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

Awards
Our festival celebrates outstanding filmmaking through four prestigious awards, each recognising exceptional storytelling and technical excellence that captures the unique spirit of Sussex.

🎬 BEST DIRECTOR
The Best Director Award honours exceptional vision and creativity, recognising the filmmaker whose work exemplifies the highest standard of cinematic artistry.

🎭 BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
Awarded to the outstanding narrative feature film that demonstrates exceptional storytelling, character development, and cinematic craft, as selected by our distinguished jury.

📽️ BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
This award celebrates the documentary feature that best captures truth, humanity, and compelling narrative through the documentary form, chosen by our expert panel of judges.

⚡ BEST SHORT FILM
Recognising excellence in short-form storytelling, this award honours the short film that makes the most significant impact through concise, powerful filmmaking within the time constraints of the format.

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.
24 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Mark Higginson

    Warm, friendly, well-curated, and highly organised festival of local filmmakers and filmmaking in the lovely Lewes Depot cinema.

    May 2026
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  • Laurence Donoghue

    I think what makes this festival really special is how personal the experience was - from multiple check-ins leading up to the event from the festival team via email with super-swift replies to an excellently organised opening night gala that really encouraged filmmakers to mix and chat and then two days of screenings at a fantastic venue that felt incredibly inclusive. I would recommend any filmmakers with any connection to Sussex to submit next year and I look forward to seeing this festival flourish and grow. Thank you for a fab experience!

    May 2026
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  • Scott Coello

    This is such a fab festival, curating some incredible talent to celebrate Sussex at its best. Thank you for having my film at the festival along side so many great films. Not to mention was fun meeting all the people behind the films and the festival team, who did a fantastic job making sure everything ran smoothly <3 Can't wait to come back again and again for years to come.

    April 2026
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  • Suzanne Procter

    Thanks again Made In Sussex for an awesome festival. Clutter made for our first time with you (our director's second) and it was so so great to see so much Sussex based work being celebrated. Thank you for the free popcorn at the screening - was a big hit with us and all our friends who came. Plenty of opportunity to meet other filmmakers throughout the days and also at the special events. A real mix of stuff in the programme: shorts, features, animation, docs and some 48 hour film challenge winners - made for an eclectic and inspiring weekend.
    Looking forward to next year!

    Huge shout out to the festival team - Chris, Carmen, Caleb, Rob, Matt, Shawn and anyone else not mentioned

    And also a huge thank you to all the staff at the Lewes Depot - an amazing venue to host the festival at

    Greg :)

    April 2026
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  • Leonie Watkins

    Made In Sussex is the gold standard for Sussex festivals with its focus on films made in the region. From submission to technical support all the way through to the festival itself, Chris and the team make the experience relaxing, stress-free and enjoyable, whether you are an emerging or seasoned filmmaker. There is ample time aside for networking and socialising with other filmmakers. The programme is put together with such love and care - there is something for every taste. I can't offer enough praise. This is a first-class festival hosted by those who understand and appreciate what it takes to get a film out there in the world. I look forward to returning with a future project.

    April 2026
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