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We’ve come a long, long way together, as the Fatboy Slim anthem goes. Brighton Rocks launched almost a decade ago, and as we approach our tenth year, we’ve taken time to reflect on the journey so far. To mark this milestone, we’ve refreshed the festival, expanded our team and given our website a brand-new look. This moment feels like the perfect juncture to look back over the past nine years. During that time, we’ve worked hard to build a film festival that proudly does thing

British cinema is littered with gems that failed to make their mark. Some now enjoy cult status, but many more have become lost treasures, scattered across the margins of film history . . . This is the first in a series revisiting such films, beginning with Jerzy Skolimowski’s excellent, if peculiar, 1978 film The Shout.Continue reading “Ode to the Underrated: A Shoutout to ‘The Shout’”

‘One in Two’ is a story of courage and resilience that celebrates the power of human connection. It may make you cry, but it is guaranteed to make you smile too. As creatives none of us are immune from the slings and arrows life sends our way. But few of us have had to dealContinue reading “Interview with George Child, DOP & Co-Producer of ‘One in Two’”

Jessica Dowse’s Float is a poignant, understated short film that resonated with audiences at the 7th edition of Brighton Rocks. With quiet precision, Dowse explores how fleeting human connections—even unlikely ones—can pierce through isolation, offering moments of unexpected clarity. The sea here is no passive setting but a dynamic, almost antagonistic force. Dowse avoids clichédContinue reading “In Review – ‘Float’ by Jessica Dowse”

Writer & Director Nathan Haines from Iron Box Films talks to us about his debut short film An Imperfect Cadence. A gripping drama that explores the intersection of artistic ambition and physical limitation. Haines’ meticulous attention to authenticity sets the film apart, he deliberately chose the harp, recognising that a harpist’s story hadn’t been extensivelyContinue reading “Interview with Nathan Haines – Writer & Director of ‘An Imperfect Cadence’”

OK/NOTOK, written and directed by Pardeep Sahota follows a working-class British Asian woman confined to her apartment during external turmoil when a mysterious stranger enters her life. Their relationship unfolds over two years through a unique single-shot format that never moves the camera. The film’s most striking feature is its static camera approach, with eachContinue reading “Interview with Pardeep Sahota Writer & Director of ‘OK/NOTOK’”

Screening at the 8th edition of the Brighton Rocks International Film Festival on the 21st of June at 7pm as part of our beloved LGBTQIA+ Rocks strand. With all the look, feel, lustre and panache of a billion-dollar Marvel Universe production, Tom Paul Martin delightfully breaks the mould with the familiar chiselled, handsome characters soContinue reading “In Review – ‘Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?’ by Tom Paul Martin”

‘Loyal’ is a heartwarming comedy that transforms the simple concept of coffee shop loyalty cards into an exploration of community, connection, and cultural diversity in modern London. Directed by Sara Chia-Jewell and Antonis Papamichael, this charming short film captures the essence of suburban diaspora life and reflects the vibrant multicultural tapestry of the North LondonContinue reading “Interview with Sara Chia-Jewell & Antonis Papamichael of ‘Loyal’”

Ranw Aso-Rashid’s latest work, ‘The Silent Choice‘, set entirely within a single café, tackles toxic masculinity, coercive control, and family dysfunction through an intimate character study. The film builds tension methodically, notably without musical accompaniment, inviting viewers into the carefully crafted dialogue. Drawing inspiration from Tarantino’s dialogue-driven scenes, particularly ‘Inglourious Basterds, this stylistic choice createsContinue reading “Interview wit

What makes a short film extraordinary is its authentic foundation. Calico centers on Lorrie, a teenager with vitiligo navigating the challenging waters of school life and self-love with a delightful little helping hand from a most unlikely source. The duo spent years in pre production finding the right actor, interviewing teenagers with vitiligo and incorporatingContinue reading “Interview with Jake & Sarah Mavity, Director and Writers of ‘Calico’”

Screening on Friday the 11th of April at 9pm as part of Hastings Rocks 2025 Directed by the talented Nicklas Wedin, The Unexpressed (Dom Outtryckta) is an emotionally charged dramedy that takes audiences on an unexpected journey of self-discovery, personal conflict, and profound connection. Filmed across the vibrant cities of Stockholm, London, and Los Angeles, this cross-culturalContinue reading “In Review – The Unexpressed (Dom Outtryckta) by Nicklas Wedin”

Screening on Saturday the 12th of April at 1:45pm as part of Hastings Rocks 2025 Colin O’Reilly’s The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands is a compelling social realist drama that examines themes of social mobility, disillusionment, and the systemic struggles of the working class. Through three intertwined narratives, the film presents a raw and nuanced portrayalContinue reading “In Review ‘The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands’ by Colin O’Reilly”

Our Hastings Rocks Festival director, James Rowlins, sat down with Cat & Patsy from the brilliant new podcast and YouTube show our town has plenty. Subscribe to their channel here for all of the latest news about what’s going on in Hastings & St Leonards, filming by Jamie De Ath. James talks about why heContinue reading “Interview with Festival Director James Rowlins – Our Town Has Plenty”

Shot entirely in and around his beloved Hastings, Benjamin Verrall’s Shouting at the Sea is a love letter to the town he grew up in and the beauty of friendship. After years spent apart, Joe and Katherine reunite and, with the sea as their witness, heal old wounds and reconnect as adults. The cinematography isContinue reading “Interview with Benjamin Verrall Writer & Director of ‘Shouting at the Sea’”

The opening scene of a film is as crucial as the first page of a book. It must captivate the audience, drawing them into a meticulously crafted world while offering a glimpse of the narrative treasures within. Shouting at the Sea written and produced by the team at Toffee Hammer and directed by Benjamin Verrall,Continue reading “In Review ‘Shouting at the Sea’ by Benjamin Verrall.”

In his directorial debut Jamie Langlands brings a young woman’s worst nightmare alive. Meghan Andara, the star of indie horror the ‘The Cellar‘, carries through the terror and peril with a standout performance. We are not ones to give away spoilers here on RocksBlog as what unfolds in an underground dungeon must be seen. Langlands,Continue reading “Interview with Jamie Langlands & Meghan Adara Writer, Director and Lead Actress of ‘The Cellar’”

Luis Buñuel, one of the most influential filmmakers of his era, was lauded for his avant-garde approach to cinema, delivering scathing critiques of bourgeois society through outrageous and morally provocative scenarios. He delighted in skewering the pretensions and hypocrisies of the upper classes, employing surrealist techniques to expose the absurdity of their social conventions. London-basedContinue reading “In Review ‘Buñuelesque’ by Gregory Wait”

The city of Brighton is a renowned hub for artists and creatives from all walks of life. It is also a state of mind, an attitude, a spirit: one that dares to be itself. This is the core of Brighton Rocks International Film Festival’s ethos. As the city’s biggest forum for independent cinema, we areContinue reading “OUR MISSION”

In the heart of Brighton and Hove, amidst political upheaval, filmmaker Phil Ross, an award nominated filmmaker whose film ‘Portrait’ was enjoyed by audiences at Brighton Rocks 2024, found himself embarking on a surprising and revelatory journey into documentary filmmaking. His subject: Tanushka Marah, a British Palestinian theatre director, mother and activist who made the boldContinue reading “Interview with Phil Ross Writer, Director & Producer of ‘Tanushka Marah, The Pale

Italian-American writer and director Christian Schifano, who divides his time between New York and London, has produced a truly gorgeous example of a coming-of-age story that boldly crosses thematic boundaries. ‘Hangers in July’ centers around the abandon of youth and the gnawing desire to find a sense of belonging through the lenses of privilege, class,Continue reading “In Review ‘Hangers in July’ by Christian Schifano”