Sunrise Film Festival (SFF)
Was founded in 2021, by young people part of our very own social enterprise Sunrise Studios.
2025 Festival Programme
Tickets on sale now!
General Admission: £6 | 25 & Under: £3 | Unwaged & 50+: £3
The team behind the festival are passionate about creating a platform for filmmakers who are yet to be discovered (or picked up by the bigger film festival circuit), whilst also championing filmmaking and the creative media industry across East Anglia, with Lowestoft at its core set in a seaside setting.
Officially Selected entries from each category receive the opportunity to be screened at the film festival as part of the official programme, winning films receive a highly coveted trophy, a framed certificate, and regional media coverage.
SFF values and proudly promotes films from any filmmaker, creative or producer to the general public, which enables them to view something different, regardless of how big or small their budget for creating a film is, in a region that is under-represented for opportunities to engage with independent film. Including receiving submissions from first-time filmmakers, female/non-binary filmmakers, stories from the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as films focussing on social and environmental issues.
We’re A BIFA Qualifying Film Festival:
A BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) Qualifying Festival For British Short Films (Section B*) At BIFA 2024 – Full Rules & Eligibility.
Find out more about each category:
British Short, Animation, Documentary, Experimental & International.
Any film produced and created in the UK that has a running time of 30 minutes or less.
*All submissions in the British short film category must not exceed a running time of 25 minutes.
A film made primarily by a student/s (director, writer, or producer).
A film produced and created in East Anglia (Includes Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex & Cambridgeshire).
Open to any individuals or group aged under 30 years old. Any film/or documentary produced and made in Lowestoft or Great Yarmouth.
Open to anyone. A film of any genre which runs for 5 minutes or less (including any titles or credits) can be submitted to this category.
Open to students & anyone under 30 years old. A progressive film that focuses on the subject of mental health or homelessness, up to 5 minutes. The winner of this category will get the opportunity to co-produce a thought provoking Christmas campaign with Sunrise Studios for the regional charity.
We’re officially a BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) qualifying festival for British Short Films (Section B*) at BIFA.
The team are passionate about #sunrisefilmfestival being a festival that is truly accessible for everyone!
We think that independent film should be affordable and accessible for everyone to enjoy and discover, with low-cost screenings.
The benefits that film can have on people’s wellbeing and mental health, as well as simply enjoying it, shouldn’t be taken away from anyone.
Find Out More About The Film Festival Here
*Rules & eligibility on Section B at BIFA can be found by visiting https://www.bifa.film/about/rules-and-eligibility/
All proceeds made from the festival are put straight back into Access Community Trust to reinvest in our services to continue to support some of the most vulnerable across Suffolk & Norfolk.
Sunrise Film Festival is 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.