The annual festival, which takes place from 1-12 October and is now in its 3rd year, provides a platform for grassroots artists in Hull through curating film and other creative events that converge with cinema to support the future of film and visual arts in Hull.
Creative Director, Keaton B McD, said:
“We’re looking for entrants from first time and experienced film makers alike. There are no boundaries or expectations – the main thing we’re looking for is film with an original flare in some capacity. This can be through direction, performance, lighting script – anything goes! The only criteria is that films have to be under 20 minutes.
“The festival is known for its strange stories and experimental content – and that is something we will continue to celebrate.”
This year’s festival will be hosting an exciting programme of film screenings, local and professional artist Q&As, filmmaking and music workshops, industry professional masterclasses and mentorships, arts exhibitions and live music at venues throughout the city.
UNTHINKABLE short film submissions are open to the public via the Unthinkable FilmFreeway page). For more information on all things Unthinkable Film Festival, please visit www.unthinkablefilmfestival.co.uk and keep up-to-date through following social media channels @unthinkable.hull
Submission deadlines are throughout the summer with the final deadline on 31st July 2025. Lower entry costs are available the earlier you submit.
* UNTHINKABLE is a Hull-based short-film festival which was set up as a CIO charity. It works with a number of venues in the city including Hull Truck Theatre, Humber Street Gallery, The Polar Bear and the University of Hull. The festival is sponsored by Wykeland and welcomes other sponsors to get in touch.
Q&A with the festival’s creative director, Keaton B McD.
How did the festival start and what is your ambition?
Short film festivals exist in nearly every city around the world. Myself and a group of other local film makers couldn’t work out why there wasn’t one in Hull – so we started it. Of course, as anyone from here knows, our city, Hull, isn’t just any other city – so it couldn’t just be any other festival. We wanted it to reflect the identity of the city and the art scene that has always been here producing some of the most influential artist in the world.
We are trying to build the festival into a platform for grass roots filmmakers and artists – both locally and internationally. Our hope is that we grow a healthy and sustainable platform for the local artistic communities voices to be launched from, but also a location for them to network and integrate forming collaborations with new minds coming to the city too. We are aiming to become a BAFTA-qualifying film festival in the next five years which would affirm Hull’s importance on a global level as being a breeding ground for some of the greatest artistic minds.
What have been the highlights so far and what are you looking forward to this year?
It’s hard to pick a highlight moment. Every year, I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen – even though I’m part of the team that planned it. Each film, performance and event completely changes under the guise of our audience. Over the past two years I’ve seen people dancing with dinosaurs, a murder confession, an entire cinema start singing sea shanties, tears of laughter, fear and sorrow, 10 people beating rubbish with sticks, surprise ukulele performances and some of the biggest DJ’s in the world playing a set to a bewildered audience on Hull fair waltzers. There’s been career-defining moments, life-changing conversations and many eyes opened to our frequently overlooked and undervalued city. The only word can use to sum it all up is UNTHINKABLE and I can’t quite predict what that’s going to look like.
Why are short films important?
If you’ve wanted to be in film – you’ve probably wondered how the great directors, performers, writers etc get to where they are. Ninety per cent likely, they started by making one good short film. Just look at Wes Anderson, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese’s, Christopher Nolan, George Lucas and Paul Thomas Anderson who all made their break into film through the success of their short films.
The ladder to getting into the film industry starts with short film. It’s a calling card for potential agents or an invitation for a production company to offer you money to expand into a feature as seen recently with Boiling Point. Other examples are Reservoir Dogs, Napoleon, Dynamite and Boogie Nights. It’s where up and comers experiment and push boundaries. It’s what you see on the big screen five years before it makes it there.
Ask anyone who’s made a feature and they’ll tell you there’s nothing harder than making a good short film. If you can’t make a short film there’s no chance of making a feature. It’s real authentic cinema just before it blooms.
Film is often described as the 7th art – does that resonate with you?
Film is often described as the 7th art and this is because you can see the influence of all other art forms inside of it. From music in the score of a film, to fine art influencing composition, architecture chaining the shape of a set and writing obviously forming the story. It’s the converging of all arts in one place at one time.
As part of UNTHINKABLE we want to celebrate this and grow on it: inviting all art forms to come and celebrate together – inspiring and collaborating with each other in their own fields and each others.