| Name |
Est. |
City |
State/Prov. |
Notes |
Website |
| 168 Film Festival |
2003 |
Los Angeles |
California |
Speed filmmaking competition and festival. Entries accepted from anywhere in the world. Held annually in April. |
168project.com |
| Action On Film International Film Festival |
2005 |
Monrovia |
California |
Started as part of the World Martial Arts Trade Show and International Championships. |
|
| Ann Arbor Film Festival |
1961 |
Ann Arbor |
Michigan |
Longest-running film festival showcasing experimental and independent film in North America. Held annually in late March. |
aafilmfest.org |
| Atlanta Film Festival |
1977 |
Atlanta |
Georgia |
Held annually in April. An Academy Award-qualifying festival committed to discovering new filmmakers and representing the myriad of genres independent film covers, from drama to horror and everything in between. |
atlantafilmfestival.com |
| Bahamas International Film Festival |
2004 |
Paradise Island |
The Bahamas |
|
bintlfilmfest.com |
| Bel Air Film Festival |
2008 |
Los Angeles |
California |
An international festival held annually in November. |
belairfilmfestival.com |
| Boston Film Festival |
1984 |
Boston |
Massachusetts |
Annually showcasing feature films, documentaries and shorts in September. |
bostonfilmfestival.org |
| Buffalo Niagara Film Festival |
2007 |
Buffalo |
New York |
3 day festival held annually in the spring |
www.buffaloniagarafilmfestival.com |
| Calgary International Film Festival |
2000 |
Calgary |
Alberta |
Held annually for 10 days in late September or early October. |
calgaryfilm.com |
| CanToo Film Festival |
2011 |
Martinsburg |
West Virginia |
Focuses on films with great messages. The festival is held in September at an open-air theater. Every entry will receive a film review. |
www.cantoofilmfest.com |
| CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival |
1994 |
Toronto |
Ontario |
All kinds of short films. |
http://worldwideshortfilmfest.com |
| Chicago International Children's Film Festival |
1983 |
Chicago |
Illinois |
Largest fest of films for kids & youth in North America programming over 200 films from 40 countries annually. Held annually in late October for 10 days. |
cicff.org |
| Chicago International Film Festival |
1965 |
Chicago |
Illinois |
Held annually in October. |
chicagofilmfestival.org |
| Cine Las Americas International Film Festival |
1997 |
Austin |
Texas |
Held annually in the spring showcasing Latin American, Latino and Indigenous films. |
cinelasamericas.org |
| CinErotic FilmFest |
2010 |
Atlanta |
Georgia |
Debuts February 12–14, 2010. CEFF celebrates sex-positive, diverse and empowering erotic cinema and performance by amateurs, independent artists and the avant-garde. |
www.cineroticfest.com |
| Cleveland International Film Festival |
1977 |
Cleveland |
Ohio |
|
clevelandfilm.org |
| Columbus International Film & Video Festival |
1953 |
Columbus |
Ohio |
North America's second oldest film festival, held annually in November. As a competition festival, it is also known as The Chris Awards. |
www.chrisawards.org |
| Dances With Films |
1998 |
Los Angeles |
California |
The festival of unknowns (i.e. no celebrities) |
|
| DALLAS International Film Festival |
2006 |
Dallas |
Texas |
|
dallasfilm.org |
| DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival |
2000 |
Washington |
DC |
Held annually in October. |
http://www.apafilm.org/ |
| Denver Film Festival |
1978 |
Denver |
Colorado |
Held annually in November. |
denverfilm.org |
| Detroit Windsor International Film Festival |
2008 |
Detroit |
Michigan |
Held annually in June, and hosts the annual DWIFF Challenge |
http://www.dwiff.org/ |
| Dominican International Film Festival |
2004 |
Puerto Plata |
Dominican Republic |
Held Annually in December for Spanish and Latin Independent Films. |
dominicaninternationalfilmfestival.com |
| DOXA Documentary Film Festival |
1998 |
Vancouver |
British Columbia |
Largest documentary film festival in Western Canada. Held annually for ten days in May. |
http://www.doxafestival.ca |
| Edmonton International Film Festival |
1986 |
Edmonton |
Alberta |
|
edmontonfilmfest.com |
| Expresión en Corto International Film Festival |
1997 |
San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato |
Guanajuato |
Mexico's largest competitive film festival. |
expresionencorto.com |
| Festival du Nouveau Cinéma |
1971 |
Montreal |
Quebec |
|
nouveaucinema.ca |
| Festivus film festival |
2006 |
Denver |
Colorado |
|
festivusfilmfestival.com |
| Film North - Huntsville International Film Festival (HIFF) |
2010 |
Huntsville |
Ontario |
Film North, Huntsville International Film Festival, excellent festival in a remote location. Our mandate is to create a user - friendly environment for emerging Canadian and International Filmmakers to exhibit, promote, entertain and inform the audience. |
filmnorth.net |
| Florida Film Festival |
1992 |
Maitland |
Florida |
The Festival includes narrative and documentary features and shorts, animation, midnight movies, and a full array of educational forums, glamorous parties, and other special events. |
floridafilmfestival.com |
| Gotham Screen Film Festival & Screenplay Contest |
2007 |
New York City |
New York |
Showcase of new American and international cinema, with a competitive screenplay contest. |
gothamscreen.com |
| Guadalajara International Film Festival |
1988 |
Guadalajara |
Jalisco |
Mexico and Latin America's most prestigious and important international film festival as well as one of the oldest in the continent |
http://www.guadalajaracinemafest.com |
| Hamptons International Film Festival |
1993 |
East Hampton |
New York |
|
hamptonsfilmfest.org |
| Hawaii International Film Festival |
1981 |
Honolulu |
Hawaii |
Held annually in the fall for two weeks. HIFF states that 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." It is the largest such "East meets West" film festival in the United States. |
hiff.org |
| Haydenfilms International Film Festival |
2004 |
New York City |
New York |
The Haydenfilms International Film Festival is a hybrid of traditional and online film festivals that awards a grand prize of $25,000. |
http://www.haydenfilms.com |
| Heartland Film Festival |
1991 |
Indianapolis |
Indiana |
Since 1991, the annual Heartland Film Festival has introduced audiences to transformative independent films from around the world that artistically explore the human journey. Heartland awards more than $135,000 in prize money every year at the festival. |
heartlandfilmfestival.org |
| Indianapolis International Film Festival |
2004 |
Indianapolis |
Indiana |
|
indyfilmfest.org/ |
| Inside Out Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival |
1991 |
Toronto |
Ontario |
Canada’s largest queer film and video festival, held over 11 days in May |
insideout.on.ca |
| Jacksonville Film Festival |
2003 |
Jacksonville |
Florida |
Held annually for 4 days in mid-May. |
jacksonvillefilmfestival.com |
| KahBang Film Festival |
2009 |
Bangor |
Maine |
Part of the KahBang music-art-film Festival, built on discovering the Best Emerging Filmmakers, Narrative and Documentary Features, Comedy Films, Short Films, Music Docs, and awarding one notable filmmaker with the "Kevin Norwood Bacon Award for Achievement in Cinema". Held Annually in August. |
kahbang.com |
| L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival |
2009 |
Los Angeles |
California |
Held annually in the spring. Largest dedicated comedy short film festival in the United States, and host of the L.A. Comedy Scripts screenplay competition. |
lacomedyshorts.com |
| Little Rock Film Festival |
2006 |
Little Rock |
Arkansas |
"Biggest Little Film Festival in the South". Held annually in the beginning of June. This southern film festival features narrative film, documentary films, short film, panels, and unforgettable events |
http://www.littlerockfilmfestival.org |
| Love Your Shorts Film Festival |
2011 |
Sanford |
Florida |
Held around Valentine's Day. The Festival screens only short films under 30 minutes in length. Films are divided into different blocks for screening. Audience members at each block vote for their favorite film and winners are announced on the spot. The winning films from each block advance to a final block for a panel of judges to pick the overall festival winner. |
loveyourshorts.com |
| Margaret Mead Film Festival |
1976 |
New York City |
New York |
The longest-running, premiere showcase for international documentaries in the United States. Held annually in November at the American Museum of Natural History in the New York City. |
http://amnh.org/programs/mead/ |
| Martha's Vineyard Film Festival |
2001 |
Chilmark |
Massachusetts |
Held annually in March, but also includes summer and winter film series, and special events at other times of the year. Community-oriented, featuring action/activism-inspiring films. Filmmakers/film subjects regularly speak after screenings. |
www.tmvff.org |
| Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival |
2006 |
Martha's Vineyard |
Massachusetts |
Held annually in early September. Festival is hosted by the Martha's Vineyard Film Society |
mvfilmfest.com |
| Mexico City International Contemporary Film Festival |
2004 |
Mexico City |
Mexico |
Also known as FICCO (Festival Internacional de Cine Contemporáneo), it is hosted by Cinemex. |
ficco.com.mx |
| Miami Short Film Festival |
2002 |
Miami |
Florida |
Short Film Festival held annually in mid November. |
miamishortfilmfestival.com |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival |
1983 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul |
Minnesota |
Held annually in the spring. |
mnfilmarts.org |
| Montreal World Film Festival |
1977 |
Montreal |
Quebec |
|
ffm-montreal.org |
| Moondance International Film Festival |
2000 |
Boulder |
Colorado |
Film writers, filmmakers and film score composers who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences. |
moondancefilmfestival.com |
| Naperville Independent Film Festival |
2008 |
Naperville |
Illinois |
Annual film festival featuring the work of independent filmmakers. |
naperfilmfest.org |
| Nashville Film Festival |
1969 |
Nashville |
Tennessee |
Founded in 1969 as the Sinking Creek Film Celebration. Takes place in April and is an Academy Award-qualifying festival for Best Short Film and Best Animated Short Film. Features feature-length and short films from around the world. |
http://www.nashvillefilmfestival.org |
| Nantucket Film Festival |
1996 |
Nantucket |
Massachusetts |
Held annually in June. Dedicated to promoting cultural awareness and appreciation of the art of screenwriting in the world of cinema. Has both film and screenplay competitions. |
|
| Native American Film and Video Festival |
1979 |
New York |
New York |
Biannual festival held at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian featuring indigenous works from across the Americas |
nativenetworks.si.edu |
| National Film Festival for Talented Youth |
2007 |
Seattle |
Washington |
The world's largest youth film festival, showcasing the work of filmmakers from around the globe (aged 22 or under) |
nffty.org |
| Newport Beach Film Festival |
1999 |
Newport Beach |
California |
Founded in 1999, the Newport Beach Film Festival has evolved into a prestigious multicultural event, attracting over 40,000 attendees to Orange County. |
www.newportbeachfilmfest.com |
| New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest |
2007 |
New Brunswick |
New Jersey |
Only film festival in tri-state area dedicated to South Asian independent films. Features North American premieres and a select list of fresh and brilliant independent films by debut as well as established South Asian filmmakers or films on South Asian themes from all over the world |
http://www.njisacf.com/flash/njfilmfestival.html |
| New Orleans Film Festival |
1989 |
New Orleans |
Louisiana |
Frequently referred to as Cannes on the Mississippi. |
neworleansfilmsociety.org |
| New York Film Festival |
1962 |
New York City |
New York |
One of North America's oldest film festivals. |
www.filmlinc.com |
| New York International Children's Film Festival |
1997 |
New York City |
New York |
One of the largest film festivals for kids in North America, held annually from late-February to mid-March. |
www.gkids.com |
| Orlando Film Festival |
2006 |
Orlando |
Florida |
Its mission is to support and promote culture and the arts in Downtown Orlando through the medium of film. The Orlando Film Festival seeks to inspire student, future and current filmmakers in the art of filmmaking, and to enhance the movie viewing experience in Downtown Orlando through creative, unique and entertaining events. The Orlando Film Festival also fosters the growth of emerging and established film producers. Held annually in October/November |
http://www.orlandofilmfest.com |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival |
1989 |
Palm Springs |
California |
|
www.psfilmfest.org |
| Philadelphia Film Festival |
|
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
Presented by the Philadelphia Film Society, held annually in the fall. |
http://www.filmadelphia.org |
| Project Twenty1 Film Festival |
2006 |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
Screenings include the Philadelphia Filmathon and the annual 21-Day Filmmaking Competition. |
www.projecttwenty1.com |
| QFest |
1995 |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
Founded as the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the name was changed to QFest in 2009. Presented by the Philadelphia Cinema Alliance. |
http://www.phillycinema.org |
| Red Rock Film Festival |
2007 |
St. George |
Utah |
Located beneath the majestic red mountains of Southern Utah this international festival is held annually each November. |
http://www.redrockfilmfestival.com |
| Rhode Island International Film Festival |
1997 |
Providence |
Rhode Island |
Held annually for 6 days during the second week of August |
www.RIFilmFest.org |
| The Rome International Film Festival |
2003 |
Rome |
Georgia |
MovieMaker Magazine called it “one of the outstanding film festivals in the Southeast.” |
www.RIFF.tv |
| San Antonio Film Festival |
1994 |
San Antonio |
Texas |
Independent |
http://www.safilm.com |
| San Francisco Frozen Film Festival |
2006 |
San Francisco |
California |
Special interest, Independent. |
http://www.frozenfilmfestival.com |
| San Francisco Green Film Festival |
2011 |
San Francisco |
California |
|
http://www.sfgreenfilmfest.org |
| San Francisco International Film Festival |
1957 |
San Francisco |
California |
|
sffs.org |
| Santa Barbara International Film Festival |
1985 |
Santa Barbara |
California |
|
sbfilmfestival.org |
| Seattle International Film Festival |
1976 |
Seattle |
Washington |
One of the largest film festivals in the United States. |
seattlefilm.org |
| Sedona International Film Festival |
1994 |
Sedona |
Arizona |
One of the largest film festivals in Arizona. |
www.sedonafilm.org |
| Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival |
1999 |
Birmingham |
Alabama |
|
http://almovingimage.org/sidewalk-fest.html |
| Sonoma Valley Film Festival |
1996 |
Sonoma |
California |
Set in the heart of California wine country, one of the most prestigious of the smaller "destination" film festivals in the United States. |
sonomafilmfest.org |
| Sundance Film Festival |
1978 |
Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Sundance |
Utah |
Held annually in January, Sundance is the largest independent film festival in the United States. |
institute.sundance.org |
| Tallgrass Film Festival |
2003 |
Wichita |
Kansas |
This four-day festival, held in October, accepts independent short and feature submissions from all over the world. |
tallgrassfilmfest.com |
| Tampa International Film Festival |
2003 |
Tampa |
Florida |
|
tampafilmfest.com |
| Telluride Film Festival |
1974 |
Telluride |
Colorado |
Only 40 films are admitted each year. |
telluridefilmfestival.com |
| The Shortie Awards |
2001 |
Washington |
DC |
Recognizes original digital media productions created by student filmmakers, ages 7–18, and their teachers. |
mhznetworks.org |
| The United Film Festivals |
2002 |
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tulsa, New York, Chicago, London |
California, Oklahoma, New York, Illinois, England |
The festival's focus is to bring together talented filmmakers from diverse backgrounds, thus creating a "United" showcase of creative energy and talent. |
theunitedfest.com |
| Three Rivers Film Festival |
1982 |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania |
A program of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, emphasizing independent film. |
3RFF.com |
| Toronto International Film Festival |
1976 |
Toronto |
Ontario |
The world's largest film festival open to the general public, it is held annually in September. |
torontointernationalfilmfestival.ca |
| Tribeca Film Festival |
2002 |
New York City |
New York |
Founded by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro. |
tribecafilmfestival.org |
| Traverse City Film Festival |
2005 |
Traverse City |
Michigan |
Annual festival co-founded by filmmaker Michael Moore. |
traversecityfilmfestival.org |
| True/False Film Fest |
2003 |
Columbia |
Missouri |
Championing films that breathe new life into the nonfiction format, the festival features the finest new movies redefining the now-exploding form. |
truefalse.org |
| Vancouver International Film Festival |
1982 |
Vancouver |
British Columbia |
Held annually for two weeks in late September and early October. |
viff.org |
| Vancouver Queer Film & Video Festival |
1988 |
Vancouver |
British Columbia |
Largest queer film festival in Western Canada. Held annually for eleven days in late August. |
outonscreen.com |
| Vermont International Film Festival |
1985 |
Vermont |
United States |
World’s oldest environmental and human rights film festival |
vtiff.org |
| WILDsound Film Festival |
2003 |
Toronto |
Ontario |
World's only Monthly Feedback Film Festival; held at the National Film Board of Canada every month. |
http://www.wildsound.ca |
| Wisconsin Film Festival |
1999 |
Madison |
Wisconsin |
Annual showcase of independent and international documentary, narrative, experimental, student and animated films. Run for 4 days in early April |
http://www.wifilmfest.org |
| Yorkton Film Festival |
1950 |
Yorkton |
Saskatchewan |
North America's oldest film festival, held annually. |
http://www.yorktonshortfilm.org |
| Zero Film Festival |
2007 |
Los Angeles |
California |
First festival exclusive to self-financed filmmakers. |
http://www.zerofilmfestival.com |
