Frequently Asked Questions
What is a film festival?
Film festivals are events centred around showing films you might not get to see in your normal cinema. Most film festivals have a theme such as horror films, or documentary films. SCFF is focussed on showing films and media that have been made by Christians.
There may also be short talks, seminars or workshops you can join in with, and the chance to hear from some of the filmmakers.
What will happen at SCFF?
The final programme wont be available until we have completed the film selection process in September, but there are some ideas of whato to expect on The Film Festival page.
The event will kick off with a networking opportunity for anyone with a Pro ticket; then the main programme will start with films, filmmaker Q&As, short talks etc. Towards the end of the day we’ll move into a time of prayer to ensure we’re supporting Christian film and media makers that way; and finally there will be another opportunity for Pro ticket holders to mingle over drinks.
Where do the films you show come from?
We invite filmmakers to enter or submit films they have made to us (See the Submit page). They pay a small fee per film they enter, and then our team watch all of the submissions and select the films we want to show this year.
Will the content be family friendly?
We will finalise our programme in early October 2023 when the window for submissions has closed. While we cannot guarantee what the content is at this stage we will ensure we clearly identify anything in the programme that is unsuitable for younger audiences. You will have the freedom to come and go throughout the day so you can pick and choose what you see.
Will all of the films have a Christian message?
A lot of Christian film festivals around the world choose to only show films which have explicitly Christian themes and messages. At SCFF we acknowledge that filmmakers who are Christians may not only create films with explicitly Christian messages. Sometimes they make nature documentaries, or entertaining comedy skits, or horror films. We will consider showing any kind of film (with appropriate warnings, of course) as long as a Christian played a key part in making it.
Do I need to watch everything or stay all day?
Not at all! Your ticket will allow you to come and go throughout the day so you can pick and choose what you watch from the programme. The venue is in a gorgeous park, surrounded by local cafes and shops so if there’s part of the programme you’re not interested in you can go an explore for a few minutes and come back for the next item.
Are there any awards for the best productions?
A small selection committe vote on which films we screen from those submitted to us each year. The highest scoring films are presented an award during the live event.
As our event is relatively small we don’t usually have enough films to screen to warrant breaking our awards into categories, so we typically present ‘Panel Awards’.
We also enable our live audience to vote on their favourite film each year, and we present an ‘Audience Award’ to the film which receives the most votes.
What is the Pro ticket upgrade?
With the Pro Ticket upgrade you get early access to the venue to enjoy a complimentary coffee with other film and media professionals before the main programme starts. You’ll also be invited to stay at the end of the programme for a drink for further networking.
Our programme each year is typically quite full, so these opportunities to meet and mix are invaluable to film and media professionals.
What’s so hard about being a Christian film or media maker?
Some of the most common things we hear from Christian film and media makers are:
Media workplaces can be informal and under-regulated which has led to problems such as those highlighted by the #MeToo movement, underpayment, and exploitation of workers.
Work can be hard to come by; they may have to travel a lot to find work, making it hard to commit to a regular church community, or invest in supportive relationships.
Creative people can feel lonely and misunderstood because they see the world in exciting and different ways. This can be magnified if you’re a Christian as you may not feel fully accepted by fellow creatives outside church, or fully appreciated or accepted within church.
What is good about being a Christian film or media maker?
Just a few things that we can think of:
Making films and different types of media is fun!
Creative gifts are God-given and practicing these gifts either in your job or as a hobby is an act of worship.
Film and media have a huge place of influence in our society and it’s a privilege to join in with this aspect of our culture.
You can form really close relationships with people very quickly in intensive creative settings. These relationships are precious and an amazing opportunity to share God’s love with people who may never hear about Him elsewhere.
