The Top Film Fests in North America

FROM UTAH’S SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL AND THE MONTREAL FESTIVAL DU NOUVEAU CINEMA TO AUSTIN’S ALL-ENCOMPASSING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WE SPOTLIGHT THE FILM FESTIVALS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

BY NICOLE PARTIS

In a world where the hours in a day are an ever-disappearing commodity it’s not easy to set aside the time to attend film festivals, no matter how much you know you’ll get in return when you do. We get it. You’re busy. Here, we spotlight a few of North America’s top film festivals, ranging from the biggest of the big and small niche independents to all those in between.

January

Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah - What started off as a laidback small film festival in 1985 has since grown to become the largest independent film festival in the U.S. and the ultimate gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives. Since its inception, hundreds of films launched at the Sundance Film Festival have gone on to gain critical acclaim and reach new audiences.

February

Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Santa Barbara, Calif.An 11-day film festival that’s been in existence since 1986, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival attracts some 100,000 attendees, including award-winning filmmakers, actors, writers, students and movielovers, and features some 200-plus films, tributes and panels.

Pan African Film & Arts Festival, Los Angeles, Calif. - Established in 1992, the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art and other creative expression. As the critically acclaimed largest Black film and arts festival and Black History

Month activation in the U.S., PAFF draws filmmakers, artists and unique craftspeople from over 40 countries and six continents to Los Angeles annually in February to showcase their pivotal work and talent.

March

South By Southwest, Austin, Texas - For nine days, creatives of all stripes gather in Austin, Texas, for the acclaimed Film & TV Festival program that runs concurrently with the SXSW Conference, Music and Comedy Festivals. Attracting industry leaders from across the globe, this fest is an official qualifying festival for the Academy Awards Short Film competition .

May

Seattle International Film Festival, Seattle, Wash. - The annual Seattle International Film Festival, a 10day event, attracts nearly 150,000 attendees who celebrate films from more than 80 countries and regions around the world. Many of the features screened won’t have a return to U.S. cinemas, making it an amazing event to discover new and underrepresented voices and stories.

June

Tribeca Festival, NYC, New York - For more than 20 years, New York City’s Tribeca Festival has worked to bring the community together through innovative storytelling across film, TV, immersive, games, talks and audio storytelling. Organized by Tribeca Productions, the annual festival hosts over 600 screenings with approximately 150,000 attendees, and awards independent artists in 23 juried competitive categories.

September

Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto, Ontario - Ranking among the most prestigious international film festivals in the world, the Toronto International Film Festival celebrates its 48th anniversary this year. One of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, the TIFF attracts more than 480,000 people annually. Since its founding, TIFF has grown to become a permanent destination film culture operating out of the TIFF Bell

Lightbox, located in downtown Toronto. TIFF’s mission is “to transform the way people see the world through film.”

October

Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal, QuebecOne of the oldest film festivals in Canada, the Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinema is an Academy Award-qualifying festival for short films. Showcasing national and international auteur cinema and offering audiences works of diversity and originality by emerging and major filmmakers, this festival focuses on new creators, new approaches and new technologies. Films include offbeat, one-of-a-kind niche works to crowd-pleasers to daringly innovative big events. The 11-day festival is designed as a space devoted to discussions, meetings and sharing, where film fans can come together with artists and professionals to exchange ideas in an informal setting.

Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, Illinois - An annual film festival held every fall, Chicago International Film Festival is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America, celebrating its 59th year. The festival features a host of screenings, panels, educational events and Q&A’s that foster cultural understanding and artistic engagement. DF

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

An extended North American film festival guide can be found on the Destination Film Guide website at: https://destinationfilmguide.com/ best-north-american-film-festivals/

Scan this QR code to learn more about the FLICS members mentioned in this article.

“The connection between the various liaisons and commissions across the state are invaluable to filmmakers. The combined experience and expertise with the individual commissioners has assisted so many productions that may require filming across multiple jurisdictions.”

– Eddie Robinson, City of West Hollywood