Seaside theatre will host short film festival

Sunrise Film Festival founders Patrick Johnson and Joshua Freemantle with Marina Theatre general manager Sam Vallerius and programme and marketing manager Natalie Hewis

A seafront theatre has been announced as the main venue for a short film festival in Suffolk.

The Marina Theatre in Lowestoft - which has an auditorium with nearly 800 seats and a large cinema screen - will play host to the Sunrise Film Festival.

The festival organisers said they had also secured funding from Lowestoft Town Council.

Event co-founder Joshua Freemantle said the team was "thrilled" with the support from the theatre and the council.

The organisers describe the spectacle as the largest short film festival in the county, dedicated to showcasing the best from Britain.

As a BIFA qualifying event, the Sunrise Film Festival provides a platform for independent filmmakers to gain recognition and reach wider audiences

Mr Freemantle and Patrick Johnson started the film festival in 2022 and last year it attracted nearly 400 entries.

It is also a British Independent Film Awards (BIFA)-qualifying festival.

Using one of the "east coast's largest screens" would "go down really well with attendees and create a new experience that we’ve never had before", Mr Freemantle added.

Marina Theatre general manager Sam Vallerius also said: "We think it’s such a wonderful event for the town and it’s our pleasure to be able to support it."

The festival's full programme is due to go live at 18:00 BST on 27 June and the main events will be held at the theatre from 1-4 August.

The 2025 event is due to be held in May.