Short films, and the live performances they inspire.
in collaboration with Urban Echoes
This year we’re Out of Frame, a festival screening that dips on and off the screen. Join us for a mix of live performance and film & animation, plus a chance to meet the filmmakers in one of London’s unique creative spaces.
The Official Selection is out. See the full programme below.
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The venue
The Foundry Collective is an independent space in North Acton run by and for local creatives: a restaurant, café and bar, a makers’ shop and an event space under one roof, part of the Republic of Park Royal, a collective of artists and makers spread across the area. They brew their own beer, the kitchen is Levantine, and the sound system is the real thing, which is what our films will be playing through. The building stands where the old Elgee electricity-meter factory used to be, hence the name.
The performances
Between the screenings, live performance comes from Urban Echoes, a monthly artist showcase based at The Foundry that brings together poets, musicians and dancers. Their artists respond to the films’ themes right there in the room.
Good questions
Do I need a ticket if it’s free?
Yes, please. Tickets are free. They just help us know how many people to expect and set up the room. If you think you’re coming, book one: it makes things much easier for us.
What’s the contributor ticket?
Screen Culture is an independent festival run by a small team. A contributor ticket gets you exactly the same entry as a free one, with a suggested £5 that goes straight back into the festival. It helps us promote the selected films and the people who made them, and cover the costs of putting on days like this one. If you can, it makes a real difference; if not, the free ticket is just as welcome.
Can I arrive late or leave early?
Of course. The Foundry is open all day, so come and go as you like. Just try to move between films rather than during them.
Are the films suitable for all ages?
No. Some films deal with strong, mature themes, so it’s not suitable for children. Details for each film will be in the full programme.
I can’t make it to London. Can I still watch?
Yes. The programme goes out as a YouTube Premiere on Sunday 8 November and stays online for 24 hours.
I’m a selected filmmaker and my film can’t go online yet. Is that a problem?
Not at all. If your festival run or distribution plans mean the film can’t appear in the YouTube Premiere, just get in touch and we’ll leave it out of the online screening. It will still play in the room.
Take a Look at Our Past
2025
Eighth edition
Our eighth edition came in two halves. First, Scream Culture, a Halloween-night special of dark sci-fi and horror, streamed on 31 October. Then the main live event on 15 November, back at The Raven Footlights by Tower Bridge for a night of films and performance. The live programme streamed on YouTube the following day, as ever.
2024
Seventh edition
Our seventh edition was at The Raven Footlights, a basement stage room under a pub by Tower Bridge, built for live performance. Films on the big screen, popcorn at the bar, and a proper crowd. The festival, comfortably in its stride. The day after, the programme streamed on YouTube for our remote filmmakers.
2023
Sixth edition
A quieter one, in a beautiful building. We screened at Hornsey Library, a listed 1960s modernist landmark in Crouch End. Not our biggest edition, but one of the warmest: films in a room built for culture. As always, the programme went online the day after for those who couldn't attend.
2022
Fifth edition
Back in a room, and what a room. We came back in person at TT Liquor in Shoreditch, a Victorian former liquor shop with a private cinema hidden in its cellar. Brick, low light, and films on a proper screen again. The day after, we streamed the programme on YouTube for filmmakers who couldn't be there.
2021
Fourth edition
Still online, but finding new shapes. Our second streamed edition brought filmmakers and guests together on screen from wherever they were. A festival held at a distance, without losing the room.
2020
Third edition
The lockdown edition. With cinemas shut, we took the whole festival online, streaming a programme people watched from their living rooms. Strange circumstances, but the films kept coming, and so did the audience.
2019
Second edition
Back under the arches. For our second edition we returned to Whirled Cinema in Loughborough Junction. Same brick vaults, same red seats, a bigger programme and a fuller room. The year the festival started to find its rhythm.
2018
First edition
Where it started. Our very first edition ran at Whirled Cinema, a screening room built into a Victorian railway arch in Loughborough Junction, South London. Red velvet seats, exposed brick, and a room full of people who'd turned up to watch work by emerging filmmakers. A small beginning, and the reason everything since exists.
