Every film submitted to The Short Film Show is watched in full and reviewed by our team — nothing is approved by automation. This page explains how long that takes, and the option available if you need a decision sooner.
Standard Review
Standard review is included with your submission fee. Your film enters the review queue in order of submission, and a decision typically takes around four weeks. Timing varies a little with submission volume, but every film gets the same full viewing and consideration.
You can check the status of your submission at any time from your filmmaker dashboard under My Films — your film will show as Pending until a decision is made.
Priority Review — £25
If you need a decision sooner — for example, ahead of a festival deadline or a planned release — you can choose Priority Review (£25) at the payment step when you submit.
Priority Review is a service guarantee, not a different standard of judgement:
- You get a decision within 7 days. Your film is reviewed ahead of the standard queue, with exactly the same care and criteria.
- If we miss the 7 days, you're automatically refunded the difference between Priority and Standard (£15.01) — no need to contact us. The refund is triggered by our system the moment the window passes, and you'll receive an email confirming it.
Choosing Priority Review has no effect on whether your film is accepted — selection criteria are identical for every submission.
Quick Reference
- Standard review: included with submission, decision typically around four weeks.
- Priority Review: £25, decision within 7 days, automatic £15.01 refund if we miss it.
- Where to choose it: the payment step of the submission flow.
- Questions? Contact us at support@theshortfilmshow.com.