London Short Film Festival: British Lives

For over twenty years, London Short Film Festival has been offering leading new voices in film a way to find their audience and platform. A BAFTA-qualifying festival, it has platformed work by some of today’s top talents. British Lives is one of its most popular regular programmes, a showcase of UK short films shining a spotlight on Britain and its myriad of peoples.

What does it mean to be British today? This collection of shorts presents a multifaceted look at contemporary British cultural identity, weaving together drama and documentary to reflect the many stories that shape the nation. We travel the length and breadth of the land, discovering nuances, eccentricities and creativity amongst its people – perhaps even also something darker.

We’ll travel from the Glasgow gig economy, to Sheffield’s vibrant electronic music scene. From the Scottish town that homes the Armstrong clan with Duncan Cowles (Silent Men), to fast-changing Cornish communities with Edward Rowe (Bait).

Content / trigger warnings: Contains scenes of sexual violence, racism and flashing images.

Films featured (total running time 92 mins):

Ultra Violet Neon Planet, dir. Jashan Mahesh Walton, UK 2024, 19mins
Poll Pri (Clay Tip), dir. Edward Rowe, UK 2025, 14mins
Code of Conduct, dir. Jagoda Tłok, UK 2024, 13mins
Neil Armstrong and the Langholmites, dir. Duncan Cowles, UK 2025, 18mins
Stinging Nettles, dir. Jerusha West, UK 2025, 12mins
Dover 82, dir. Aria Danaparamita, UK 2025, 5mins
My Ride Over a Tesla, dir. Huw Wahl, UK 2025, 11mins