Festival 2023

Crossing the Screen Film Festival 2023

The Crossing the Screen Film Festival 2023 marked a significant return to live screenings after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Held from March 3 to 5, 2023, at The Grove Theatre in Eastbourne, with a pre-festival screening on March 2 at the Leaf Hall Community Arts Centre, the festival reestablished its presence in the community.

This edition featured a diverse selection of international and British films, including narrative features, short films, documentaries, animations, and experimental productions. Notable films from the 2023 festival included “Motherless” (Iran) by Seyyed M. Fatemi, which won the Best Narrative Feature Film award, and “Outlaw Gardeners” (Italy) by Angelo Camba, which received the Best Documentary Feature Film award. Other award winners included “Stillness” (UK) by Rachel Fowler and “Breathe” (Iran) by Majid Salehi and Amir Nouri, which tied for Best Narrative Short Film.

The festival also continued its tradition of community engagement and collaboration, showcasing local talents through a special Sussex production category. “The Stevie Project” (UK) by Arlo Taylor-Osmon won the Best Sussex Production award, highlighting the region’s creative contributions.