Lift-Off Film Festival
Various, United Kingdom
74
Tier BScreenings40 categories
Festival dossier
Directors Notes
Brighton, United Kingdom · Est. 2006 · High structural score (80–100) for legitimacy and industry clout — not limited to Oscar-qualifying festivals
Tier ATrusted
Brighton, United Kingdom
100
Legitimacy ScoreShould I submit?
Strong legitimacy signals
Tier A score for legitimacy and industry clout. Still confirm deadlines, fees, and categories on the festival site before paying.
- 20 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Lanzarote Works
- Wikipedia-verified (6 refs, 2 languages)
Overview
Directors Notes is a Brighton-based, British Independent Film Awards (BIFA)-qualifying platform founded in 2006 that highlights independent filmmaking and the stories behind the films. It is notable for its eclectic programming, featuring cutting-edge shorts, features, and work across genres and techniques, and for its role in giving industry professionals and film fans access to curated independent cinema and filmmaker interviews.
Last updated Oct 1, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+51 pts)
- 20 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Lanzarote Works
- Wikipedia-verified (6 refs, 2 languages)
- 4 verified pro signals
- Verified trusted status
- Legitimacy signals outweigh concerns (5 vs 0)
Red Flags (-0 pts)
No red flags found
Trust Signals
Positive Signals
- FilmFreeway Gold festival
- Has FilmFreeway community ratings
- Documented history with archived programs
- Named venues with external verification
Festival Details
Founded
2006
Venue
Lanzarote Works
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
FilmFreeway communityGold festival
Avg. rating
5.0/ 5
Reviews
338
Synced 4 days ago
- Genevieve SheppardSep 2025
Delighted to part of the DN community. The team were really supportive of the film, we are honoured to be in such esteemed company.
- Rosie May Bird SmithSep 2025
Being featured by Directors Notes was a fantastic experience and hugely beneficial for our film. Sarah's interview questions were brilliant and the entire team are lovely. Highly recommend.
- Nico BlancoSep 2025
I loved being a part of director's notes. They really care and value their film, and are great tp their filmmakers.
- Joshua Elias PalmerSep 2025
Very thoughtful and skilled film journalists at DN -- big thanks to Sarah for championing our film!
- Ari Kwasner-CatsiSep 2025
Had a really lovely interview with Sarah - and the article and questions were in depth and thoughtful! Had lots of work come in off the back of it!
FilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.
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At a glance
How scoring works
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
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