Folkestone Documentary Festival 2026: Filmmaking Challenge
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Be the first to see the shortlisted films for this year’s Filmmaking Challenge in a free screening followed by awards for the Best Film and Best Environmental Film.
Grab a coffee and a croissant and prepare to be amazed by the wealth of local filmmaking talent!
We’re thrilled to announce the shortlist for this year’s Filmmaking Challenge is as follows:
A FISHERMAN’S MEMORIES OF KENT’S SEA FORTS by Paul Brook
A Kent fisherman recalls a life of boats, pirate radio and wartime sea forts.
BITCH BRAIN by Christine Drylie
Living with my 'BITCH BRAIN' (aka my ADHD brain) and the coping strategies I use to deal with her.
COMMUNITY LITTER PICKERS by Quinn Hart
Eco Around, a community interest company, heads to Canterbury to partake in community litter picking and social bonding.
GO FORAGE YOURSELF by Mark Thomas and Luke Edwards
Mark follows Lady Fox, “Kent's No. 1 Forager", into the depths of the Garden of England's hedgerows and farmers' fields, as she attempts to teach him how to find nature’s gifts without getting lost, poisoned, or arrested.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT by Andy Tuohy
An old lady revisits her artistic past and her mistakes, while offering advice for the next generation of artists.
LOUIS by Louis Baker
Experiencing just some of what Louis's 'loves' are in his world.
POWER LIFTING by Florence Jones and Denitsa Vasileva
Alan Collins, Folkestone legend and owner of Hi-rep gym, has lived a life of powerlifting, world records and competitions. In this film Alan gives you a personal tour of this cultural iron stronghold and walks you through his career and the people he met along the way.
THE ALLOTMENTERS by Megan Jones
A peak behind the fence at the rules and radicals of the allotment community.
THE FISHERMAN'S HERITAGE by Adura Babatunde
In Folkestone, where a once-thriving fishing community has dwindled to just a handful of boats, a fourth-generation fisherman and a local angler reflect on what is being lost as the sea changes.
UNDER THE CHALK, INTO THE DIRT by Roanne Hulse
An intimate portrait of allotment life where growing a patch of land becomes about far more than what can be grown and what it means to have something you simply cannot bear to lose.
All films have been certified PG.
www.folkestonedocumentaryfestival.co.uk
Image credit: Louis by Louis Baker