From the Dunes

Norfolk has some of the highest rates of coastal erosion across the country, and while sleepy villages such as Happisburgh experience some of the most dramatic and contrasting imagery, on the eastern region sits some of the most devastating and heartbreaking stories.

‘From the Dunes’ is a short film produced by Joseph Harrington and commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, which tells the story of a family from Hemsby whose home is under direct and imminent threat from this natural phenomenon. Told through the eyes of two teenage boys, it is a hopeful and optimistic exploration of their personal relationship with the place they call home, and gives voice to a community that feel forgotten and abandoned.

Working with local poet Poppy Stevens, the boys wrote and performed a spoken word piece to narrate the film. Using this work as a stimulus, Poppy then delivered a series of poetry workshops in secondary schools across the region to further explore young people’s experiences of living in our coastal communities.

The film was screened as part of Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2026, alongside additional documentary footage and a selection of poems from the schools’ workshops. A panel discussion was also presented, where audience members were able to learn about the filmmaking process from the project artists and subjects of the film, Luca and Harry.

It will be submitted to a series of film festivals and formally launched in late 2026, when seasonal rates of coastal erosion typically increase and public and media attention on the issue is likely to be greater. We will share further updates here as they become available and look forward to supporting the film’s promotion and helping it reach the widest possible audience.

‘I liked that we could write without many limitations and I learnt how to write a poem really quickly without overthinking it.’

Participant feedback, Ormiston Denes Academy

‘An important, inspiring piece of film-making on a significant, troubling situation. Lovely to hear the children’s viewpoints on coastal erosion. It shows impact from a child’s perspective – which lacks in many stories.’

Visitor feedback, NNF26

Read the Poems

Collaborative Festival poem

During the festival’s Welcome Weekend, audiences were invited by project poet Poppy Stevens to respond to a series of creative prompts adapted from those used in the schools’ workshops. Participants were encouraged to reflect on the places they call home, sharing their own thoughts, feelings and experiences. Drawing on these contributions, Poppy created a new collaborative festival poem, Our Norfolk & Norwich, capturing a collective portrait of place through the voices of festival audiences.

Artists

Joseph Harrington and Poppy Stevens

Locations

Hemsby and Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, Suffolk

Participants

40 students across Key Stages 3 & 4 from Community-Ed Academy and Ormiston Denes Academy

Partners

JH Film Production
East Norfolk Sixth Form College