THURROCK INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL
17th-18th Oct 2026
CAFE CINEMA, Grays Town Park, Grays, Thurrock, Essex RM17 6PZ
NY
Our Story
It was 2018. Thurrock’s previous international film festival had closed a few years earlier. There was a gap crying out to be filled. We took the plunge! We established TIC Film Festival in 2018-2019. Then we crashed into COVID. Not to be daunted, we resurfaced with an outdoor cinema in 2021 in Grays Town Park alongside an online festival. In 2022 we forged on in earnest, still keeping with open-sir screenings in Grays Town Park. We became Film Thurrock, to embrace our widening our activities each year. in 2025, the identity of the festival became separate and clear. It became Thurrock International Film Festival!
Thurrock International Film Festival was formerly known as the Thurrock Screen Culture Festival, presented annually between August and October since 2018.
IMDb Qualifying Festival
Thurrock International Film Festival is an IMDb Qualifying Festival. Official selections and award winners are eligible for IMDb award listings, recognising the films’ participation and achievements within an international festival context.
Sponsors and Partners
Film Hub South East
BFI FAN, supported by the National Lottery
Film Thurrock
Purfleet Heritage & Military Centre
Thames Freeport
About the Festival
Thurrock International Film Festival is a UK-based film festival rooted in Essex and open to international voices. The festival presents contemporary cinema across narrative, documentary, animation, experimental film and screenwriting, with a focus on work that is socially aware, formally considered, and driven by strong creative intent.
The programme brings together emerging filmmakers and established voices, offering space for films that engage with questions of identity, justice, memory, and human resilience. Screenings and events take place across Thurrock and London, culminating in an awards ceremony at the end of the season.
Who We Programme
We welcome submissions from filmmakers of all backgrounds and career stages. The festival particularly encourages work by underrepresented voices, including those facing barriers related to race, class, disability, gender identity, sexuality, and geography.
We are drawn to films that approach their subjects with clarity, conviction, and care. This may include work that challenges social structures, reflects lived experience, or explores new cinematic forms. There is no house style, but we value thoughtful storytelling and strong artistic choices.
Awards and Recognition
Awards are determined by an appointed jury and reflect artistic craft, narrative strength, and cultural or social impact. Alongside main competition awards, the jury may present discretionary prizes where appropriate.
Awards Ceremony
The festival concludes with an in-person awards ceremony celebrating the filmmakers and creative teams whose work defined the year’s edition.
Awards & Prizes
Submission Categories
BEST FILM
BEST DOCUMENTARY
BEST ANIMATED FILM
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
BEST BRITISH SHORT FILM
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM
BEST STUDENT FILM
BEST NON-COMMISSIONED SCREENPLAY
Additional Award Categories
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST SCREENPLAY
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
JURY PRIZE FOR PERFORMANCE (at the jury's discretion)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST EDITING
BEST SOUND
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST HAIR AND MAKE-UP
Rules & Terms
Eligibility
• All non-English language films must include English subtitles.
• Films must have been completed within the past two years.
Submission Guidelines
• A secure online screener must be provided and remain accessible until 18 October 2026.
• Submission fees are non-refundable, including in cases of withdrawal.
With support of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery in order to bring this project to more audiences across the UK