Light, Camera, Sign in Style at Deaffest 2026!
The international Deaf Film & Arts Festival returns to Wolverhampton, UK, from May 8th to 10th 2026, exploring the influence of costume and fashion in film, TV and the arts, alongside the renowned 10th Film & TV Awards celebrations.
Proudly hosted by the award-winning charity Zebra Access CIO, Deaffest has been running since 2006. Its 16th edition will take place across key locations in Wolverhampton, with further details to be announced.
With the support of the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, Deaffest is proud to offer a platform for D/deaf creatives to share their knowledge, experiences and stories through a wide array of accessible events.
The festival will showcase premieres and global screenings that include sign language dialogue, with subtitles provided to ensure accessibility. Highlights also include engaging workshops, thought-provoking panel discussions, a lively stalls fair, captivating performances and a Late-Night Party with networking opportunities. Visitors from the UK and around the world are welcome to #signinstyleatDeaffest 2026!
“Sign in Style at Deaffest 2026 will offer an in-depth exploration of costume and fashion design, as well as other creative visual elements, in film, TV and the arts. We aim to highlight how these elements contribute to storytelling, enhancing the authenticity of films, dramas, and more, while creating a deeper connection with audiences. Visual design is a dynamic tool for character development, self-expression, social status, and symbolism – not only in films and TV but in everyday life as well.” – The Deaffest Team
Alongside the festival, the red carpet will roll out for the glamorous 10th Film & TV Awards Gala, featuring surprise guests and a stylish celebration of all things vogue!
Stay on trend with Deaffest’s latest updates on sponsorships, stall opportunities, volunteering, events and workshops, and tickets news by visiting this website. Follow @Deaffest and #signinstyleatDeaffest on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok. Want to stay in the loop? Sign up for Deaffest e-newsletters.
In the meantime, explore the Deaffest Online Cinema (DOC), for a preview of current films, and keep an eye out for a brand-new section, along with Deaffest 2026’s 10th Film & TV Awards’ nominations and non-competition entries – all FREE to watch.
Notes to Editors
Deaffest is a project run under Zebra Access CIO, one of the finalists for the National Lottery Awards 2022. Deaffest’s Co-Founders, Nikki Stratton and Marilyn Willrich, were celebrated as the 2024 National Lottery’s Film & Arts Game Changers.
Deaffest supports and showcases the talents of emerging and established D/deaf filmmakers and artists from the UK and beyond. Through a variety of events, it preserves and celebrates Deaf culture, heritage, and sign languages. The festival highlights the diversity of Deaf culture, offering a platform for D/deaf creatives to share their skills, knowledge and stories, while educating and inspiring future generations.
Deaffest is recognised for its influential role in promoting Deaf culture and bringing attention to the challenges that D/deaf individuals encounter in the arts and media sectors. By fostering a deeper global understanding and appreciation of Deaf culture, Deaffest ensures that D/deaf creatives and audiences have equal access to cultural experiences as their hearing counterparts.
To contact Deaffest, please email Communications & Engagement Manager Lou Parrott at lou@zebra-access.com
About the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund
The BFI Audience Projects Fund will invest £15m of National Lottery funding over three years to support ambitious, audience-facing activity of national scale that celebrates and showcases independent UK and international film and XR work. It will support projects that seek to expand access and encourage greater enjoyment of cinema by connecting audiences that are representative of the UK population with great films – in venues, at events and online.
bfi.org.uk/audience-projects-fund
About the BFI
The BFI is a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image.
Our mission is:
- To support creativity and actively seek out the next generation of UK storytellers
- To grow and care for the BFI National Archive, the world’s largest film and television archive.
- To offer the widest range of UK and international moving image culture through our programmes and festivals – delivered online and in venue
- To use our knowledge to educate and deepen public appreciation and understanding
- To work with Government and industry to ensure the continued growth of the UK’s screen industries
Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter.
The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Jay Hunt OBE.
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