ABOUT US

The Little Venice Film Festival exists to champion independent cinema, amplify underrepresented voices, and deliver genuinely accessible film experiences. We support bold filmmakers, connect diverse audiences, and create cultural events that are rooted in community while resonating internationally.

Opened by Oscar winner Troy Kotsur at Maida Vale Underground Station in the early hours of October 22nd, 2023, the Little Venice Film Festival announced itself with a first: the first film festival event ever held on the London Underground. From the outset, LVFF set out to do things differently - celebrating bold, distinctive cinema while rethinking where, how, and for whom films are experienced.

The Little Venice Film Festival is an annual international film festival dedicated to independent filmmaking and new cinematic voices. Based in the heart of Little Venice, it champions stories that sit outside the mainstream, amplifying underrepresented voices - including female and LGBTQ+ filmmakers - while placing accessibility at its core. The festival presents features, documentaries and shorts that explore the lives and experiences of marginalised communities, alongside work from some of the most exciting independent filmmakers from the UK and around the world.

Accessibility is not an add-on at LVFF, but a guiding principle. Our programme includes tailored screenings for disabled, deaf, blind and neurodivergent audiences, with inclusive design embedded into both our venues and our programming decisions.

The inaugural 2023 festival was a landmark success. Troy Kotsur not only supported the historic opening night underground, but also championed an inclusive programme of screenings for deaf and blind audiences at the Electric Cinema in Portobello. The festival’s ambition and originality quickly drew international attention, with coverage from Deadline, Screen Daily, Time Out, and Monocle Radio. In 2024, LVFF was named by Screen Daily as one of “The UK film festivals you need to know,” confirming its growing reputation on the global festival circuit.

Alongside championing new voices, the festival also showcases some of the most talked-about films on the international circuit, including Saoirse Ronan’s The Outrun, Margot Robbie’s My Old Ass, Peter Dinklage’s The Thicket, Kneecap, Between the Temples, and My Favourite Cake.

True to its spirit, the Little Venice Film Festival unfolds across a mix of iconic, unconventional, and culturally rich venues. Past editions have taken place at BBC Maida Vale Studios, Maida Vale Underground Station, Electric Cinema Portobello, Curzon Mayfair, Puppet Theatre Barge, Canal Café Theatre, Vue Piccadilly, Odeon Luxe West End, and Picturehouse Central, which hosted our awards night.

The Little Venice Film Festival operates as a Community Interest Company (CIC). All funds raised are reinvested directly into the festival and its mission, supporting filmmakers, audiences, and accessible cultural experiences. Many of the venues we partner with are charitable organisations or independent local businesses, ensuring the festival’s impact is felt across the community it calls home.

Submissions for upcoming editions of the festival are open via FilmFreeway, and we actively encourage applications from emerging and established filmmakers working across narrative, documentary, and experimental forms.

At its heart, the Little Venice Film Festival is about discovery, inclusion, and imagination — championing filmmakers who push boundaries, connecting audiences with vital new work, and transforming London into a living, breathing screening space.

To get in touch, please email team@littlevenicefilmfestival.org