Over the past several weeks, a combination of factors has created unexpected pressure on our festival timeline. While much of our work has continued as planned, aligning the final preparations with our wider festival infrastructure has taken longer than anticipated.

After careful consideration, and with the long-term integrity of our upcoming festival in mind, we have made the necessary decision to postpone Glowflare Short Film Festival to later in the year. We will confirm revised event dates for this festival within the first few weeks of January 2026.

This decision allows us to maintain the standards and processes that underpin the festival and deliver the events as intended.

What remains unchanged

• All submission deadlines are being honoured as originally scheduled. Entries have closed and will remain closed, ensuring a fair and consistent process for all filmmakers.
• Backstage preparations are on schedule. Film reviews, programming discussions, and internal preparations continue as planned.
• Official film announcements will be made in the New Year, as originally scheduled.
• Programming and selection decisions remain unchanged. All films will continue to be considered exactly as intended under the original s

What this additional time allows

Many of the new developments currently underway were originally planned to roll out in our 2027 festival season. This revised timeline allows us to bring that work forward and ensure it is fully integrated into the structure of the festival and the way it operates.

 Over the coming weeks, some of these updates will begin to launch across our websites, starting with Glowflare Short Film Festival. Each development has been built into the core of the festival, ensuring consistency, clarity, and care at every stage of the journey.

These improvements have been shaped by feedback from filmmakers, audiences, and media partners across previous festivals, and represent a long-term investment in the festival and its infrastructure. Some of the new updates include:

• Newsletters, providing clear and regular communication with filmmakers, audiences, and industry partners.
• Film pages for every selected film, fully integrated with IMDb, Letterboxd, and MUBI, supporting film discovery and visibility.
• Digital audience voting system, built into the festival infrastructure to support fair and transparent Audience Awards.
• Industry guides section, created to offer practical guidance and help filmmakers navigate submissions, selection, communication, and participation within the festival and across each films journey.
• Help and support hub, providing clearer information, faster responses, and live chat support when needed.
• Press and media hub, providing access to official press releases and media materials. Accredited press partners will receive embargoed releases up to 48 hours in advance to support festival coverage.
• Festival editions archive, creating a permanent and accessible record of each Glowflare festival year.
• Policies hub, bringing all filmmaker, audience, and media policies into one clear and accessible location.

Looking ahead

To stay informed as these updates roll out, we encourage you to sign up to our newsletter, which launches today and will be our primary way of sharing festival updates and announcements.

We will continue to share clear, milestone-based updates as we move through the next stages of the festival timeline.

While we finalise the updated timeline, preparations for the 2027 Glowflare Short Film Festival are already underway. Our submissions for the 2027 edition will remain closed for the time being, and we will share further information when that process is ready to open.

We will be taking a short break over the Christmas period and will return in the New Year with further updates, including confirmed festival dates, within the first few weeks of January.

On a personal note, I want to thank our team for the time and care they continue to put into the festival behind the scenes. 

I would also like to thank everyone who has supported the festival throughout 2025. From filmmakers and audiences to partners and collaborators, that support has played a real role in shaping where the festival is heading next. Thank you for your understanding and continued support. 

From myself and the entire team, we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year. We look forward to sharing more with you in 2026.

Daniel Smales
Festival Director