York has become the UK’s creative capital this week with BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Film festival settling in the heart of the city.
On their website, the Aesthetica Film Festival (ASFF) is described as the “destination for independent cinema“, and is welcoming all filmmakers, games developers and Virtual Reality (VR) experts from around the world to take part in the experience.
Hosted by Aesthetica magazine and based in York, the festival is supported by York St John University, British film institute, and London College of Communication.
ASFF who describe themselves as a “vibrant hub” for media and screen industries, started back in 2011 with home-grown talent and now has gone global and receives media submissions from all around the world. In 2025, several short films that were screened and promoted by ASFF were longlisted by The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs).
What’s on
This year, they are celebrating their 16th festival anniversary with a 5-day exhibition of film screenings, VR & games labs, industry masterclasses, networking sessions, live performances, the New Music Stage competition, and much more.
The screening programme allows attendees to view short films of a myriad of genres, including: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Documentary, Thriller and many more submitted by independent film makers.
Talks from industry experts
The festival has invited award-winning directors, editors, screenwriters, cinematographers and producers, alongside representatives from BAFTA, BBC, Film4, Industrial Light & Magic, ITV and other industries to deliver inspiring talks and masterclasses, giving unique opportunities for anyone interested in the industry.
Some of the talks and masterclasses will be hosted on York St John University campus.
Music at the festival
In collaboration with TALENTBANQ, Caffè Nero, and Imagesound, Aesthetica will host the New Music Stage, a competition with new breakthrough artists of different genres such as indie, folk, jazz, pop- and a winner will be announced.
The New Music Stage winner from 2025, Dilettante, is returning to the festival for a live performance and Q&A this Saturday (8th November).
Last year, attendees were able to walk down a red carpet, but this year has stretched creatives geniuses and given us a unique purple carpet!
