The Made in Sussex Film Festival is where bold stories, breakout talent, and hometown pride collide. Hosted at the acclaimed Depot Cinema in Lewes, this is a festival for filmmakers who want their work seen on the big screen — in front of an audience that knows the streets, towns, and places they came from.

We champion films made in Sussex or by Sussex creatives, celebrating not just great cinema, but the communities that shaped it.

Our festival accepts entries in three categories:

▷ NARRATIVE FEATURE
• This category is for narrative films that meet our eligibility requirements.

▷ DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
• This category is for documentary films that meet our eligibility requirements.

▷ SHORT FILM
• This category is for short films that meet our eligibility requirements.

Join us for a weekend of inspiring narratives and thought-provoking documentaries as we honour the talent and creativity rooted in Sussex.

This is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow filmmakers, enjoy engaging discussions, and immerse yourself in the stunning visuals that define our region.

Awards & Prizes

Each category will have a special prize, which will be revealed shortly. These awards recognise exceptional storytelling and technical excellence, highlighting each film's unique connection with the Sussex environment.

🟢 BEST DIRECTOR
• The Best Director Award honours exceptional vision and creativity, recognising the director whose work exemplifies the highest standard of cinematic artistry among all films showcased at the festival.

▷ AWARD TBC

🟢 BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
• This award is presented to the best film selected by the jury in the narrative feature category.

▷ AWARD TBC

🟢 BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
• This award is presented to the best film selected by the jury in the documentary feature category.

▷ AWARD TBC

🟢 BEST SHORT FILM
• This award is presented to the best film selected by the jury in the short film category.

▷ AWARD TBC

Rules & Terms

◎ ELIGIBILITY

▷ GEOGRAPHICAL CONNECTION

All submitted films must meet at least one of the following criteria:
• The film was made in Sussex.
• Have a solid and identifiable connection to Sussex.
• It was made by a filmmaker who resides in Sussex.
• It was made by a filmmaker who has a strong identifiable connection to Sussex.

▷ PREMIERE STATUS

We strongly encourage UK and World Premieres. While not essential, films making their debut at Made in Sussex will be prioritised for headline slots and press attention.

▷ FILM TYPES

We accept narrative films and documentaries of the following types:
• Short films (under 60 minutes).
• Feature films (60 minutes and over).

◎ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

▷ SUBMISSION PLATFORM

• Submissions must be made through our official submission platform (e.g., FilmFreeway).

▷ FORMATS

• Films must be submitted in digital format.
• Films must be in English or have English subtitles.

▷ ENTRY FEES

• An entry fee must accompany each submission.
• Entry fees are non-refundable.

▷ DEADLINE

• All submissions must be received by the deadline specified.
• Late submissions may be accepted with an additional fee at the discretion of the festival organisers.

◎ SELECTION PROCESS

▷ JUDGING CRITERIA

• Films will be evaluated based on creativity, originality, technical excellence, and relevance to Sussex.
• All decisions made by the festival selection committee are final.

▷ PROJECT COMPLETION

To be eligible for competition in the 2026 edition of the Festival, projects must have been completed on or after February 28, 2024. Projects completed before this date may still be considered for out-of-competition selection.

▷ NOTIFICATION

• Filmmakers will be notified via FilmFreeway on the notification date.

▷ PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

• By submitting a film, filmmakers grant the festival the right to use the film's promotional materials (stills, posters, trailers, etc.) for marketing and promotional purposes.

◎ RIGHTS AND CLEARANCES

▷ ORIGINAL CONTENT

• The filmmaker must own all rights to the film and have secured any necessary licenses, permissions, or releases.

▷ INDEMNITY

• The filmmaker will protect the festival, organisers, sponsors, and partners from any claims or damages related to showing their film.

◎ MISCELLANEOUS

▷ CODE OF CONDUCT

• All participants are expected to adhere to the festival's code of conduct, which promotes a respectful and inclusive environment.

◎ AMENDMENTS

• The festival reserves the right to modify these rules and regulations anytime.
• By submitting your film to the Made in Sussex Film Festival, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to abide by all the above rules and regulations.
11 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Seb Cox

    A film festival that is clearly made by filmmakers and film lovers who aim to highlight local work and make a difference. Passionate team who are striving to make a festival that is both prestigious, friendly and supportive.

    I hope more animations can make it into the festival in the future.

    May 2025
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  • Jamie Patterson

    An absolutely incredible festival experience from start to finish! Run by the loveliest, most supportive team, the whole event had such a welcoming, uplifting energy. The cinema staff were brilliant, the audiences were engaged, and the overall standard of films was brilliant. I’ve been lucky enough to attend a number of festivals over the years, but this one stood out, not just for the atmosphere, but also for the incredibly generous and impressive prizes. It’s clear they genuinely care about filmmakers. I honestly couldn’t recommend it highly enough!

    May 2025
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  • Philip Dyas

    Our experience with Made In Sussex was excellent - both the support of the team and the Festival experience itself was lovely. Looking forward to seeing more next year!

    May 2025
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  • David Bryant

    My feature SPLINTER played the festival in 2025 and was great to see it on the big screen. Organisation was excellent and a great group of people running and attending the festival with a fun Q&A following the film. Hope to return one day.

    May 2025
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  • Andrew McGee

    Made in Sussex is fantastic festival experience – so friendly, well-organised, well-attended, with a very impressive selection of features and shorts made in the area or by local talent.

    I was absolutely thrilled to win the Best Director for my short film First Sight, along with the enormously generous prize of £10,000 to put towards my next project. This is the first time a festival award will make a genuine, tangible difference to my career path, as this prize provides a giant step forward in developing the next film. Thank you so much.

    It was wonderful to see every screening almost sold-out, which is never a given at film festivals, and speaks volumes about the passion of the Film Sussex and Depot team, as well as the supportive Sussex community. The Depot was already my favourite local cinema, and there was plenty of opportunity to network and take photos in a warm atmosphere, with free drinks and popcorn also provided for filmmakers.

    It’s hard to believe this weekend was Made is Sussex’s debut, and I’m sure it will be the first of many. I’m very excited to see the festival continue to grow as a supportive hub for local talent, and will be forever grateful for the award.

    May 2025
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