The Firestorm Film Festival takes place annually in Preston, Lancashire — a thriving cultural hub in the heart of the UK with excellent transport links nationwide.

This year’s edition will ignite the screens at the brand-new ARC Cinema, located in the city centre’s Animate complex on Tenterfield Street. With three of its cutting-edge auditoriums dedicated to the festival, ARC offers the perfect stage for bold, boundary-pushing cinema — complete with luxury recliner seating, Dolby Atmos surround sound, Hypersense projection, and vivid 4K laser visuals.

Dates for this year’s festival are listed above.

Tickets will be available soon! To be the first to know when they go live, sign up to our digital mailing list.(no spam, unsubscribe anytime)

Once released, tickets can be purchased directly through our website or in person at the ARC Cinema box office in Preston.

We accept short and feature films from all genres.

We celebrate outstanding films, regardless of where you are in your career. Whether you’re a new voice or a seasoned filmmaker, FIRESTORM is the perfect platform to showcase your work.

We seek films with a unique voice and celebrate diversity in storytelling. Whether your film is a comedy, drama, thriller, documentary, or experimental piece, we want to see it!

Be Bold. Be Compelling.
Challenge us. Surprise us. Shock us. Make us laugh. Make us cry. Whatever your story, tell it with originality and passion. FIRESTORM is the festival where creativity and imagination take centre stage.

Awards are given across all genres and all major technical categories.

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

Yes! FIRESTORM will host a range of inspiring industry events designed to spark conversation, connection, and creativity. Expect filmmaker Q&As, hands-on workshops, engaging masterclasses, and dedicated networking opportunities throughout the festival.

Full details will be announced soon — sign up to our mailing list or follow us on social media to stay in the loop.