- Lowestoft, Suffolk UK
- 5th edition, 20-23 Aug, 2026
Making film accessible and proudly showcasing independent film to new audiences across overlooked communities.
We’re the UK’s largest Celebration of Diverse Stories and Underrepresented Filmmakers. Join us or submit to our 5th celebratory edition. The next BIFA Qualifying Sunrise Film Festival takes place from 20 to 23 August 2026 in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Our 5th edition sees us accepting submissions for new categories, from music videos to Virtual Reality (VR) projects.
Sunrise Film Festival, based in Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK, was founded in 2021 and is run voluntarily by passionate independent film enthusiasts and filmmakers to provide an important accessible platform for filmmakers like themselves every August.
We’re passionate about creating a platform for filmmakers who are yet to be discovered (or picked up by the bigger film festival circuit), whilst making film accessible and proudly showcasing independent film to new audiences across overlooked communities.
Since 2021, we have screened just over 600 independent films as part of our official selection to our live audiences and have presented 65 awards at our festival award ceremonies since inception.
We’re also a BFI Film Audience Network-backed film festival and a BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) qualifying festival for British Short Films (Section B*).
Why Sunrise Film Festival?
As Suffolk’s biggest film festival, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive platform for filmmakers here in East Anglia.
We’ve proudly been the bright and colourful film festival since 2021, loved by filmmakers for the friendly grassroots feel. We’re a small team, but our festival pacts impact, showcasing film in one of the most deprived communities in England, and we’ve awarded as well as showcased some impactful stories along the way.
We value and proudly promote films from any filmmaker, creative, or producer to the general public, including receiving submissions from first-time filmmakers, female/non-binary filmmakers, neurodiverse filmmakers, stories from the LGBTQIA+ community, people with lived experience, as well as films focusing on social and environmental issues.
Joshua Freemantle is passionate about fostering creativity and accessibility in the arts/film. As the leading founder of Sunrise Film Festival and youth-led social enterprise Sunrise Studios based in Lowestoft, Suffolk, Joshua has championed young voices under in the creative industries while establishing opportunities for emerging talent to shine in his community.
Favourite film: Licorice Pizza
Becca is a passionate advocate for mental health, lived experience and by day supports some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
Favourite film: Blitz
Chloe has worked in the cinema industry for six years, specialising in film programming and marketing for independent cinemas. She has managed the film programme for a suite of five independent cinema sites across London and the South West. She is addicted to stories, so it's a surprise to no one that she works in film.
Favourite film: Past Lives
Patch founded Sunrise Film Festival along with Joshua. He is Digital Marketing Coordinator for regional charity Access Community Trust. As well as film, he loves music, art, history, football and nature. With the year-on-year growth of the festival, Patch is really excited to see how far it will go.
Favourite Film: The Iron Giant
A major opportunity to support or sponsor a nationally reaching film festival based in Lowestoft, which supports underrepresented filmmakers, undiscovered film & emerging talent.
Whether it’s supported in kind with your own expertise or services you can offer to support the next edition in being the very best it can be, or by choosing one of our sponsorship packages.
We’d love to hear from you!
To find out more about how you can support us, email us at info@sunrisefilmfestival.co.uk