Sadler’s Wells announces open call for submissions for its first ever Dance Film Festival

The festival will feature the UK premiere of a dance feature film to be announced, alongside screenings of films submitted by UK and international filmmakers, and screenings of Digital Stage’s new dance on screen commissions. There will also be special talks by leading industry experts, alongside networking sessions and mentoring opportunities, VR/XR installations, and more. As the festival draws to a close, awards will be given to the best films submitted this year, and a curated selection of the best works will be platformed on the Digital Stage for audiences to enjoy at home.   
 
Dance Digital marks the first ever Digital Stage weekend-long event, and the first ever film festival by Sadler’s Wells. Tickets to attend the weekend will be available to purchase from January 2026. 
 
The final programme for Dance Digital festival will be announced at the end of March, once submissions have been received and reviewed by a panel of industry experts. 
 
Dance Digital welcomes submissions from film makers anywhere in the world in five categories: short dance on screen (up to 25 minutes); short documentary (up to 25 minutes); feature length (over 25 minutes); social first films (up to 3 minutes) and films by young people (lead artist/s must be 21 or under). Film makers are invited to submit their dance films to the festival from today, Thursday November 13 2025. Earlybird deadline (£15 to submit) is Sunday January 18 2026. The final deadline for submissions (£25 to submit) is Sunday February 22. It is free to submit in the films by young people category.  
 
Films will be awarded in the following categories: Best dance on screen film; Best documentary / behind the scenes film; Best film by young artists; Best social first film; Best cinematography; Best dance (choreography, performance). 
 
For more information and to submit an entry, visit the Dance Digital webpage Dance Digital: A dance film festival from Digital Stage - Sadler's Wells. 
 
Bia Oliveria, Director of Digital Stage and Studio for Sadler’s Wells, said: “We’re witnessing an extraordinary explosion of dance on film, a global surge of creativity where choreography meets cinematography in bold, boundary-breaking ways. This festival not only celebrates that momentum, but also fosters a vibrant community and forum where artists can access mentoring sessions, talks, exchange ideas and deepen their craft in filmmaking for dance. Our submission process ensures we spotlight the most compelling, innovative voices shaping the future of dance on screen.”