Film has long been able to alter perceptions. It can focus on both groups and individuals on the margins of society and bring them forwards. Whether through narrative or documentary content, film engages with challenging social and political subjects, providing a platform for a range of themes and communities, from LGBT+ rights to homelessness and mental illness. Our panel of filmmakers will discuss the impact and risks of filmmaking around social justice, from finding subjects to identifying outlets for works that engage with principles of equity, participation, access and human rights.

Making your mark and establishing yourself as a director takes ambition, perseverance and, often, strategy. ASFF welcomes back NAHEMI (the National Association of Higher Education in the Moving Image) to present a collection of the best works from its key members. Presenting a series of exciting shorts from some of the most established film schools and courses in the country, this screening and panel offers audiences a chance to discover an innovative array of genres and styles, whilst joining in a larger conversation about the role of film schools as an outlet for new practitioners.

Working in media production is an incredibly rewarding and multi-faceted profession. In this spirited session you’ll hear top tips from Falmouth University graduates – both emerging and established – about the best way to set and run your own company. The panel will answer key questions along the way: How did they launch their company? Where did they find clients and work? What do they wish they had known before they set out? How do you grow and diversify long-term? Learn from these budding entrepreneurs about how to build a successful business that will last.

Do you have something to say? As writers and filmmakers, we have the power to expose differing points of view, whilst providing a commentary on social issues such as injustice, prejudice, racial and gender equality and civil rights. Through factual or fictional narratives, we can challenge and question ideas, raise awareness of new topics, express our opinions and even make a stand for things we really care about. By looking at thought provoking short films, this showcase and discussion will explore how to find stories that have the ability to change the way we see the world.

Genuine collaboration requires productive dialogues between contributors and skilled practitioners across the entire production process. As a strategic partner of the BFI, and with connections with the BBC, iFeatures, Creative England and Channel 4, London South Bank University emphasises the importance of creative briefs, skill-based practice and collaboration as the foundations for industry-ready practitioners. This lively discussion brings together a panel of filmmakers and educators, considering how partnerships act as a cornerstone for new and exciting opportunities.

Filmmaking has changed; it’s yours for the taking! No longer are practitioners restricted by old systems and ways of creating. With filmmaking becoming readily more accessible, Manchester School of Art is joining the industry through empowering the next generation to be heard. In this showcase, bold, brave and boundary-pushing Filmmaking and Animation students take back the streets and highlight a new digital revolution through a diverse range of personal, political and poignant stories. They will discuss how to use cinema to make a wider and more meaningful impact.

There are infinite possibilities in the ways that sound and image can help to produce narrative. Every film teaches you how to watch it as it progresses. But the creator must be aware that the audience is a stranger – a visitor in a foreign land who must find their way through the story. With a listening session and an interactive edit, this demonstration invites you to explore how we perceive sound and image, and the unexpected possibilities of navigating cinematic landscapes. Hosted by Jamie McCoan, Convenor for Editing and Larry Sider, Convenor for Sound, from Goldsmiths MA Filmmaking.

Fashion film is a tool for social change and engagement. As a genre, it is moving beyond consumerism to address significant topics in today’s world from the climate crisis and displacement to gender equality. It’s no longer just about clothes – it’s a state of mind. This carefully curated programme of films from London College of Fashion students and alumni showcases the breadth and scope of fashion imagination through film. These innovative works demonstrate digital and analogue techniques alongside experimental editing processes, expressing unexpected concepts.

What are the conventions of contemporary filmmaking? The department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media at the University of York presents a showcase of award-winning shorts that both draw from and challenge traditional methods and aesthetics. How are new technologies and interactive media outlets changing the ways that we are making – and also consuming – film? A panel of key academics, writers and filmmakers foreground how new developments and ways of accessing media are redefining the audience’s expectation across both the big and small screen.

What are the themes and preoccupations driving the new generation of filmmakers? How do factual, experimental and artist filmmakers find the subjects that resonate with them and their audience? How are emerging fiction filmmakers developing their stories and styles and what kind of characters attract them? What ground are emerging filmmakers breaking, both aesthetically and with content? This showcase of fiction and non-fiction shorts from UCA looks at these types of questions, welcoming debate between lecturers, students, industry personnel and, hopefully, the audience.

Talent development is a the core of what BFI NETWORK does; working with passionate writers, directors and producers at the start of their careers who have a burning desire to tell exciting original stories with inspired creative approaches. Recognising the need for new perspectives, talent and projects originating from outside London & the South East, this showcase of BFI NETWORK funded work celebrates filmmakers from the North of England, exploring culturally relevant and progressive ideas that may be surprising, revelatory or challenging.

What is the future for VFX? As film becomes a billion-pound industry in the UK’s economy, what does this mean for the skills of the future? How can you be at the top of your game in a highly competitive market? These topics will be considered in a lively debate using shorts produced at the Visual Effects department at Arts University Bournemouth. Ultimately, the showcase underpins the discussion around the rise in digital developments. The screening will be followed by a stellar panel including the filmmakers and industry professionals from top British VFX houses.

Documentaries come in all shapes and sizes. The definition of what is fiction and factual has been constantly blurred, for example in the work of Werner Herzog. Are we too prescriptive in how we define documentary? Based on the changing landscape of cinema, how is the genre breaking new ground whilst informing and re-shaping narrative filmmaking? What are the ethical implications for the voice of the filmmaker? And how can fact and fiction work as allies rather than opposing ideas? An imaginative panel considers new facets of 21^stcentury factual filmmaking – and how it works for us today.