REEL 01 · 00:00:00:00 · THE FIRST CUT

A film festival thatrewards, unlocks andshowcases your work.

Who we are Festival 2027

LATEST FROM CUTSHORTS

Now screening

SHOWREEL · FESTIVAL 2026 · 01:40

Cutshorts 2026: the official showreel

Watch

SHOWREEL · FESTIVAL 2026 · 01:40

Cutshorts 2026: the official showreel

Watch

ABOUT CUTSHORTS

A festival circuit, anda year-round homefor short film.

Live screenings. Conversations with filmmakers. And a platform keeping short film on the big screen all year round.

More about Cutshorts →

A camera operator and a guest with a lanyard smiling in front of the Cutshorts “The First Cut” backdrop at the 2026 festival in Chester.

A guest smiling in front of the Cutshorts “The First Cut” backdrop at the 2026 festival in Chester.

THE AWARDS

More than a trophyon a shelf.

We want our awards to mean something. At our first festival that meant a £5,000 commissioned short film and £1,000 for the best short. As Cutshorts grows, so does what we can give.

£5K

New & Emerging Director Award

A commissioned short film · Sponsored by Dr Beckmann

£1K

Best Short Film

Awarded at Cutshorts 2026

Meet the 2026 winners →

MEET THE FOUNDER

“I know how muchit means whensomebody believesin your work.”

Portrait of Matt O'Connor, founder of Cutshorts, smiling against a blue-grey background

Cutshorts came from being on both sides of the short film world. Our founder, Matt, is an actor and filmmaker who has seen first-hand the passion, time and sacrifice that goes into making a short film.

Cutshorts is the night Matt wanted every filmmaker to have: their work on the big screen, a room full of creatives, and awards that actually mean something.

Read Matt’s story →