The Lytham International Film Festival takes place annually in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire — a beautiful coastal town with a thriving creative community and rich cultural heritage.

Rather than a single venue, the festival now unfolds across a variety of inspiring locations throughout the town. From historic halls and independent cinemas to pop-up screening spaces and community hubs, each setting offers its own unique atmosphere for premieres, Q&As, workshops, and exhibitions. This town-wide approach brings the festival closer to the heart of Lytham, inviting audiences to explore, connect, and celebrate storytelling in all its forms.

Venues:
Lytham Institute, 27 Clifton Street, FY8 5EP
Lytham Assembly Rooms, Dicconson Terrace, FY8 5JY 
Lytham Methodist Church, 6 Park Street, FY8 5LU

The opening ceremony and the closing awards night will take place at:
The Island Cinema, 121-123 South Promenade, FY8 1LS

Dates for this year’s festival are listed above.

Yes. Each LYIFF venue is fully transformed into a professional cinema space for the festival. We install large cinema screens, high-quality digital projection, immersive sound and blackout to ensure every film is presented to cinema standard.

Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.

We welcome bold, original, and emotionally resonant films from around the world.

Whether you're an emerging voice or an established filmmaker, the Lytham International Film Festival (LYIFF) is your platform to shine.

We accept short films (up to 30 minutes) and feature films (60–120 minutes) across all major genres — from drama, comedy, horror, and thriller to documentary, animation, experimental, and music video. If your film has a unique voice and a compelling story, we want to see it.

LYIFF is more than a screening opportunity — it’s a celebration of creativity.
Winners of the 2025/26 Festival of the Year at the Manchester & North West Prestige Awards and featured as a trending festival on FilmFreeway, LYIFF offers:

Big-screen premieres;
Live Q&As, industry talks, and networking events;
A chance to win awards across a wide range of categories, including the John Parr Award for Best Music Video and the LYIFF After Dark Award for Best Horror/Thriller

Whether you're here to move audiences, challenge expectations, or spark conversation, LYIFF is where your story belongs.

Awards are given across all genres and all major technical categories.
The number of awards can vary each year and is usually between 20 and 25.

For full terms and information, and to submit your work to Lytham International please refer to our submissions page on FilmFreeway.

Lytham International hosts a range of critically acclaimed events designed to support filmmakers and audiences alike.

Filmmaker Q&As follow every screening block, plus there are daily workshops and masterclasses from industry professionals, alongside dedicated networking opportunities throughout the festival.

Full details can be found in the festival programme and here on the website — sign up to receive updates or follow us on social media to stay in the loop.