It might seem odd to travel to faraway places to only sit in a darkened theater and watch films. But film festivals can be an exciting addition to a any travel itinerary.
Use this handy reference list to plan your trips throughout the year and also check the Events listings to find cultural listings of all types in your destination area.
If you are a producer of a film festival or know of a festival coming up, let us know by sending the festival name, dates, and link to the web site so I can add it to the calendar!
Edited: This is 2020’s list not yet updated for 2021
January
January 2-13: Palm Springs International Film Festival
January 11: Monthly Film Festival LA
January 15-28: The New York Jewish Film Festival
January 16-20: Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival
January 23-February 2: Sundance Film Festival
Starts January 31: Clermont-Ferrand Short-Film Festival
February
Until February 8: Clermont-Ferrand Short-Film Festival
February 10-27: Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
February 12-16: Santa Fe Film Festival
February 13-16: Dam Short Film Festival
Until February 13: SF Independent Film Festival
February 14-16: Toronto Next Wave
Starts February 20: Berlinale
Starts February 22: Sedona Film Festival
Starts February 28: Spokane International Film Festival
March
Until March 1: Sedona Film Festival
Until March 1: Berlinale
March 3-8: Omaha Film Festival
March 5-8: Boulder International Film Festival
Until March 6: Spokane International Film Festival
March 13-21: SXSW Film Festival
March 20-22: Taos Shortz Film Fest
Starts March 27: Sarasota Film Festival
March TBA: FirstGlance Film Fest Los Angeles
April
April 1-5: Go Short International Short Film Festival
April 2-9: Wisconsin Film Festival
Until April 5: Sarasota Film Festival
April 15-26: Tribeca Film Festival
April 16-20: Ashland Film Independent Film Festival
April 17-26: WorldFest Houston Film Festival
April 20-26: Calgary Underground Film Festival
April TBA San Francisco International Film Festival
May
May 6-9: Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
May 7-13: Ethnocineca
May 7-17: DOXA Documentary Film Festival
May 12-23: Cannes Film Festival
May 28-31: Mendocino Film Festival
Starts May 29: Zlín
May TBA: Mountainfilm
June
Until June 6: Zlín
June 3-14: Sydney Film Festival
June 5-14: Festival des Très Courts
June 11-14: San Francisco Black Film Festival
June 13-22: Shanghai International Film Festival
June 23-29: Nantucket Film Festival & Screenplay Competition
Starts June 25: FilmFest Munchen
June TBA: Edinburgh International Film Festival
June TBA: Melbourne International Animation Festival
July
Until July 4: FilmFest Munchen
July 16-26: Jerusalum Film Festival
July 23-26 Comic-Con International Film Festival
Starts July 28: Traverse City Film Festival
July TBA: Durban International Film Festival
August
Until August 2: Traverse City Film Festival
August 4-9: Rhode Island International Film Festival
August 6-23: Melbourne International Film Festival
August 13-15: Atlanta Underground Film Festival
August 14-21: Sarajevo Film Festival
August 20-24: Hiroshima International Animation Festival
Back in 2021: Venice International Film Festival
August TBA: Rwanda Film Festival
September
September 11-13: Coney Island Film Festival
Starts September 23: Bergen International Film Festival
September 24-27: Port Townsend Film Festival
Starts September 24: Edmonton International Film Festival
September TBA: Oldenburg International Film Festival
September TBA: Great Lakes Independent Film Festival
September TBA: Toronto Film Festival
October
Until October 1: Bergen International Film Festival
Until October 3: Edmonton International Film Festival
October 9-15: Oaxaca Film Fest
October 15-18: Kerry Film Festival
October TBA: Freak Show Horror Film Festival
October TBA: FirstGlance Film Fest Philadelphia
October TBA: Doclisboa – The Lisbon International Documentary Film Festival
October TBA: AFRIFF
October TBA: Alexandria Mediterranean Countries Film Festival
October TBA: Africa n Motion Film Festival
October TBA: Cambridge Film Festival
October TBA: Canberra International Film Festival
October TBA: Brisbane International Film Festival
October TBA: Mill Valley Film Festival
October TBA: National Film Festival for Talented Youth
November
November TBA: Lone Star International Film Festival
November TBA: Alexandria Film Festival
November TBA: Cairo International Film Festival
November TBA: Carthage Film Festival / Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage
November TBA: Camerimage International Film Festival
November TBA: Cork Film Festival
November TBA: Red Rock Film Festival
December
December 2-6: Whistler Film Festival
December TBA: Festival International du Film de Marrakech
December TBA: Festival International del Nuevo Cine Latino Americano Havana
