Ealing Film Festival Expands Homegrown Category
Aiming to celebrate the work of local filmmakers from across west London
Ealing-based Matthew Reese was overall festival winner in 2024
May 15, 2025
For this year’s Ealing Film Festival the ‘Homegrown’ category has been expanded with the aim of celebrating filmmakers from Ealing and neighbouring boroughs and offering more opportunities for local talent to shine on the big screen.
The 2025 event is due to run from 2-4 October and there have already been 200 entries from 36 countries with three months left to enter. It is hoped the Homegrown category will see further submissions from those working in the area.
Selected films will be shown at Ealing Picturehouse and Act One cinemas with a grand finale and awards ceremony on the final night.
Festival Co-Director, Russell England explains its aims, ‘We want to give the next generation of filmmakers a platform and an audience. The ‘Homegrown’ category celebrates the rich diversity of local film-making talent. This year we are broadening the award to include Ealing and its neighbouring boroughs. So, if you live, study or have made your short film in Ealing, Harrow, Brent, Hillingdon, Hammersmith and Fulham, or Hounslow boroughs, then your work, if selected, will be eligible for this ‘Homegrown’ prize.’”
In fact, it was a ‘Homegrown’ entrant, Matthew Reese, who was overall festival winner last year with his short film ‘How To Build A Life’.
Reflecting on the festival, Matthew noted, ‘Everyone involved poured so much passion and heart into this. It was a privilege to be included in the 2024 line-up. To come away with three awards for ‘Homegrown’, Best Documentary and the Grand Jury Prize was just incredible.’
Applications are now open to submit short films through the online platform filmfreeway.com. The running time of the finished film can be as short as the filmmaker likes, but no longer than 20 minutes. The final deadline for entries is 18 July, with discounted prices for early submissions.
The Ealing Film Festival seeks to keep its entry fees low and is aware that some filmmakers do not always have the necessary financial means to get their films seen. So, especially if the filmmaker lives in the Borough of Ealing, there are a small number of waivers available, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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