Women Without Borders Film Festival returns to London for its 2026 edition with a landmark short films day at Castle Cinema, Hackney.

Across two separately ticketed blocks, we present nine extraordinary short films by female and female-identifying filmmakers from around the world — spanning documentary, fiction, animation and everything in between.

The day closes with a panel discussion bringing the filmmakers together for a broader conversation about female storytelling and what it means to have your work seen. A celebration of cinema, community and the voices that deserve to be heard.

This second block brings together four short films united by their extraordinary visual language and emotional depth — stories of girlhood, grief, sisterhood and the strength found in water.

Screening: Beauty Sleep · In the Clouds · Beyond Silence · Swim Sistas.

Running time approximately 55 minutes, followed by a Q&A with the directors.