2026 film programme
We’re serving you over 20 delicious short film screenings, each curated with a theme that weaves them together.
Watch as many as you’d like with one of our festival passes, or settle in for just one screening with our individual tickets option!
Looking for our family screenings? Head here.
Our feature film screenings will be announced in August!
Home Truths
Thursday 17th September, 18:00pm
The Forum Music Centre
Bold, chaotic and sharply observed comedies made in or about the North, celebrating humour rooted in place, character and lived experience.
Clocked Off!, Gan Canny, Lucky Penny, O Mother, Where Art Thou?, Peeping Toms, Siren Upon Tyne, Wax, Whips and My Hairy Bits.
CLOCKED OFF
GAN CANNY
O MOTHER WHERE ART THOU?
WAX, WHIPS AND HAIRY BITS
PEEPING TOMS
Northern Tales
Thursday 17th September, 20:15pm
The Forum Music Centre
From eerie thrillers to bold experiments and unexpected true stories, these films reveal a North that's mysterious, imaginative and impossible to pin down.
Blue Hour, Contemplating Motherhood, Critical, GRLHOOD, Her Last Judgement, Jammy, Love Notes to Nature, Mother Daughter, Stasis Society
BLUE HOUR
CONTEMPLATING MOTHERHOOD
GLRHOOD
HER LAST JUDGEMENT
JAMMY
LOVE NOTES TO NATURE
MOTHER DAUGHTER
Fade In: Part I
Friday 18th September, 11:30am
Darlington Library
Every filmmaker begins with a single story. Discover the fresh perspectives, fearless ideas and exciting new talent taking their early steps into filmmaking.
7th Cycle, Ayomikun, friendship was a safe bet, Magical Party Hats Of Truth,
Pole Position, Yours, Forever and Always
7TH CYCLE
FRIENDSHIP WAS A SAFE BET
MAGICAL PARTY HATS OF TRUTH
POLE POSITION
YOURS FOREVER AND ALWAYS
Fade In: Part II
Friday 18th September, 13:15pm
Darlington Library
More exciting debuts and early pieces of work, only this time a little more darker.
Immaterial, Limbo, My Sister is a Cactus, Tastebuds, The Beth Complex
IMMATERIAL
LIMBO
MY SISTER IS A CACTUS
TASTEBUDS
THE BETH COMPLEX
As We Are
Friday 18th September, 18:00pm
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
Bold, vibrant stories celebrating LGBTQ+ lives and love
Full Fat, Lonelier Than Love, Mayflies, Picture Girl, UBIQUITOUS, You and Me makes Three
FULL FAT
LONELIER THAN LOVE
PICTURE GIRL
UBIQUITOUS
YOU AND ME MAKES THREE
But I’m Scared Of The Dark
Friday 18th September, 20:00pm
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
The monsters are here but together we can survive. Remember: don't split up, definitely don't have sex, never say "I'll be right back" and, whatever you do, don't look under the bed.
Homonym, MEAT, Night Feeds, SERUMEL, Sucker, The Last Cheap House
SUCKER
NIGHT FEEDS
HOMONYM
MEAT
THE LAST CHEAP HOUSE
SERUMEL
Love Is A Losing Game
Saturday 19th September 10:45am
Hullabaloo Theatre
Love is a complicated sport, and nobody hands you the rulebook. From first sparks to final goodbyes, these stories explore the messy, joyful and heartbreaking reality of romantic relationships.
BABY, Familiar Stranger, Game Over, Hugged People, Hug People, SHE'S IN THE BATHROOM, Sunny Side Up, Twosome
BABY
FAMILIAR STRANGER
GAME OVER
HUGGED PEOPLE HUG PEOPLE
SUNNY SIDE UP
SHE'S IN THE BATHROOM
TWOSOME
Into The Light
Saturday 19th September 10:50am
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
Let's get experimental. Films that bring complex topics and emotions under the spotlight in innovative ways.
Barlebas, Girl Dinner, Hollywood Factory Reset, I am a River, NIGHT FLOATER, Statue in the Garden, We Are Nature, What Goes Round (Or Things That Go Bump In The Night)
BARLEBAS
I AM A RIVER
GIRL DINNER
HOLLYWOOD FACTORY RESET
NIGHT FLOATER
STATUE IN THE GARDEN
WE ARE NATURE
WHAT GOES ROUND (OR THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT)
Bridges Between Us
Saturday 19th September 12:50pm
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
Our international screening. From intergenerational grief to modern complications, these intimate journeys remind us we are never alone…even when we want to be.
Between Us, First Summer, Sauna Sickness, The Talk, Woman Land
FIRST SUMMER
WOMAN LAND
SAUNA SICKNESS
BETWEEN US
Industry Girls
Saturday 19th September 13:20pm
Hullabaloo Theatre
Apparently, we spend around 90,000 hours of our lives at work. These films explore our ambition, purpose, burnout and belonging, asking what our working lives give us and what they ask us to sacrifice.
Ambition, Emiko Jones, Friday is Mushroom Soup, Life is (a) Short, Olympian, Scope,
Your Email Has Not Found Me Well
YOUR EMAIL HAS NOT FOUND ME WELL
OLYMPIAN
EMIKO JONES
LIFE IS (A) SHORT
FRIDAY IS MUSHROOM SOUP
SCOPE
AMBITION
It Takes A Village
Saturday 19th September 15:15pm
Hullabaloo Theatre
Real stories. Raw emotions. From neighbours to chosen families, these documentaries celebrate the communities that hold us together through life's biggest moments.
Deep Plate, Each to their own World, Five Minute Brides, New Ground, Nicknames,
Route 310, Swim Sistas, Wandsey, Women of Wampum
DEEP PLATE
EACH TO THEIR OWN WORLD
FIVE MINUTE BRIDES
NEW GROUND
ROUTE 310
SWIM SISTAS
WANDSEY
WOMEN OF WAMPUM
The Motherload
Saturday 19th September 17:00pm
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
A tapestry of short films that delve into the many facets of motherhood. The sacrifices we make, the loss of identity and the deep and often overwhelming love that comes with it.
Dirt, Embodied, Little Wing, MILK, Parentia, Party Pooper
EMBODIED
PARENTIA
DIRT
LITTLE WING
MILK
Burnt Out And Bonkers
Saturday 19th September 17:45pm
Hullabaloo Theatre
We’re fine, this is fine, thanks for asking! These characters are at the end of their rope and having a grand time, trust the process.
ATTACK OF THE COAT, Baby On Board, Backwoods, Bedsore, Bloodsuckers,
Break Clause, Fudge Sundae, O MIO!
ATTACK OF THE COAT
BACKWOODS
BLOODSUCKERS
BREAK CLAUSE
FUDGE SUNDAE
O MIO!
Homegrown
Saturday 19th September 20:00pm
Hullabaloo Theatre
Films that capture the heart and soul of the North, from our homegrown filmmakers
How to Wash a Body, How to Cleanse a Soul, Laundreams, Mutton, Saint Agnes,
Take Me Home, The Bluebird's Daughter, The Tide, Time to Go
HOW TO WASH A BODY, HOW TO CLEANSE A SOUL
MUTTON
TAKE ME HOME
TIME TO GO
THE BLUEBIRD'S DAUGHTER
SAINT AGNES
THE TIDE
Family Ties
Sunday 20th September 10:15am
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
These stories examine what is passed down, what is chosen, and what is left behind in our family dynamics
ashes again!, Aunty JI, Bolbol, Cass and Roya, Lovely, Salt, The Pigeon
SALT
BOLBOL
THE PIGEON
ASHES AGAIN!
AUNTY JI
LOVELY
CASS AND ROYA
Homecoming
Sunday 20th September 11:45am
Hullabaloo Theatre
Once part of Women X, always part of Women X. Celebrate the latest work from our returning Alumni filmmakers whose journeys continue to grow and inspire our festival community.
GRAIN, Latcho Drom, Sidelined, Stinging Nettles, The Acres, There In The World
STINGING NETTLES
LATCHO DROM
GRAIN
THE ACRES
THERE IN THE WORLD
Under Pressure
Sunday 20th September 14:00pm
Hullabaloo Theatre
These films are hitting the breaking point, showing exactly what surfaces when under strain.
Behind Closed Doors, Counterpointe, I replied with my heart, The Emancipation of Megan or How To Eat A Chocolate Bon Bon, The Intimacy Coordinator, Woman, Dying
I REPLIED WITH MY HEART
THE EMANCIPATION OF MEGAN OR HOW TO EAT A CHOCOLATE BON BON
COUNTERPOINTE
WOMAN, DYING
THE INTIMACY CO-ORDINATOR
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
What Carries Us
Sunday 20th September 14:00pm
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
Good health can change everything, but losing it can change even more. These films explore the realities and choices of women's health with courage, humour and hope.
Brain Space, C U Next Tuesday, Headscarf, I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden, Ovary-Acting, Strokes of Wildflowers, The Contraception Fair
THE CONTRACEPTION FAIR
BRAIN SPACE
C U NEXT TUESDAY
I AM NOT YOUR DUSKY MAIDEN
OVARY-ACTING
STROKES OF A WILDFLOWER
HEADSCARF
Off The Apps
Sunday 20th September 16:00pm
Hullabaloo Theatre
Romance is dead, or maybe it’s buried somewhere deep in the algorithm. Delete your dating app and enjoy this selection of romantic adventures by very funny women.
Duck, Actually, Herbs, Hot Wings, M'ungry, Tell Your Face, Today Again
DUCK, ACTUALLY
HERBS
HOT WINGS
TELL YOUR FACE
TODAY AGAIN
Parallel Lives
Sunday 20th September 16:00pm
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Studio
Films imagining futures, alternative realities and technological shifts, using science fiction as a lens on present-day humanity….or what’s left of it.
All Well. All Good. All Perfect., Because I Love You, Mimic, Requirements, Your Loss
ALL WELL. ALL GOOD. ALL PERFECT.
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU
MIMIC
REQUIREMENTS
YOUR LOSS
Nothing Stays Where It Belongs
Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th September, times TBA
Darlington Hippodrome, Festival Attic
These films each pause with characters navigating uncertainty, exploring memory, inheritance, longing and the quiet search for home. Together, they ask where home can be found - in place, in others or ourselves.
This will be screening in our calm cinema space, where audience members will be able to drop in at their own pace to watch and listen through headphones in a calmer screening experience. Co-curated by Lucy Chappell from Second Daughter.
The Hermit Crab, Kobika, I Will Go On Missing You Till Then, In The Long Tall Grass
THE HERMIT CRAB
I WILL GO ON MISSING YOU TILL THEN
IN THE LONG TALL GRASS
