Lowestoft's Sunrise Film Festival has been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Festival Awards 2026 in the "Micro Festival of the Year" category
Placing the Suffolk-based event among just six festivals across the UK recognised for delivering exceptional festival experiences.
The Micro Festival of the Year award celebrates festivals that offer a distinctive and intimate experience, bringing audiences and artists closer together through carefully curated programmes, strong community connections, and memorable events. The category is open to festivals with a maximum capacity of 2,500 attendees over a one-day or weekend event.
The shortlisting marks another major milestone for Sunrise Film Festival, which celebrated its fifth edition in August 2026 and continues to grow under its new Community Interest Company (CIC) structure. The recognition is a testament to the festival’s success and growing reputation as Suffolk’s largest annual film festival.
Since its launch, Sunrise Film Festival has developed into a significant platform for independent cinema, showcasing films from around the world while championing home-grown talent from Suffolk and Norfolk. The festival has become renowned for creating opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to connect, while bringing diverse and thought-provoking stories to the East Coast.
Festival organisers said:
“To be shortlisted for Micro Festival of the Year is an incredible honour and a reflection of the hard work of our volunteers, partners, filmmakers, and audiences who have supported Sunrise Film Festival over the last five years.
We created the festival to make film more accessible, celebrate independent cinema, and bring powerful stories to audiences across communities that are often overlooked. To be recognised nationally alongside some of the UK’s most innovative festivals is a proud moment for Lowestoft and the wider region.”
Sunrise Film Festival has a strong commitment to supporting underrepresented voices in film. The festival regularly champions emerging and first-time filmmakers, alongside female, non-binary, neurodiverse and LGBTQIA+ creators, as well as those sharing stories rooted in lived experience and exploring important social and environmental issues.
Since 2021, the festival has screened more than 1,100 independent films as part of its official selection and presented over 125 awards across its annual ceremonies. In 2026 alone, audiences enjoyed 251 independent films from across the UK and around the world, with 26 awards presented during the festival.
Beyond its film programme, Sunrise Film Festival has also become known for its popular family-friendly outdoor cinema events, helping bring communities together through shared cultural experiences.
The winner of the UK Festival Awards 2026 will be decided through a combination of public voting and industry judging. Supporters of Sunrise Film Festival can cast their vote for Micro Festival of the Year at:
https://tickets.
