• British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)
  The official website of the British Board of Film Classification, the independent regulator of the film and video industry, lists the classifications of every film that has been released in the UK with some information as to the rights holders. It is also a very good source of accurate running time information.
• British Federation of Film Societies (BFFS)
  You may wish to consider setting up a film society instead of, or alongside, a festival. The British Federation of Film Societies offers support to start up and develop film societies.
• British Film Institute
  Publishers, archivists, restorers and preservers of film, the BFI also runs the National Film Theatre, the London Film Festival, the BFI IMAX Cinema, and the world's largest film library and educational resource. Their extremely helpful staff can advise on repertory and archive material, and they also publish a useful document on what to consider if you’re thinking of starting a film festival.
• Film Distributors’ Association Ltd. (FDA)
  The FDA is the trade body for theatrical film distributors in the UK - the companies that release films for UK cinema audiences. The website contains an extremely useful calendar of past and future film releases by date and by distributor.
• Film London
  Film London is the capital's film and media agency. They sustain, promote and develop London as a major international film-making and film cultural capital. This includes all the screen industries based in London - film, television, video, commercials and new interactive media. There is also a comprehensive links section available, an events guide in which your festival can be published and listings of training opportunities.
• Filmbank
  Filmbank Distributors Ltd. is the leading supplier of films on DVD for use outside the home and cinema, e.g. community centre screenings, film societies, schools. They supply licences and distribute films for most major Hollywood and many independent studios. They offer many films after they are released in cinemas but before they come out on home video or DVD.
• Independent Cinema Office (ICO)
  The Independent Cinema Office is a national organisation that aims to develop and support independent film exhibition throughout the UK. They offer programming services, training and consultancy and their website includes many useful resources for festival administrators, especially the Exhibitors Toolkit, a comprehensive collection of useful websites for those in the business of screening films.
• UK Film Council
  Formerly the British Film Commission, the UK Film Council is the strategic agency for developing the film industry and film culture in the UK. 

London Resources

• London Development Agency
  This organisation helps to build a thriving economy for London’s people, businesses and communities.
• Mayor of London
  The Mayor represents London and Londoners, in the UK and internationally. He takes a strategic look at what is happening in London, drawing up policies for the social and economic development of the city.

Submissions Information and Resources for Film-makers

• BBC Film Network
  Film Network is the BBC’s interactive showcase for new British film-makers, screening three new short films in broadband quality every week. The purpose is to expose new talent and create a platform for short films.
• Shooting People
  Shooting People is run by film-makers for film-makers. They send essential daily email bulletins to facilitate all questions and needs of independent film-makers.
• UK Film Forum
  Message board for those working in the independent film sector in the UK.
• Withoutabox
  A web service which co-ordinates submissions for film-makers and film festivals across the globe and is aimed particularly at the independent sector. Other services and opportunities for the sector including a networking site have recently been developed.

Sponsorship and Funding

• Arts and Business
  Through 12 regional offices, including one based in London, Arts & Business act as a crucible where businesses and arts organisations come together to create partnerships to benefit themselves, as well as the community at large. The organisation runs a number of programmes and events, including training for arts organisations on how to seek sponsorship.
• Awards for All
  Awards for All England is supported by the Arts Council England, the Big Lottery Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England. They award grants of between £300 and £10,000 for people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities, and projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community.
• Cultural Institutions and Embassies
  For festivals with a specific national or regional focus, financial and other assistance is often available through the relevant nation’s embassy or cultural institute in London. The government website lists all foreign embassies in London with relative weblinks.
• Directory of Social Change
  The leading national organisation offering information and training for the voluntary sector. They also run two online directories of funding sources - funding.org.uk and companygiving.org.uk which can be accessed for free via Film London.
• Local Authorities
  Each of London’s 33 boroughs has different funding streams, organisational structures and priorities.
• Mediadesk
  Information on sources of European funding.

Marketing and Publicity

• Audiences London
  Audiences London offers support, guidance and services to help cultural organisations in London develop their audiences. It’s a network which enables collaboration and exchange between organisations of all shapes and sizes in reaching out to audiences in new or more effective ways. They provide research, analysis and advisory services to a large number of organisations, run projects and act as a hub for communication between professionals working in audience development.
• Imagenet and Picselect
  Many film distributors and film-makers will send suitable stills to you direct; for all others there are Imagenet and Picselect from which to download images. Registration is free but may take a few days for authorisation. You might also consider using them to host images for the press to access regarding your festival for which there are varying charges. 
• Local Authority Websites
  Most of London’s 33 boroughs will run a scheme or schemes for advertising cultural events in their areas. Examples can be sourced on the following borough sites: Tower Hamlets, Merton, Lambeth, Hackney and Richmond.
• The Londoner
  The online magazine produced by the Mayor’s Office about life in London also includes a ‘ What’s On’ section and free listings service.
• Time Out
  Weekly magazine and website with email newsletter service which lists and reviews everything that goes on in the capital. Submission date for events is two weeks prior to the day of publication, publication day is always a Wednesday.
• View London
  View London has become the most used information website on London and delivers up to the minute independent information on the entertainment capital of Europe.

Diversity and Education

• Child Protection Policy Advice
  The NSPCC offer useful guidance and suggest further resources for formulating a child protection policy and using images of children in publicity materials. We also recommend referring to the London Voluntary Service Council publication which provides a useful checklist for compiling a child protection policy.
• Diversity Toolkit
  The UK Film Council's Diversity Toolkit is an online resource for everyone in film. It is part of the industry's drive to enable all sections of society to be part of film in the UK - in audiences, in film content and as part of the workforce. It explains how diversity can open up creative and commercial opportunities and gives practical advice and resources to help all areas of the industry contribute to the film sector's diversity goals.
• Your Local Cinema.com
  Subtitled and audio described cinema enables people with less than perfect hearing or vision to enjoy film presented in its original and best form - the cinema. The service serves as a one stop shop both for the cinema industry and for public audiences interested in accessible screenings UK-wide and is the only listings service created exclusively for accessible cinema. It has a weekly email newsletter, notifying thousands of people of accessible shows in their area. To receive their bulletins, or if you would like to have your accessible shows publicised, email them at subtitles@yourlocalcinema.com. 

Other Festival Directories

• BritFilms
  The British Council offers listings for British films and a comprehensive directory of over 500 film and video festivals throughout the world.  
• Festivalfocus.org
  Festivalfocus.org is a central database listing many of the leading international film festivals.
  Use festivalfocus.org to search for festivals, promote a festival or keep in touch with festival contributors, distributors and news.
• Film Festivals
  Search for information about international film festivals. 
• The Film Festival Magazine
  A new paper and online magazine offering information and articles on film festivals and the film industry.