Awards
Recognising the best in independent filmmaking.
The Wolf Award
Presented to the Best Film Overall at the Wolverhampton Film Festival. This award recognises exceptional filmmaking across all categories and stands as our highest accolade for independent cinema.
Recent Winners:
2025: Terminal (Sunny Bahia)
2024: Under The Blue (Linda Ludwig & James Curle)
2023: Boy In The Back Seat (Scott Pickup)
2022: Mid-Light Crisis (Matthew Hubble)
26 Categories
Celebrating excellence across all crafts and disciplines.
| Award | Category |
|---|---|
| Wolf Award | Best Film Overall |
| Best Director | Direction |
| Best Feature Film | Feature Length (40–180 min) |
| Best Short | Short Films (under 40 min) |
| Best Micro Short | Micro Shorts (under 2 min) |
| Best Screenplay | Writing |
| Best Music Video | Music Video Format |
| Best Animated Film | Animation |
| Best Male Actor | Male Performance |
| Best Female Actor | Female Performance |
| Best Cinematography | Cinematography |
| Best Costume | Costume Design |
| Best Editing | Film Editing |
| Best Hair & Make Up | Hair & Make Up |
| Best Production Design | Production Design |
| Best Colourist | Colour Grading |
| Best Documentary | Documentary Format |
| Best Feature Documentary | Feature Documentary (40+ min) |
| Best Sound | Sound |
| Best Film Noir | Film Noir Genre |
| Best Midlands Film | Midlands-Set or Made |
| Best Horror | Horror Genre |
| Best International | International Films |
| Best Comedy | Comedy Genre |
| Best Art House | Art House Cinema |
| Best Experimental | Experimental Filmmaking |
7 Special Categories
Recognition for emerging talent, innovation, and inclusivity.
Best Young Male Actor
For outstanding male performance by an actor under 25 years old.
Best Young Female Actor
For outstanding female performance by an actor under 25 years old.
Best First Time Filmmaker
Celebrating debut feature films from directors making their first feature-length work.
Best Student Filmmaker
For outstanding work by students currently enrolled in film or media programmes.
Best Original Score
Recognising original music composition and score for film.
Best Sound Design
For innovative and impactful sound design and audio mixing.
Best LGBTQ+ Film
Celebrating films that authentically represent LGBTQ+ stories and experiences.
How to Be Eligible
Films must not have had a commercial release before submission to WFF.
Shorts must be under 40 minutes. Features between 40–180 minutes. Micro shorts under 2 minutes.
Only features and shorts are eligible for awards and screenings. Micro shorts eligible for awards only.
All submissions must be in final, graded state. No works-in-progress or unfinished footage.
Ready to Enter?
Submit your film to Wolverhampton Film Festival 2026 and be considered for all eligible awards.
Submit on FilmFreeway