It’s now less than a month to go, and it’s looking like our most popular edition to date. With over one thousand passes and tickets already sold, ahead of joining each other at the stunning Marina Theatre.
This is exactly why we strongly recommend securing your festival pass early and booking your favourite screenings. For our intimate screenings in the Marina Lounge, capacity is limited, and we expect most of these screenings to be sold out during the festival.
Popular experiences like our Outdoor Cinemas also get booked up quickly due to their popularity.
We’ve also revealed our 2026 nominees, with 104 nominees in total!
Discover
Our 2026 Nominees
We're excited to reveal the nominees for our 5th edition of Sunrise Film Festival!
This year, 104 nominees have been selected across 20 award categories, celebrating the very best in independent filmmaking from the UK and around the world.
From powerful dramas and thought-provoking documentaries to bold animations, unforgettable performances and visionary directors, this year's nominees represent the incredible creativity, passion and talent that make independent cinema so special.
A huge congratulations to every nominated filmmaker, cast and crew. We can't wait to celebrate with everyone at our Awards Ceremony on Saturday, 22 August.
Get A Printed Programme Delivered To Your Door
Get your hands on a physical copy of our 36-page 2026 festival printed programme brochure for the 5th edition Sunrise Film Festival.
We'll deliver it straight to your door, whether it's for a keepsake or to plan your festival weekend.
Printed carbon neutral and on FSC certified paper.
Strictly limited to 100 copies, UK postage only.
A Reminder On Our Passes & Tickets
& How it works
Grab one of our Day or Weekend Festival Passes and plan your whole experience from your Eventive account with your Sunrise Festival Pass. All screenings that are listed and display ‘Book With A Pass’ are valid for your selected pass.
Physical copies of your pass will be available for pickup at the festival Box Office from 20-23 August in the Marina Theatre, and you will need to check in there before attending a screening.
Day Passes - £7.50*
A Day Pass gives you access to everything we have to offer at the 5th Sunrise Film Festival.
*Excludes Family Friendly Outdoor Cinemas.
Festival Pass - £20
A Sunrise Festival Pass gives you access to everything we have to offer at the 5th Sunrise Film Festival.
Every special event, screening, and talk.
Film Pass - £12.50*
A Sunrise Film Pass gives you access to all film screenings we have to offer at the 5th Sunrise Film Festival.
Individual Tickets Are Only Available For Our Outdoor Cinemas
Relaxed screenings are £3 for adults, and our family-friendly screenings are £6.50 for adults; kids go free!
No Individual tickets will be on sale for our other screenings, and events should be pre-booked with your pass to avoid disappointment.
Top Picks
Not To Be Missed
East Anglian Films
Explore Our East Anglian Films screening across the festival from homegrown talent based in Norfolk & Suffolk to Breakwater, the feature film shot across Oxford and the Suffolk Coast, and if you want something a little different, we’re also screening The Creature From Scroby Sands.
Disremember
Join us for a special screening of Disremember, the acclaimed psychological thriller from Lowestoft-born filmmaker Matthew Simpson, followed by a live Q&A.
Created entirely by Simpson himself, the film is a remarkable example of independent filmmaking driven by determination, creativity and self-belief.
Late Night Horrors
Step into the shadows with Are You Afraid? A chilling collection of short films that explore fear in all its forms.
From psychological tension and unsettling mysteries to dark humour, supernatural encounters and unexpected horrors, this programme showcases filmmakers who know exactly how to keep audiences on edge.
Cinematic Queens
We are delighted to welcome back our Cinematic Queens strand for its second year.
Celebrating bold stories, powerful performances, and the incredible artistry of female-led film, we present a dynamic selection of films which showcase stories centred on women, whether behind the camera, in front of it, or both.
It’s Giving Comedy
Get ready for awkward encounters, questionable decisions, unexpected disasters, and plenty of laughs in It's Giving Comedy, a showcase of hilarious short films from emerging and established filmmakers.
From sharp satire and offbeat characters to cringeworthy situations and brilliantly timed chaos, this programme celebrates the many forms comedy can take on screen.
Break The Stigma
Powerful, honest and deeply human, Break the Stigma showcases a collection of short films that challenge perceptions and spark conversations around lived experience, mental health, identity, wellbeing and social issues.
Through documentary, drama, animation and personal storytelling, these films shine a light on experiences that are too often misunderstood, overlooked or left unspoken.
Book Your Spot At One Of
Outdoor Cinemas
6 Weeks to go until our sell-out Outdoor Cinema screenings, don’t forget to book your tickets and remember Kids Go Free.
Daytime relaxed screenings are just £3 per adult, and evening family screenings are only £6.50 per adult.
Thursday, August 20:
At 11:30 AM, the fun kicks off with a relaxed morning screening of the Academy Award-winning animated adventure Flow.
At 6 PM, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, paired with a selection of animated shorts.
Friday, August 21:
At 11 AM, our family-friendly shorts mix, suitable for ages 12+, brings together an entertaining collection of short films perfect for older children and families to enjoy together.
At 6 PM, Jurassic Park (1993) screens alongside curated family-friendly shorts.
Saturday, August 22:
At 11:30 AM, start the day with a heartwarming, relaxed screening of the family adventure Little Amélie.
At 4:30 PM, Chicken Run screens for a cracking afternoon adventure.
Sunday, August 23:
At 11 AM, join us for the critically acclaimed The Wild Robot.
At 1 PM, the weekend rounds out with the Family Friendly Shorts Mix, suitable for under-12s.
At 2:30 PM, we finish with the global animation showcase, Animated Feast.
Bring a blanket or a low-backed chair.
Got A Film
To Submit For 2027?
Our submissions for 2027 are now open!
We’re excited to announce we’re back at the Marina Theatre for 4 days of film, talks and activities that celebrate cinema, from 19 to 22 August 2027, and you can now submit your films for a chance of being part of our 6th edition.
Whether it’s a Short Film of any genre or style, a Feature Film, Music video, Virtual Reality or a Micro Short, we’d love to see your work.
Our 6th edition is a BIFA and Grierson qualifying edition.
Our submissions for 2027 close on 29 November 2026.
Our 2026 Festival has been kindly supported by the following supporters
Made possible with support of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery in order to bring this project to more audiences across the UK.
Join us in Lowestoft from 20-23 August 2026 💛🧡🩷
P.S.
New here? Check out our Website to get a taste of what Sunrise is all about.