Third Liverpool International Film Festival will be held at the Toxteth TV Studios in Windsor Street on November 9 and 10 and is being billed as ‘bigger and better than ever’. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool’s own version of the Oscars will take place in November and those involved in film-making are being urged to get their entries in.

The third Liverpool International Film Festival (LiFF) will be held at the Toxteth TV Studios in Windsor Street on November 9 and 10 and is being billed as “bigger and better than ever” under the management of Next Chapter Media.

13 categories

There will be 13 award categories recognising excellence from around the world with one of the awards designated for films made in the Liverpool city region. They are open to artistic productions, corporate videos and You Tube promotions.

Each winner will receive a LiFFA 2018 accolade, each one in the shape of a ‘Spirit of Liverpool’-inspired Liver Bird statue designed by sculptor Rick Myers and former Liverpool Echo journalist Arthur Johnson.

The categories are Feature Film, Best Documentary, Short Film, Music Video, Animation, Liverpool Film (shot and edited in Merseyside), and Under-16 film; as well as Best Corporate Video, Best Commercial, Training Video, Best Social Media short, Public Awareness Campaign Video, and Best Corporate film made in Merseyside.

There is also a Best of Festival Award, made by the LIFF judges panel, for the overall outstanding contribution to film and television.

Expert panel

Festival organiser Michael Gordon said: “We have an expert panel of judges who will review the submissions, with a prestigious gala event at which the LiFFAs will be presented.

“We have recognised the surging interest in television and film production in Liverpool itself and one category is reserved for locally-made productions.

“In adopting the iconic Spirit of Liverpool statue as the award trophies we hope to harness the fame of the bird to demonstrate the fact that Liverpool is a world city, and its film festival can even hope, one day, to rival the Oscars.”

All winning submissions will be screened at the Toxteth TV Studios cinema, part of the facilities operated by Next Chapter Media, including a full film and television studio and production house, as well as the VideOdyssey retro gaming arcade and café.

Submissions are open with the final submission deadline set for October 19th. Click here to enter the awards and to buy tickets for individual film screenings or full festival passes.