Sunderland Shorts Review Group

Culture House Sunderland is running a short film review group this autumn, and it's open to anyone over 18. The sessions run every Wednesday afternoon from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, starting on 4 November and continuing through 11, 18 and 25 November, then 2, 9 and 16 December. That's seven afternoons in total, all held in the Media Studio at Culture House.

The format is straightforward: you watch short films, discuss them, and review them. The films you'll be seeing are the ones being considered for the Sunderland Shorts Film Festival 2027, so you're getting a look at them well before they make it to the big screen. The whole point of the group is to help shape the next festival programme, which means your reactions and reviews actually feed into what ends up being screened.

Because it's a series of sessions rather than a one-off, you can drop in for a single Wednesday or come along to several across the two months. The sessions are free, though booking is advised. They're open to over-18s, and since they run from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, they fit into a late afternoon rather than taking up your whole evening. If you've got an interest in film and want to see what's being lined up for the 2027 festival, this is a good way to get involved early.