Homemade Returns with new longer film category for 2026

Our annual celebration of local film-making talent, Homemade, is back and Shetlanders are once again being invited to create and submit their short films.

The screening events will take place on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th September at Mareel, but this year there’s a difference. As well as having their regular screening of films up to four minutes in length, there will be an additional screening of films from four to twelve minutes long, aimed at more experienced film makers.

Kathy Hubbard, part of the Homemade curation team, said, “The new screening event has been added in response to feedback from previous film makers and audiences, both as a development opportunity for some who are ready to move into longer form work, but also as a celebration of the work of those who are making films here professionally or semi-professionally.”

So, whether it be drama, comedy, animation, documentary or artist’s moving image, there’s an opportunity to get your short film screened in front of the most enthusiastic audience in the UK.

As always, there will be support from Shetland ForWirds who will offer their annual award for the most effective use of Shaetlan, and for the 0-4 event the audience will get to choose their favourite on the day, for which an Audience Choice trophy will be awarded. Last year’s award winners included Christie Tulloch for his Lego Zombies adventure, the former Islesburgh Photographic Club for their interpretation of a poem by Robert Alan Jamieson, and a drama of faith and doubt by Josiah Naquin.

The hope for the 4 -12 screening is for entries to be assessed by a panel of professionals involved in the industry who will provide feedback.

Curated by SADA volunteers Kathy Hubbard, Cara McDiarmid and Logan Nicolson, Homemade was a perennial audience favourite at the former Screenplay Film Festival, bringing together local film makers of all ages and abilities. Shetland Arts would also like to thank Shetland ForWirds and Robert Thomson for their continual support for HomeMade.

“The information and entry forms are available now”, said Kathy, “so we’ll be watching out for those films rolling in. We’re looking forward to it and we hope you are too.”