**Please refer to each festival’s website to check the most up-to-date event date and status information**
The vitality of Virginia’s production community can be experienced through the variety of exceptional film festivals held through the state and Washington DC. From the Virginia Film Festival, the state’s oldest and largest, to newer festivals highlighting themes such as the environment, regional culture, international film, Virginia filmmakers and the military – the variety and depth of Virginia’s film festivals and screening series is extraordinary.
If you would like to add your Virginia festival to the list, please email [email protected].
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- Central Virginia
48-Hour Film Project
Teams of filmmakers create original short films in two days which are shown at a screening. Best films are selected for a national competition.
Afrikana Independent Film Festival
Afrikana is a film festival dedicated to showcasing the cinematic works of people of color from around the world, with a special focus on the global Black narrative. As Richmond city's first and only Black film festival, the festival's mission is to create a platform that presents high-quality, well-crafted stories that celebrate the diaspora and encourage people to connect.
The Byrd Theatre
The Byrd Theatre is a historic movie palace in the Carytown neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. The theater, which originally opened with silent films in the 1920s, is celebrated in Richmond, Virginia as one of our nation’s Grand Movie Palaces and today is listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. They have an ongoing line-up of current films, past favorites, and special events and festivals.
ChinaFest
Films and cultural activities to explore themes of diversity, humanity, and cross-cultural human understanding.
Inthrive Film Festival
The Inthrive Film Festival is the first film festival to celebrate the voices and talents of folks who survived incarceration and is changing the narrative on what it means to have survived incarceration. In addition to film screenings you can meet with community organizations, hear from panelists, and see the work of previously incarcerated entrepreneurs and artists.
Indie Short Film Festival
The Indie Short Film Festival brings filmmakers and film fans together in beautiful Charlottesville, VA to celebrate the short film art form, with over 100 short film screenings, plus Q&As, workshops, panels, table reads, and a screenwriting competition.
Israeli International Jewish Film Festival
The Annual Israeli Film Festival produced by the Weinstein JCC Patrons of the Arts is dedicated to bringing exposure and understanding of Israeli art and culture through film. Each year more Israeli films are winning international acclaim and being recognized by film audiences here in the U.S. This Festival provides Richmond audiences with the opportunity to experience great Israeli filmmaking. Films are accompanied by discussions whenever possible.
James River Shorts
Richmond, VA. mini-Festival devoted to the short. Juried competition from around the globe. Produced by the James River Film Festival group.
James River Film Festival
Richmond, VA. This festival features ground-breaking work by independent media artists, workshops, screenings, seminars, and a juried competition each year.
Lynchburg Film Festival
The Lynchburg Film Festival (LYHFF) screens a wide range of remarkable local and international independent films in the beautifully restored Historic Theater at the Academy Center of that Arts in downtown Lynchburg Virginia. The festival takes place in October, with other events and programming year-round.
Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival
The festival, which takes place at the neighboring Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Virginia Museum of History and Culture, features leading names and films in native cinema, and is curated by representatives from Virginia Indian tribes, Native American filmmakers, and leaders from the arts community in Virginia.
Reel Paddling Film Festival
Sponsored by the American Canoe Association, this festival showcases paddling films and encourages people to get outside and enjoy the natural beauty of our lakes, rivers, and oceans. Ticket sales go to the Stream to Sea Initiative, an effort by the ACA to clean waterways and promote environmental stewardship.
Richmond Dance Festival
The Richmond Dance Festival will consist of performances and film screenings presented by dance artists located in the Richmond, VA area. We are looking for all kinds of styles of dance films to show the diversity of artists that call Richmond their home.
Richmond International Film Festival
Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF) brings a thrilling array of film screenings, industry panels, filmmaker Q&As, live musical performances, and entertainment mixers that usher the spirit of Hollywood into Virginia's historic Byrd Theater. It's a one-of-a-kind festival honoring some of the most singularly entertaining projects on the international film scene. RIFF welcomes produced films, music videos, and screenplays of all genres -- including short-form and feature-length works -- all while providing a networking platform for local filmmakers and talent from around the globe.
RVA Environmental Film Festival
This festival is held at several venues around the city, and showcases a national and local selection of films meant to inform the audience about current environmental issues.
Virginia High School League Film Festival
A festival showcasing the most talented high school filmmakers across the Commonwealth. The VHSL is an alliance of Virginia’s public high schools that promotes education, leadership, sportsmanship, character and citizenship.
The Virginia Film Festival (VAFF)
The Virginia Film Festival has been bringing leaders in film and academia together for over 30 years, taking place in beautiful Charlottesville in the autumn.
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- Coastal Virginia/Hampton Roads
48-Hour Film Project
Teams of filmmakers create original short films in two days which are shown at a screening. Best films are selected for a national competition. Held in several Virginia cities.
Naro Cinema
All-year in Norfolk. Numerous screenings of unusual films, including the “First Look Film Series,” a Sunday morning series featuring an advance screening of the latest offering from a roster of prominent independent, foreign, and up-and-coming filmmakers.
Ampersand International Arts Festival
Formerly the William & Mary Global Film Festival, this festival was launched in 2008 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Williamsburg Theater. The festival is held in later winter/spring and features films and artists from around the world.
Virginia Festival of Jewish Film
Film lovers from all over are invited to see national and international movies from fascinating documentaries to full feature dramas created by award-winning Jewish writers and filmmakers. Guest speakers accompany several films, with opening and closing night venues boasting delicious cuisine.
Save the Waves Film Festival
Save The Waves Film Festival is an international film tour and fundraiser for Save The Waves’ environmental programs and campaigns. Save The Waves documentary films and the Film Festival educate and inspire audiences to protect the coastline.
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- Eastern Shore
Experimental Film Virginia
Experimental Film Virginia is the core program for the Harbor for the Arts Festival in beautiful Cape Charles, Virginia, a town that still echoes of vintage Americana. The program develops experimental filmmaker's skills for two weeks under the mentorship of world-class faculty. The program concludes with a premiere of the various projects developed. Please contact us for an official letter of invitation to support funding from academic enrichment or other grant agencies at your academic institution or arts commission.
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- Roanoke Valley
Bedford Film Festival
The Bedford Film Festival takes place annually in Bedford, Virginia, showcasing a wide variety of film projects, including shorts, episodic, features, docus, and more. This year's festival will be at the Bower Center for the Arts. VA residents submitting qualify for a discount. Visit their website for more information.
The Grandin Theater
The historic Grandin Theatre is operated by the Grandin Theatre Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization. This historic theatre is one of the jewels in the arts and cultural crown of Roanoke Valley and the greater Southwest region. Features current films along with film festivals and special screenings.
Progeny Film Festival
Hosted annually by Virginia Tech's School of Performing Arts in Blacksburg, this festival showcases short (15 minutes or less) artistic films made by filmmakers in southwestern Virginia.
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- South Central Virginia
Longwood Animation Film Festival
The festival is an annual event located in Farmville, Virginia showcasing animated short films submitted by filmmakers from all over the world.
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- Southwest Virginia
Inthrive Film Festival
The Inthrive Film Festival is the first film festival to celebrate the voices and talents of folks who survived incarceration and is changing the narrative on what it means to have survived incarceration. In addition to film screenings you can meet with community organizations in Richmond, special events are held throughout Virginia, including Abingdon. Hear from panelists, and see the work of previously incarcerated entrepreneurs and artists.
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- Washington D.C. & Northern Virginia
Alexandria Film Festival
A yearly tribute to cinema, the Alexandria Film Festival presents independent feature-length films and shorts of all genres by both emerging and established filmmakers. Our mission is to promote cinema as an important cultural, educational and entertainment asset to our highly engaged audience. We proudly showcase Alexandria and Virginia as a dynamic venue for creating, exhibiting, and experiencing film.
Awesome Con Short Film Festival
The Awesome Con Short Film Festival is one of the most fun and most fan-friendly film festivals that you'll attend or be part of, and it takes place inside one of the biggest pop culture conventions in the USA-- Awesome Con in Washington DC.
DC Independent Film Forum
Washington, DC. A wide array of independent films, including some by local filmmakers. Festival includes films, discussions with filmmakers, and seminars. Submissions are accepted.
Fredericksburg Film Festival
The Fredericksburg Film Festival, in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia, celebrates the art of storytelling, welcoming local and international filmmakers and film enthusiasts. FFF is a hub of engagement and learning, providing panels, and social events all designed to create intimate opportunities for attendees to be part of a filmmaking community.
Immigration Film Festival
The festival showcases films about the immigrant experience, immigrant contributions to America, and their birth countries, while connecting newcomers with neighborhoods in their communities. The festival drew 2,000 supporters and viewers in its inaugural 2014 season.
Inthrive Film Festival
The Inthrive Film Festival is the first film festival to celebrate the voices and talents of folks who survived incarceration and is changing the narrative on what it means to have survived incarceration. In addition to film screenings you can meet with community organizations, hear from panelists, and see the work of previously incarcerated entrepreneurs and artists.
Middleburg Film Festival
The Annual Middleburg Film Festival offers four days of fantastic films in a spectacular setting, only 30 minutes from Dulles International Airport and just one hour from Washington, D.C. A carefully curated selection of narrative and documentary films will screen in an intimate theatre environment, followed by fascinating Q and A’s with world-renowned filmmakers and actors. The films include festival favorites, premieres, and Academy Award contenders.
The Northern Virginia International Film Festival
A festival for filmmakers by filmmakers and whose aim is to bring a slice of Hollywood to the Virginia area. They pride themselves on working with filmmakers independent of budget, origin, style or genre.
The festival is now connected with the Capital Film Market event in Fairfax, VA, for distributors, sales agents, buyers, filmmakers.
SmartPhilm Fest
This festival in Washington, DC is the first film festival in the Mid-Atlantic region with films shot exclusively with smartphones. The festival is dedicated to providing a platform to the global artistic and film loving community to document and produce their own stories in the most accessible way.
Northern Virginia Jewish Film Festival
NVJFF is one of the largest cultural events in Northern Virginia.
Come experience the unparalleled power of our films; to entertain, to inspire, to change minds, to connect hearts, and to bring the diverse Jewish experience to life!
Serving all of Northern Virginia including: Fairfax, Annandale, Vienna, McLean, Falls Church, Arlington, Springfield, Herndon, Gainesville, Alexandria, and more!
ReelAbilities Film Festival: Northern Virginia
ReelAbilities Film Festival: Northern Virginia is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with disabilities.
Each year, this dynamic festival, powered by the Pozez Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, presents both domestic and international award-winning films paired with interactive programming that gives us a new perspective and highlights the vibrant personalities, realities, and extraordinary abilities of people. Through film, art, and discussion, ReelAbilities Film Festival: Northern Virginia brings together the community to explore, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our shared human experience.
Washington West Film Festival
Built on the belief that story can change the world, Washington West Film Festival screens and premieres some of the finest independent films in 3 in-competition categories: dramatic features, documentary features, and short films. And the audience participates in the making of a new story-- 100% of box office net proceeds funds a project that works to solve a problem of hunger, education, disease, or displacement.