FFF26 Independent & Competition Films
FFF26 Independent & Competition Films
A major part of the Fakenham Film Festival is supporting independent filmmakers and giving them the opportunity to see their work shown on the big screen at the Central Cinema.
This year FFF26 has attracted a particularly strong range of independent films, including drama, comedy, documentary, science fiction, horror and youth filmmaking.
Some films form part of our wider programme of independent and Norfolk-linked screenings, while nine films have been selected for the FFF26 Competition.
For screening dates, times, feature films and the full festival programme, please see the main FFF26 programme page.
Independent Films
A Town Like Diss
Directors: Jonathan Ben-Shaul and Louis Norris
Part documentary and part daydream, this co-created film sees residents of the Norfolk town of Diss re-enact their memories, with other local people stepping in to perform their experiences.
Creative Differences
Director: Georgia Newton
After a wildly successful start to their career, a rock band retreats to the countryside to record its next album. Pressure from the record label and fear of irrelevance soon descends into ego-fuelled chaos.
Dead Air
Director: James Maynard
Tom, a radio talk-show host, tries to continue his morning programme after the breakdown of civilisation and a zombie outbreak.
But what is the point of working so hard when there may be nobody left listening?
Dial
Director: Joshua Trett
Dani, tirelessly caring for her ailing mother, experiences a disturbing turn of events when her mother mysteriously dies while in her care. In the aftermath, Dani becomes haunted by the incessant ringing of her mother’s phone, uncovering unsettling secrets.
House Rules
Director: Ash Williams
Poker is serious business — or at least it should be. A comedy short set during an intense, high-stakes poker game.
Let Them Eat Cake
Director: Zak Reay-Barry
A teacher and his former student sit down for a peaceful slice of cheesecake — until a bomb enters the equation.
Memoir
Director: David Paul Cooper
A mother experiences the devastating ordeal of losing her two sons in a car accident.
Moving Forward
Director: Josie Parrelli
A short independent film selected for FFF26.
Peripheral
Director: Peter Naylor
Peripheral follows Lucy as she navigates a pivotal stage in her life, balancing the gradual loss of her sight with her love of the outdoors.
Plant Community
Directors: Samuel Joseph Phelps and Jemima Daisy Priest
A warm and informative documentary exploring how gardening can provide peace, community and a sense of purpose.
Potwash
Director: Joshua Trett
Isaac, a quiet kitchen porter in a countryside pub, endures the torment of a cruel head chef while falling for a kind waitress named Charlotte.
Sapling
Directors: Ben Franklin and Anthony Melton
A grieving mother returns to the cursed woodland where her son vanished, forcing her abusive husband to face the monstrous consequences of the violence he left behind.
SpaceBop
Director: Callum Adkins
A fast-paced sci-fi comedy exploring communication, acceptance and the importance of never underestimating the unassuming.
The filmmakers aimed for Star Trek and, in their own words, “accidentally made a kid version of Red Dwarf!”
Take You With Me
Director: Harry Walter-Green
A complacent working man sets out to fulfil his late father’s dream of becoming a space traveller.
The Cockle Story
Director: Graham Cooke
A documentary following the fishermen of King’s Lynn during the 2026 cockle season.
The Courage to Stand Up
Director: Will Glitch
Deep in the grassroots world of Britain’s booming stand-up comedy scene, real performers share their stories, ambitions and struggles — both on stage and behind the scenes.
The Dying Knight
Director: Andrew Gladman
A knight found on the brink of death embarks on a journey through a world of myth to discover his fate.
Time That Ticks
Directors: Corbyn Colman and Robert Colman
After a daring prison escape, two convicts disappear into the outside world, attempting to build new lives while staying one step ahead of the law.
FFF26 Competition Films
Nine short films have been selected for the FFF26 Competition.
The competition gives filmmakers the opportunity to have their work screened in a proper cinema and celebrated in front of a live audience, with awards presented to the winning films as part of the FFF26 finale.
A Good Landlord
Director: Jemima Daisy Priest
A short documentary following a busy day in the life of Andy as he navigates the routines of property management with unexpected warmth and humanity.
Behind Closed Doors
Director: Hudson Tong
A dark comedy following a newly married couple on their first night together as husband and wife — alone.
Bubbles
Director: Mark Henderson
Two friends discuss their premonitions of the future while the world around them begins to change.
Dyslexia & Me
Director: St Luke’s Primary Drama Club
A film exploring dyslexia and some of the difficulties experienced by children at primary school.
Eddy the Bear
Director: Luke Hamman-Day
When Eddy is unable to take Socks the Monkey to see a new superhero movie, Eddy and his friends band together to give Socks the best cinema experience yet.
In Hot Water
Director: Mason Thomas McGinty
Two brothers land themselves in hot water when they have to offload £15,000 worth of stolen tea bags.
Last Days at the End
Director: Daisy Patnell
Knowing she will die, the last surviving human of a zombie apocalypse travels to her final resting place.
Pearl and Pomegranate
Director: Erin May Reall
A young woman journeys on a quest to retrieve Neptune’s lost oyster shell, exploring the ocean, ruins and underworld. Along the way she faces mythical monsters that challenge her loyalties and force her to confront her own mortality.
Superesse
Director: Hudson Tong
The beginnings of an absurd romance set in a dystopian world where the human race is no longer at the top of the food chain.
FFF26 – See the Full Programme
These films are being screened across the FFF26 weekend alongside feature films, special screenings and festival events.
For screening dates and times, ticket information and the complete Fakenham Film Festival programme, visit the FFF26 programme page.
The festival culminates in the Red Carpet Event, Competition Film Showcase and FFF26 Awards, celebrating independent filmmaking, local creativity and the growing film community around Fakenham and Norfolk.
