What happens at BIAFF?​
BIAFF (British International Amateur Film Festival)
​is the annual celebration of amateur film making
​organised by IAC - the Film & Video Institute.
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Forgotten - Best British film in 2024
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Hollywood Nights - best comedy 2024
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Magical Kitchen Birds - Best British Under 16s in 2024
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#YouToo - Best in Festival 2024
  • Each year we invite amateur film makers in Britain and abroad to take part. They send their films to us, mainly using the FilmFreeway website.
  • Our goal is to help them improve. We show how their work is appreciated by judges other than family and club mates. If you get 1-star this year, you may reach 2-stars next year and so on.
  • Yes, the festival has always welcomed films from outside Britain.
  • No. there are no limits on length, format, subject matter or genre.
  • Yes, AV Sequences can take part.
  • Judging, teams of jurors watch the entries, over a busy weekend early in the year. They give each film a rating from 1-star to 5-stars. They write a critique for each film.
  • Top Awards All the 5-star films are watched by an international jury, who award the main prizes. 
​BIAFF Award Categories
Award
 
  • ​​Daily Mail Trophy for the Best Amateur Movie of the Year - to be selected from the Diamonds (will be announced at the end of BIAFF)
  •  Best British Entry (will be announced at the end of BIAFF)
  • IAC Diamond Prizes  8 in all are  announced during  Sunday
​Most of the following are announced and presented during the Gala Dinner on Saturday.
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  •  Best Documentary
  •  Best Story
  •  Best Animation
  •  Most Creative Use of Sound
  •  Best Editing
  •  Best Acting
  •  Best Comedy
  •  Best Photography
  •  Best 60-Second Movie
  • ​​ Best Entry by an IAC Affiliated Club
  •  The UNICA Award.  “For a film or video production promoting solidarity between the nations, or using new forms of expression.”
  •  Best Film by a Young Person (Under 16 category)
  •  Best Film by a Young Person (16-21 category)
  •  Best British Young Filmmaker (from both the Under 16 and 16-21 categories)​
To show as many entries as possible and help people who may not be able to travel to Birmingham,
​a selection of entries will be shown online from 21st to 24th April as a series of special evening events.
The live event happens at The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham 25th to 27th April.

​There is a festival dinner in the Novotel nearby, where many of the special awards are announced and presented. Several people turn up in their kilts!

The whole festival is a happy mass of people, meeting, greeting, laughing together.
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You can be inspired by films you see. Often you can talk to the film maker, discuss techniques and ideas. 
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An IAC Diamond Award
The screenings in the 340 seat cinema are hosted by the IAC Chairman, Simon Sumner, who introduces the films and invites the film makers to speak very briefly about their movie. The programmes are arranged so that virtually all the top award films are screened on the Sunday.
Costs:
  • Watching the online shows:
  • Friday shows
  • Saturday shows
  • Sunday shows
  • Festival Dinner
  • Your own choice of travel and hotel.
  • Birmingham is a rail and motorway hub easily reached from all parts of the UK. (Warning: parking in the city is very expensive)
  • The Hilton Garden Inn - 1 Brunswick Square
  • Novotel Centre - 70 Broad Street
  • Premier Inn Birmingham - City Centre - Broad Street