British UNIMA sponsors the 2025 Puppet Place 48
Challenge Weekend: 12–14 September 2025 · Finale: 19 October 2025, Bristol & Online (Proudly supported by the British Puppet Guild, British UNIMA, and TIPA)
British UNIMA is proud to be sponsoring the International Award at the Puppet Place 48 in 2025.
Challenge Weekend: Friday 12 – Sunday 14 September 2025 (7pm BST start on the 12th)
Finale Screening & Awards: Sunday 19 October 2025, 6pm, live at The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol & streamed worldwide.
All event information, rules, FAQs, and guidance can be found on the official Puppet Place 48 website:
👉 bristol48hpuppetfilmchallenge.co.uk
About the Puppet Place 48
Formerly known as the Bristol 48h Puppet Film Challenge, the Puppet Place 48 is an international sprint to create a brand new puppetry film in just 48 hours. Artists of all ages and backgrounds — beginners to professionals — are invited to take part.
The event is organised and hosted by Puppet Place and led by Cat Rock. Since its beginnings in 2020, the challenge has inspired over 200 original puppet films from across the globe, celebrating imagination, collaboration, and the joy of puppetry on screen.
The International Element (Sponsored by British UNIMA)
As part of our mission to strengthen international exchange and visibility in puppetry, British UNIMA is sponsoring a new International Award in the 2025 Challenge.
By welcoming both international artists and our UNIMA community, we hope to celebrate puppetry voices across borders and highlight the global nature of our artform.
This is the first year of this award — in future years we hope to grow and refine it, exploring options. For now, our focus is on shining a spotlight on international creativity and the global puppetry family.
The Inclusive Puppetry Alliance Award (TIPA)
Not everyone can take part in a high-pressure 48-hour challenge — which is why the TIPA category exists. Developed with the Broken Puppet Theatre Company, TIPA makes the Challenge accessible to participants with chronic illness, disability, or who are neurodivergent.
TIPA begins: Thursday 14 August 2025 (participants receive prompts from this date)
Participants still have 48 hours to create their film, but those hours can be spread flexibly across a month, adapting the challenge to individual access needs.
The TIPA Award includes a £100 prize (donated by British UNIMA).
👉 More details and FAQs: Broken Puppet Theatre Company – Inclusive Puppetry Alliance
How It Works
Prompts announced: 7pm BST, Friday 12 September (ACTION – ITEM – THEME).
Make your film: 48 hours to devise, film, edit, and score your entry.
Submit by: 7pm BST, Sunday 14 September 2025.
Registration via Puppet Place 48
Film submissions via FilmFreeway (profile required)
Screening: All films featured in the Online Festival.
Finale: Winners revealed at the live & online screening, Sunday 19 October.
🏆Awards & Recognition🏆
British UNIMA International Award
Celebrates global puppetry voices and international collaboration.
Open to all international entries, as well as British UNIMA members.
Includes £100 prize money
Additional BrUNIMA support:
Offering BrUNIMA Membership to the overall 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.
Other Prizes include:
🏆1st Place: £150 + British Puppet Guild Membership + Puppet Place Associate Artist Membership + BrUNIMA Membership
🎖️2nd Place: British Puppet Guild Membership + Puppet Place Associate Artist Membership + BrUNIMA Membership
🎖️3rd Place: British Puppet Guild Membership + Puppet Place Associate Artist Membership + BrUNIMA Membership
🎖️Youth & Community Awards: Best Under 15, Best 16–21, Inclusive Puppetry Alliance Award (TIPA £100 prize, donated by BPG & BrUNIMA)
Special Awards: British Puppet Guild Award (£100), Audience Choice, Best of Bristol, Honourable Mentions
Judges 2025
Ronnie Le Drew – President, British Puppet Guild; puppeteer of Zippy (Rainbow).
Tea Poldervaart – Puppeteer, War Horse, Dinosaur World Live.
Carolene Yawa Ada – Artistic Director, Swallow’s Wings Puppetry.
Emma Powell – Creative Director, Air Giants.
Mikayla R. Teodoro – Puppet designer/director, Puppet Theater Manila.
With past judges including creatives from The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, His Dark Materials, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and more.
Sponsors
British Puppet Guild (lead sponsor)
British UNIMA (International category sponsor)
TIPA (The Inclusive Puppetry Alliance)
Registration
Registration is open now via FilmFreeway. Set up your profile early and allow at least one hour for uploading before the submission deadline.
👉 Register for Puppet Place 48 on FilmFreeway
Final Reminder — Save the Date!
📅 Finale Screening & Awards
Sunday 19 October 2025, 6pm
Live: The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
Online: YouTube livestream (details TBA)