THE 1.4 AWARDS For Brilliant Filmmaking, 2027

20 minutes.

If selected for a showcase, a short clip of your film will be shown on the night of the Awards ceremony, due to timing limitations. The full film will be made available to view on the 1.4 website unless restricted due to other festival submissions. If there are restrictions to showing your film online, please ensure you make us aware of these restrictions in the EMBARGO field when making your entry.

We have 3 showcases to cater for directors at varying levels of experience. The In the Making showcase benefits from a reduced entry fee. See our entry fees below.

Flying High (Established/more than 4 years professional experience)

On the Cusp of Greatness (1 to 4 years professional experience)

In the Making (Film students and unsigned young directors with up to 1 year maximum professional experience)

The 17 categories for 2027:
(In The Making categories are marked with a †)

Animation/VFX †
For the most ingenious animations in the land. A substantial chunk of the work must be animated or computer generated. Films in this category may also be eligible to enter in other 1.4 Awards categories.

Branded Content †
Longer projects for brilliant brands. Commercially branded commissioned work, mainly intended for online distribution. Commercials longer than 120 seconds are eligible in this category.

Campaign new for 2027
Spotlighting directorial achievement across 2 or more films by a single director for a brand, artist or other entity that were commissioned as a campaign.

Commercial †
Brilliant films for brilliant brands. Films commissioned by a brand as a commercial made primarily for cinema or television distribution. Maximum length: 120 seconds.

Dance
Celebrating the best and most imaginative move-busting work. Strike a pose! Films in this category may also be eligible to enter in other 1.4 Awards categories.

Documentary †
Showing us the world as it is. Short-form non-fiction or informative work.

Fashion Film
Beyond the catwalk. Films that explore fashion, style and stories about what we wear.

Humour
Any short-form piece of filmmaking served funny side up. Films in this category may also be eligible to enter other 1.4 Awards categories.

Music Video †
Where music meets the moving image! For work commissioned by a musical artist or label to promote a music track.

Special Music Project new for 2027
Music video, but films that push the visual side of music beyond the single promo. That includes multi-track pieces and EP visuals, narrative films built around one or more tracks, artist-led short films as well as interactive, immersive and experimental work.

Personal Project †
For that film that you just HAD to make. Non-commissioned labours of love, video art projects, or spec commercials.

Planet Positive †
Filmmaking with a strong message of sustainability - environmental, social and economic. This category imagines what the world could be, and takes a look at the world we have now. Films in this category may also be eligible to enter in other 1.4 Awards categories.

Short Film †
The best of succinct storytelling.

Sport
From fly-fishing to hang gliding, surfing to skateboarding - anything goes as long as it’s exhilarating or mesmerising or a good visual story. Probably not golf then. Films in this category may also be eligible to enter other 1.4 Awards categories.

Best Director † new for 2027
Celebrating a director whose body of work may cover any of our categories. Entrants must enter a minimum of 2 films, maximum 6, all under 20 minutes in length, produced in the past year.

Best Editor new for 2027
Seeking the best editors of the year in the short-form filmmaking sphere. Entrants must enter a minimum of 2 films, maximum 6, all under 20 minutes in length, edited in the past year.

Best Cinematographer new for 2027
Championing the top cinematographers working in short films, commercials and music videos. Entrants must enter a minimum of 2 films, maximum 6, all under 20 minutes in length, lensed in the past year.

Entry Fees for 2027 Awards
FLYING HIGH AND ON THE CUSP CATEGORIES

EARLYBIRD DEADLINE (16 November)
£150 per entry

STANDARD DEADLINE (16 December)
£180 per entry

LATE DEADLINE (20 January 2027)
£220 per entry

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IN THE MAKING CATEGORIES ONLY

EARLY DEADLINE (16 December)
£90 per entry

LATE DEADLINE (20 January 2027)
£120 per entry

Payment Methods
Our entry platform takes credit card payments via Stripe. Bank transfers may also be arranged through our Contact form using the subject 'Bank Transfer Please'. After payment your confirmation email will contain a PDF file with your entry forms and an invoice for your financial records.

You may enter as many times as you like. Films may be eligible to be entered in more than one category across the Awards. Please see our entry fees above.