Sunrise Has Been Shortlisted In The UK Festival Awards!
We’re absolutely thrilled to share that Sunrise Film Festival has been shortlisted for Micro Festival at the UK Festival Awards.
From a small idea that started in 2021 in Lowestoft to four days of international cinema at the Marina Theatre every August, this recognition means the world to us, and it’s all thanks to our filmmakers, volunteers, funders, and all of YOU.
Public voting is now open, and we’d love your support!
Here’s how to vote:
1️⃣ Head to the UK Festival Awards website (link below)
2️⃣ Create an account and verify your email
3️⃣ Choose Sunrise Film Festival in the Micro Festival category
4️⃣ That’s it, your vote is cast!
It only takes a minute, and every single vote counts. Please share with your friends, family and fellow film lovers. Let’s put Sunrise and little old Lowestoft on the map!
Voting closes TONIGHT at midnight, Tuesday 3 November.
You can vote for us by clicking the link below.
We’ve been named in FilmFreeway’s
Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals Again This Month!
Sunrise Film Festival is delighted to announce that we have been ranked among FilmFreeway’s Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals.
According to reviews from real FilmFreeway users, Sunrise now sits in the top 1% of more than 14,000 film festivals and creative contests worldwide.
This recognition is a testament to the countless hours of hard work, care, and passion that our team and volunteers have devoted to building a festival that champions independent film, diverse storytelling, and underrepresented filmmakers.
Since our founding in 2021, Sunrise has grown into the UK’s biggest celebration of Diverse Stories and Underrepresented Filmmakers.
Based in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and run entirely voluntarily by passionate independent film enthusiasts and filmmakers, we exist to provide an accessible platform for filmmakers every August, especially those whose work may not yet have been discovered by the wider festival circuit.
Our 6th edition of the BIFA and Grierson qualifying Sunrise Film Festival will take place from 19 to 22 August 2027 at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Our Core Weekend Festival Volunteers For 2026
Our submissions are now open for 2027
Be quick, they’re not open for long!
Be part of our 6th edition
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, and our submissions for 2027 close on 29 November 2026.
Cinema Screenings Year-round
At The Marina Theatre
Throughout the year, the Marina Theatre presents some of the best new releases in films and screenings of live theatre and art.
From Oscar-nominated pictures to West End Musicals, the cinema programme is something the Marina Theatre are really proud of.
Pick up a guide from their Box Office and enjoy getting lost in a story on the largest cinema screen on the Suffolk Coast!
Our 2026 Festival has been kindly supported by the following supporters
Made possible with the 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 19-22 August 2027 💛🧡🩷
P.S.
New here? Check out our Website to get a taste of what Sunrise is all about.