit.

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