ANNUAL FINALE · LONDON
The Best of the Best
Where outstanding films from across the Tower Velvet circuit come together.
The Best of the Best is the culminating stage of the Tower Velvet Global Film Festival Circuit — the annual London finale where outstanding films from across the circuit come together.
Recognition opens the door to further international opportunity: a curated pathway for selected filmmakers to advance their artistic and professional practice.
The Final
One circuit. One annual finale.
Tower Velvet festivals take place throughout the annual circuit season, from August through July.
Each festival has its own competitions, selection process, jury and awards.
At the end of each festival, the winners of the principal competition awards earn their place in the annual London finale.
In July, those films come together for The Best of the Best — London, a special Tower Velvetevent celebrating outstanding films from across the circuit.
Who goes to London?
The principal award winners
Qualified
Principal award winners
Films are automatically nominated when they receive a principal award at an officialTower Velvet festival during the preceding circuit season. Their filmmakers have already earned their place through their festival recognition.
Not qualified
Honourable Mentions
Honourable Mentions do not qualify for the London finale. Participation in The Best of the Best is not open for new submissions. The London selection is the culmination of the Tower Velvet circuit, not a separate open-submission competition.
No new submission · No additional fee
Your win is your invitation.
There is no submission fee for The Best of the Best.
There is no second application process.
There is no additional submission.
A principal award at a Tower Velvet festival automatically places the winning film among the nominees for the annual London finale.
August — July
The circuit
Throughout the year, Tower Velvet festivals take place online as part of the Global Film Festival Circuit.
Independent films are submitted, selected, judged and awarded within each festival.
Every festival creates its own winners.
And those winners begin the journey toward London.
July
London
The Best of the Best
The winners come together.
The films that stood out in their individual competitions now enter the annual Tower Velvet finale.
The London event recognises exceptional work across the circuit and determines the Grand Prize of the year.
The Grand Prize
The best among the winners
The Best of the Best brings together films that have already received principal awards within the Tower Velvet circuit.
From this collection, the annual Grand Prize recognises an outstanding achievement among the winners.
Only films that have qualified through a principal Tower Velvet award are eligible for the Grand Prize.
From Recognition to Opportunity
International Opportunities
Education + Development + Funding + Mobility
Recognition should open doors.
The Best of the Best connects selected filmmakers with international opportunities that can help move their artistic and professional work forward. The right opportunity can help an artist take the next step.
These opportunities may include education, development, funding and mobility — shaped by what is actually available and confirmed for each edition through Tower Velvet’s global network.
Education
Courses · Masterclasses · Workshops
Development
Mentoring · Residencies · Fellowships · Project Development
Funding
Scholarships · Grants · Funded Places
Mobility
International Travel · Accommodation · Professional Participation
The opportunities available vary from edition to edition and are shaped by Tower Velvet’s global network.
Opportunities are subject to availability, eligibility and applicable conditions. They are not guaranteed benefits for every winner.
The annual journey
August
Tower Velvet Festivals
Principal Award Winners
Automatic Nomination
July
London
The Best of the Best
Grand Prize
The Tower Velvet journey
More than a single competition
- 01
Submit
- 02
Select
- 03
Participate in the circuit
- 04
Build your profile
- 05
Reach international recognition
- 06
The Best of the Best — London
- 07
Opportunity
Recognition and Opportunity
From recognition to opportunity
The Best of the Best constitutes the culminating recognition stage of the Tower Velvet Global Film Festival Circuit.
The London finale brings together filmmakers whose work has stood out within the Tower Velvet circuit.
Beyond recognition, selected filmmakers may gain access to International Opportunities designed to support the development of their artistic and professional practice.
These opportunities may include Education, Development, Funding and Mobility, according to the opportunities available for each edition.
The Jury
Opportunity is curated, not predetermined
The Jury works with the opportunities actually available for each edition and determines how they are allocated according to the artistic profile and development needs of the selected filmmakers.
The objective is not simply to recognise what an artist has achieved, but to identify opportunities that may help the artist move forward.
An opportunity matters when it can move an artist’s work forward.
Your journey continues in London.
From recognition to opportunity.
The Best of the Best · London
From recognition to opportunity.
One circuit. Many cities.
A Global Film Festival Circuit for independent cinema.
Recognition is only the beginning.