The 5th edition of the festival took place from 22 -26 October 2025. The festival was a curated celebration of 25 international and UK documentary films taking place over five days in the seaside town of Folkestone, with all screenings taking place at the beautiful Silver Screen Cinema.

The programme dove deep – from the ocean floor to outer space. We met the creatures who live beneath the waves, explored Korean dating, and uncovered the fight for English land rights. We visited eccentric farms and discovered the radical power of a Kenyan library. We got fired up by community solar energy, encountered a legend of 80s pop, and saw Folkestone as you’ve never seen it before. 

Image credit: BFI Inside the Archive

Submissions are now open for the 6th edition of Folkestone Documentary Festival. Enter your film via FilmFreeway via the link below. The festival takes place from 22-25 October 2026.

All feature and short films screened at the festival will receive a screening fee and, where possible, an invite to the festival with accommodation and travel expenses covered for the director.