The Deep Fried Film Festival is an independent Film Festival that takes place every July in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Birth Of The Deep Fried Film Festival Festival Director, Martin Greechan, conceived the Deep Fried Film Festival in 2005. Martin was teaching a full-time media course for fps media charity in Motherwell when he had the idea of screening the students’ work under the banner of The Deep Fried Film Festival. The night was a success and Martin took his bosses the idea of a full-blown international festival that would showcase films from around the world and help to stimulate the film industry in Lanarkshire and its surrounding areas. FPS media passed on the idea saying it would be too time consuming, non-financially viable and not generate any interest. Disillusioned by this feedback Martin set out to prove them wrong and set up the site Deepfriedfilm.org.uk. Within two weeks of being up the festival had received its first submission "Botch" from Dublin, many followed and this was before the festival had been announced to Martin's employers. The festival is now in its fourth year, receives international press, has grown year on year. The Deep Fried Film Festival hopes that it inspires not only filmmakers but also anyone who has been told they can't follow a dream to go out and prove people wrong. Martin Greechan has since left fps media and is currently working full-time for Deep Fried Film promoting independent cinema. History The festival shows a range of films from around the world and screens not only feature length films and documentaries, but also shorts, animations and music videos. Established in 2006, it was designed to be an egalitarian forum for anyone with the drive to produce a film and give them the opportunity to show their work on the big screen. Submission fees are kept low to encourage grassroot filmmakers as well as professionals, in direct contrast to the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), which the festival director felt was discouraging filmmakers with their submission charges. Deep Fried Festival Mission Statement The Deep Fried Film Festival aims to develop the talent and skills of filmmakers, by encouraging better practises amongst filmmakers and increasing relationships between filmmakers and production organisations. By involving the local community, raising awareness of independent film and creating film making opportunities the Deep Fried Film Festival intends to help filmmakers get access to necessary practical and theoretical