Fall Film Festivals

Christmas Holiday Throwback Series at Union Station - Kansas City, MO - Nov 22 to Dec 19, 2024
Watch classic and retro holiday movies including National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, and the Polar Express, all at Regnier Extreme Screen, the largest movie theater screen in the region. Each movie will screen for a few days, check the website for the schedule and tickets.

Cucalorus Film Festival - Wilmington, NC - Nov 20 to Nov 24, 2024
Founded in 1994 this annual festival screens over 200 films at several area venues. Dress up for the red carpet and enjoy your nights out. Recent addition can help venture capitalists and entreprenteurs meet at the Cucalorus Connect conference, which featured more than 50 events (in addition to the film festival) such as panels and workshops.

UrbanWorld - New York, NY - Nov 13 to Nov 17, 2024
Unique 5 day film festival includes film screenings, panel discussions, live readings and music performances.

Hot Springs International Horror Film Festival - Hot Springs, AR - Nov 9 to Nov 10, 2024
Independent film festival with a variety of films in the horror, sci fi, and thriller genres, with premieres, networking and exhibition opportunities.

Lake Placid Film Festival - Lake Placid, NY - Nov 8 to Nov 10, 2024
View films and shorts, attend panels and more

St. Louis International Film Festival - St. Louis, MO - Nov 7 to Nov 17, 2024
Annual event with almost 400 screenings and programs at more than 10 venues.

Fairhope Film Festival - Fairhope, AL - Nov 7 to Nov 10, 2024

Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival - Rehoboth Beach, DE - Nov 4 to Nov 10, 2024
The oldest and largest event of its kind in the State of Delaware. RBIFF has developed into a mid-Atlantic fall destination event for film enthusiasts from more than fifteen states. The eleven day event is held every November and offers a wide variety of American and international feature, documentary and short films.

Rome International Film Festival - Rome, GA - Oct 31 to Nov 3, 2024
This event is known for its screenings of independent films. MovieMaker called it one of the outstanding film festivals of the Southeast.

Austin Film Festival - Austin, TX - Oct 24 to Oct 31, 2024
Film pass permits access to 180 premieres, indie films, narrative and documentary competition, shorts program and more.

Freak Show Horror Film Fest - Orlando, FL - Oct 18 to Oct 20, 2024
This film festival supports independent filmmakers in the international horror genre.

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival - Hot Springs, AR - Oct 18 to Oct 26, 2024
A 9-day all-documentary festival, makes its home in the Historic Spa City of Hot Springs, with all screenings and parties held within easy walking distance. Known for its eccentric charm and unbeatable hospitality, the city of Hot Springs is an ideal place to mix and mingle with industry professionals, filmmakers, and celebrity guests far from the intensity of the Hollywood scene. Each October, film-lovers and filmmakers gather to immerse themselves in more than 100 of the best international features and shorts the documentary world has to offer, and to attend unforgettable events and parties.

A.C. Cinefest - Atlantic City, NJ - Oct 18 to Oct 20, 2024
Celebrating the art of independent moviemaking. Meet the celebrities from stage and screen up-close at this annual film festival.

Vermont International Fall Festival - Burlington, VT - Oct 18 to Oct 27, 2024
Film festival with a variety of programming actoss the week.

New Hampshire Film Festival - Portsmouth, NH - Oct 17 to Oct 20, 2024
Screens more than 100 films during the course of the event. Includes Young Filmmaker’s Workshop and closing ceremonies with presentation of the Granny Awards.

Portland Film Festival - Portland, OR - Oct 16 to Oct 20, 2024
MovieMaker Magazine called it one of the coolest film festivals in the world. This festival brings a week of film premieres, networking, workshops, guest speakers, Q&A’s and more to Portland.

New Orleans Film Festival - New Orleans, LA - Oct 16 to Oct 22, 2024
Hosted by multiple theatres across the city, the film festival gives out awards in seven different categories with prize packages that include thousands of dollars’ worth of camera packages, software, film stock, cash prizes and more. In addition to screenings, there are parties and other events, and celebrities are often in attendance. Individual screening tickets are available but can go quickly, so the All-Access Pass (which among other benefits guarantees tickets to all festival screenings) is the better bet

San Francisco Dance Film Festival - San Francisco, CA - Oct 16 to Oct 20, 2024
Dance films from San Francisco and around the world, including experiemental shorts, live performance capture, dance documentaries, live performances and more.

Santa Fe Independent Film Festival - Santa Fe, NM - Oct 16 to Oct 20, 2024
Brings the latest independent films and directors, Native cinema, New Mexico films, student films, and masters discussions to several venues in Santa Fe.

Chicago International Film Festival - Chicago, IL - Oct 16 to Oct 27, 2024
Exhibiting films from around the world for five decades.

Woodstock Film Festival - Woodstock, NY - Oct 15 to Oct 20, 2024
Innovative film and music festival with great concerts, workshops, variety of films, celebrity led panels, an awards ceremony and fantastic parties. Often sells out so get your tickets early.

Urban Mediamakers Film Festival - Atlanta, GA - Oct 14 to Oct 27, 2024
The annual event takes place at various locations in metro-Atlanta and Lawrenceville. There are also guest speakers and workshops, as well as a competition for middle and high schoolers.

Telluride Horror Show - Telluride, CO - Oct 11 to Oct 13, 2024
Colorado’s first and longest-running horror film festival returns for another year, with the latest genre films from all around the world, and visitors from near and far for a three-day gathering in the mountain resort town of Telluride. Enjoy horror, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, sci-fi and dark comedy in various venues, with over 20 feature films and 50+ short films (some making their US premiere for the first time!) plus special programs, guests and other events.

Heartland Film Festival - Indianapolis, IN - Oct 10 to Oct 20, 2024
Since the inaugural Festival in 1992, Heartland has grown from a four-day event with less than 20 films to an 11-day celebration featuring more than 100 independent films, 200 visiting filmmakers and 300 film screenings.

Dayton LGBT Film Festival - Dayton, OH - Oct 10 to Oct 13, 2024
The Dayton LGBT Film Festival has been bringing the best and newest of LGBT cinema to the Miami Valley for well over a decade. They’ve brought close to 200 feature length and short films to town since their inception, and they’ve hosted over 20 guest artists

Bend Film Festival - Bend, OR - Oct 10 to Oct 13, 2024

Lake Charles Film & Music Festival - Lake Charles, LA - Oct 4 to Oct 5, 2024
Annual event for 5+ years. Independent film screenings, seminars, parties, networking, live music, cajun food and more.

Atlanta Horror Film Festival - Atlanta, GA - Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2024
They’ve screened thousands of independent horror features and shorts since 2006.

California Avocado Festival - Carpinteria, CA - Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2024
One of the largest free festivals in Cali with a great lineup of music and fabulous food.

Grand Junction Art Festival - Grand Junction, CO - Oct 4 to Oct 5, 2024
Visit Downtown galleries and local businesses to see local talent displayed in various forms of artwork. Meet local artists, enjoy street art, sample wines from local wineries, and more!

Mill Valley Film Festival - San Rafael, CA - Oct 3 to Oct 13, 2024
An eleven-day, internationally acclaimed cinema event welcoming more than 200 filmmakers from 50 countries.

Montana Film Festival - MIssoula, MT - Oct 3 to Oct 6, 2024
Watch screenings of new independent films plus the work of emerging artists.

Hawaii International Film Festival - Honolulu, HI - Oct 2 to Oct 13, 2024
A two week film festival started in 1981. It is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film.

Chagrin Documentary Film Fest - Chagrin Falls, OH - Oct 1 to Oct 6, 2024
A five day celebration of documentary films.

Chesapeake Film Festival - Easton, MD - Sep 27 to Sep 29, 2024
The annual program focuses on stories about the Maryland region and local communities

Charm City Fringe Festival - Baltimore, MD - Sep 26 to Oct 6, 2024
The annual Charm City Fringe, Baltimore’s 11-day festival of experimental theater and performance art, returns to the Bromo Arts District with more than 90 performances by artists from all over North America

Fargo-Moorhead LGBT Film Festival - Fargo, ND - Sep 26 to Sep 29, 2024
This festival seeks the LGBT-lived experience through the visions of innovative film and video makers.

FirstGlance Film Fest Philadelphia - Phoenixville, PA - Sep 26 to Sep 29, 2024
Independent film festival in Philadelphia, offering premiers from all genres and lengths, plus chances to vote for your favorites and meet the filmmakers, cast and crews.

Twin Cities Arab Film Festival - Minneapolis, MN - Sep 25 to Sep 29, 2024
Film festival, screening independent Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) cinema in-person at the Main Cinema in Minneapolis. The festival seeks to provide Arab American and Arab film artists support and exposure, build the local Arab American community, and present to the general public the diverse ways in which Arabs view themselves and the world they live in through the powerful and accessible medium of film.

Cinefest Latino Boston Film Festival - Boston, MA - Sep 25 to Sep 29, 2024
Annual event featuring films made by Latinos, about various themes and in different genres. Formerly called the Boston Latino International Film Festival (BLIFF)

Lady Filmmakers Film Festival - Beverly Hills, CA - Sep 25 to Sep 30, 2024
A film, music, and art festival dedicated to celebrating women filmmakers, artists, and musicians and the men who collaborate with them. Voted one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “Coolest Film Festivals in the World”.

Arizona Underground Film Festival - Tucson, AZ - Sep 20 to Sep 28, 2024
Arizona’s only premier genre cult film festival, with 9 days of programming

The Chicago LGBT International Film Festival (Reeling) - Chicago, IL - Sep 19 to Oct 6, 2024
The first Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival took place in April 1981 in a 90-seat folding-chair screening room, with nearly every screening sold out. The demand and enthusiasm for the festival made it an annual event that has been going strong ever since. The mission of Reeling is to recognize the important artistic contributions that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender filmmakers have made, educate the general population, and investigate the history of LGBTQ+ film, and to counteract this sterotyping with valid, meaningful and diverse portrayals of those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Great Lakes International Film Festival - Erie, PA - Sep 19 to Oct 5, 2024
For 2024, both virtual and in person film screenings. Annual event featuring independent digital films, from feature-length to short length films from a variety of genres, plus music videos from all types of musical genres. The festival has showcased more than 2000 films since 2002, many of which have gone on to be screened at other film festivals, television, and other distribution deals. Attend in person at various venues in Erie or attend the virtual festival!

Port Townsend Film Festival - Port Townsend, WA - Sep 19 to Sep 22, 2024
Over 80+ films in eight theatres. Venues are in the walkable National Historic District. Passes available starting at $40.

Fantastic Fest - Austin, TX - Sep 19 to Sep 26, 2024
A genre film festival specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi and action movies from around the world. Held at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

Reel Pride Gay and Lesbian Film Festival - Fresno, CA - Sep 19 to Sep 22, 2024
Annual event brings a variety of LGBTQ cinema and entertainment to Cental Valley.

Chicago South Asian Film Festival - Chicago, IL - Sep 19 to Sep 22, 2024
The film festival aims to advance diversity in Chicagoland through cinema, conversation, and culture, and gives South Asian talent, stories, and themes a world platform. Held in several venues in downtown Chicago, the festival includes screenings of films, panel discussions, and other opportunities for attendees to connect with filmakers, and attend musical performances, industry workshops, tributes to major artists and awards galas

MINT Film Festival - Billings, MT - Sep 19 to Sep 22, 2024
Montana International (MINT) is a five day film festival, organized by filmmakers for filmmakers. Enjoy premieres (past premieres include Stanley Tucci and Emma Thompson in The Children Act), walk the red carpet, and visit panel discussions, after parties and more.

Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival - Cleveland, OH - Sep 19 to Sep 27, 2024
It showcases regional, national and international urban culture as well as providing a platform for talented minority independent filmmakers, screenwriters and actors of greater Cleveland.

Crested Butte Film Festival - Crested Butte, CO - Sep 18 to Sep 22, 2024
100 films over four days.

Global Peace Film Festival - Orlando, FL - Sep 17 to Sep 22, 2024
A carefully curated selection of movies to help further the cause of peace on earth. Multiple venues across Orlando, check out the Venues tab of the event’s website for Venues and Parking.

Camden International Film Festival - Camden, ME - Sep 12 to Sep 15, 2024
For 2024, both virtual and in person programming. Annual documentary film and art festival for 10+ years in mid-coast Maine. Over 80 films are screened from dozens of countries.

South Dakota Film Festival - Aberdeen, SD - Sep 12 to Sep 15, 2024
A filmmaker-friendly small town event with a casual vibe. Since 2007.

Soo Film Festival - Sault Ste Marie, MI - Sep 11 to Sep 15, 2024
The festival is once again headquartered in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, with films screening at the historic Soo Theatre and Bayliss Public Library, a Superior District Library.

Oregon Independent Film Festival - Portland, OR - Sep 4 to Sep 29, 2024
Screens 75+ films from 10+ countries over two weeks at multiple venues including The Clinton Street Theater in Portland and the Bijou and Metro cinemas in Eugene.

Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival - Vineyard Haven, MA - Sep 3 to Sep 8, 2024
Explore the local area, live music and enjoy 40+ films from around the globe by international film makers, plus conversations with filmmakers and others, live musical events, and more

Cinecon - Burbank, CA - Aug 29 to Sep 2, 2024
A classic film festival in Hollywood over Labor Day weekend.

Tacoma Film Festival - Tacoma, WA - Oct 5 to Oct 12, 2023
A celebration of independent film in Western Washington’s second largest city.

Queen City Film Festival - Cumberland, MD - Oct 5 to Oct 8, 2023
Four days of screenings of films from around the world. QCFF categories are: Animation, Appalachian, Cult, Documentary, Horror/SciFi, Kids/Family, LGBT, and Music

Ohina Short Film Festival - Honolulu, HI - Sep 20 to Sep 20, 2023
The Ê»Ohina Short Film Showcase debuted in 1999 to support local independent filmmakers and to give them an opportunity to exhibit their films to the community. Named with the Hawaiian term for “gathering” or “collecting,” Ê»Ohina provides an annual exclusive venue for a collection of works by HawaiÊ»i filmmakers to be gathered and presented to the communit

Telluride Film Festival - Telluride, CO - Sep 1 to Sep 4, 2023
Annual film festival in Telluride

ChangeFest Film Festival - Chicago, IL - Jul 25 to Jul 25, 2023
For 2023, a mid summer film watch party/discussion. Normally: Enjoy films that promote ideas with action.

Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Film Festival - Providence, RI - Oct 15 to Oct 23, 2022
Screenings of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films, plus other events. Children under 14 not admitted without adult du to content of most films being intended for mature audiences.

Scottsdale Film Festival - Scottsdale, AZ - Nov 5 to Nov 12, 2021
Uses film to share and create dialog about the unique perspectives of other countries and cultures, allowing attendees to gain a deeper connection to local and global communities. Founded in 2001.

Portland Queer Film Festival - Portland, OR - Oct 1 to Oct 7, 2021
Cinema 21 hosts a festival of features, documentary, and short films made aroud the world, by, about, or of interest to the LGBT community

Kansas International Film Festival - Overland Park, KS - Nov 6 to Nov 12, 2020
Early bird passes and event-long passes are available each year, as well as a limited number of tickets to individual events. Held at the Glenwood Arts Theatre.

Flyway Film Festival - Pepin, WI - Oct 8 to Oct 11, 2020
An independent film festival on the shores of the Mississippi River.