Debut Made in Sussex Film Festival proves a big success

The three-day celebration of Sussex-based storytelling enjoyed an impressive debut, with near sold-out audiences, a warm community atmosphere, and a clear focus on championing local talent, said Chris Collier, CEO, Film Sussex CIC.

“The festival featured a wide range of films with strong connections to Sussex – from intimate shorts and poetic documentaries to powerful narrative features – all chosen for the stories they told and the film-makers behind them. Films this year showcased many parts of the county, from the streets of Brighton and the coast at Beachy Head to the historic Balcombe Viaduct and the heart of Hastings.”

Five awards were handed out to outstanding film-makers.

The festival’s biggest prize — Best Director, which came with a £10,000 award supported by sponsor Clear Futures — was awarded to Andrew McGee for his short film First Sight.

Andrew said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have won the Best Director award at Made in Sussex, along with the enormously generous prize of £10,000. This is the first time a festival award has made a genuine, tangible difference to my career path. I’m working on a feature film now — a first feature — and I’ve had to juggle it alongside freelance and post-production work. It’s like doing two full-time jobs. This award will be genuinely life-changing on a career level.”

Speaking on behalf of the jury, Jen Handorf from Film Sussex praised Andrew’s work for its command of narrative, its sense of collaboration, and the overall craft on display. “It’s not something one person can do,” she said, “and the director we selected showed real skill across the whole project.”

The Best Narrative Feature went to The Captain by Jamie Patterson, which is set in the heart of Brighton, with many recognisable locations featured on screen. Jamie said: “It was such an honour to win Best Narrative Feature and to see the film play in a cinema with a full audience. Any film plays better in a cinema — it allows the audience to really connect with the story. Festivals like Made in Sussex give microbudget films the chance to shine. We need more festivals like that and more support from cinemas like The Depot. Congrats to all the other film-makers as well.”

Rebecca Marshall won Best Documentary Feature for her poetic and experimental film The Forest in Me. “What a blast of love and support,” she said. “The Forest in Me has been a long journey, made possible by so many incredible people. Huge thanks to Made in Sussex for bringing this poetic film to an audience who truly felt it. The warm, heartfelt feedback was unforgettable — a dream start for this film’s next chapter.”

Joe Snelling, who won Best Short Film for The Waiter, the Scientist and Jenny, spoke about personal connection to Hastings and the character featured in his documentary, which was filmed around the town: “Being born in Hastings and having made several films here, winning Best Short Film for my documentary at a festival that celebrates Sussex connections means a great deal to me,” he said. “I was especially moved by the conversations I had with audience members after the screening — discussions around mental health and the film-maker-contributor relationship were thoughtful and deeply engaging. It was clear this was a passionate, attentive audience. From start to finish, the festival was incredibly well-organised, and I felt supported every step of the way. I’ll definitely be submitting more of my work in the future.”

The jury also introduced a special award, the Made in Sussex Creativity Award, to recognise a film that reflected the festival’s themes and demonstrated a unique personal voice. It was awarded to Seb Cox for The Dog in the Long Grass, which features scenes filmed across Sussex, from the Balcombe Viaduct to Beachy Head.

Seb said: “Creating The Dog in the Long Grass was a deeply personal journey into Sussex folklore. Having it connect emotionally with audiences through both laughter and tears has been an incredible experience.”

Sponsor Neeti Anand, speaking on behalf of Clear Futures, said: “It’s a real honour to be here. We’ve watched a few of the movies over the weekend and they’re amazing. They’re inspirational, thought-provoking… We’re really honoured as Clear Futures to be able to play even a small part in encouraging more local talent and bringing more of these to the cinema.”

Chris added: “The festival was hosted and co-organised by Film Sussex in partnership with Depot, and delivered by a team of local volunteers. With a strong opening year, meaningful prizes, and a clear sense of community and purpose, Made in Sussex looks well on its way to becoming a key fixture in the UK regional film calendar.”