Film & Television Festivals
The Austin area is home to over 25 world-class film and television festivals, each covering a variety of unique genres and content types. Along with amazing screenings, many of the festivals also include a conference aspect with informative panel sessions that feature prominent industry figures.
The listings below include dates and a concise overview of each festival along with links to the each festival's official website where you can find up-to-date lineup details, volunteer opportunities, call for entries and more. Many of the festivals also host year-round screenings and special programing outside the festival season, so be sure to follow each event's social media to stay in the know.
48 Hour Film Project Austin
June 6-8, 2025
The 48 Hour Film Project is a contest where filmmakers from all over Austin compete to see who can make the best short film in under 48 hours.
All Genders Lifestyles & Identities Film Festival
August 20-24, 2025
The All Genders, Lifestyles & Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) presents programming for the Austin community depicting a myriad of issues across cultures, race, class, age, religion and more.
ATX Short Film Showcase
Recurring Monthly
Austin's monthly film festival, the ATX Short Film Showcase, curates 8 local short films followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers screen every 2nd Monday of the month at The Ballroom at Spiderhouse.
ATX Television Festival
May 29 - June 1, 2025
ATX TV Festival is a four-day celebration of all things TV featuring panels, screenings, events & more, where fans and industry members come together to talk, watch, and experience television as one community.
Austin Action Film Fest
August 8-10, 2025
The Austin Action Fest is an international festival dedicated to video projects that either include and or are strongly driven by the action and stunt sequences of all kinds.
Austin Asian American Film Festival
June 25-29, 2025
The Austin Asian American Film Festival showcases the best in Asian and Asian American cinema in order to celebrate communities, entertain, enlighten, and showcase creative talents.
Austin Comedy Short Film Festival
September 15, 2025
The Austin Comedy Short Film Festival is a unique forum for international independent filmmakers to showcase their short comedy films.
Austin Film Festival
October 23-30, 2025
Recognized as one of the top film festivals in the country, Austin Film Festival shines the spotlight on top-billed films and indies alike along with a renowned conference that focuses on screenwriting.
Austin Horror Film Festival
October 23-30, 2025
The Austin Horror Film Festival is a premier horror film festival in the heart of Bat City dedicated to showcasing the very best in independent horror filmmaking.
Austin Indie Fest
August 1-9, 2025
Austin Indie Fest fills a major gap, finding a place for new film makers who want to compete in a high quality Film Festival, but aren't quite ready for larger festivals.
Austin Jewish Film Festival
October 30 - November 9, 2025
The Austin Jewish Film Festival promotes the love of Jewish films to the Central Texas community by screening movies and programming other events related to movies.
Austin Lift-Off Film Festival
April 1-30, 2026
Lift-Off Global Network brings a program to Austin showcasing a collection of short films from award-winning filmmakers. These films are among some of the best of the past year.
Austin Polish Film Festival
TBD: Fall 2025
The Austin Polish Society presents their annual film festival featuring carefully curated narrative, documentaries, animation and shorts film, as well as an amazing Polish film poster exhibit.
Austin Revolution Film Festival
January 29 - 31, 2026
The Austin Revolution Film Festival showcases independent films from all over the world, along with hosting networking events and parties for attendees.
Austin Spotlight Film Festival
Austin Spotlight Film Festival is an annual international film festival held at Alamo Drafthouse Mueller featuring short films, music videos, trailers, and kickstarters.
Austin Under The Stars Film Festival
Austin's first outdoor film festival, Austin Under the Stars Film Festival mixes films, live music and socializing at Lone Star Court - a retro-inspired boutique hotel at the Domain.
Austin Veteran Arts Film Festival
October 17, 2025
The AVAFEST Film Festival seeks to uplift the art of filmmaking and video production by veterans, military personnel and their families, inspiring them to create films as a means of healing and entertaining others.
Black Auteur Film Festival
June 21, 2025
Black Auteur Film Festival (BAFF) is dedicated to preserving, empowering, and celebrating Black voices in cinema, showcasing a wonderful films directed by Black Texans.
Camp Film Festival
April 26-27, 2025
The CAMP Film Fest is a celebration of independent filmmakers, artists, and storytellers with workshops and performances from creatives who bridge the gap between the internet and Hollywood.
Cine Las Americas
May 14-18, 2025
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival showcases contemporary films from North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean and Spain.
Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival & Short Film Competition
September 20, 2025
The Coalition of Texans with Disabilities hosts the Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival & Short Film Competition which shines a spotlight on films that positively and accurately represent disability.
Fantastic Fest
September 18-25, 2025
Fantastic Fest is the Alamo Drafthouse's annual genre festival featuring the horror, science fiction, fantasy, action, Asian, and cult films from around the world.
Films For The Forest
June 22, 2025
Films for the Forest is an annual short film challenge created by Rainforest Partnership with the goal of creating an awareness about the importance of tropical rainforests and threats faced by forests.
Future Front Texas
August 30 - September 1, 2025
The Front Market and Festival is a weekend of pop-up shops and performances, centering emerging creatives, artists, designers including an outdoor film showcase featuring shorts and features from Texas directors.
GTX Film Festival
September 27, 2025
GTX Film strives to inform and educate filmmakers through quality events featuring industry professionals as speakers and panelists who discuss topics related to writing, directing and producing content for the moving image industry.
Indie Meme Film Festival
TBD: Spring 2026
Indie Meme presents an exclusive opportunity to see internationally-acclaimed, award-winning narrative features, documentaries and shorts from South Asia
Lost River Film Fest
February 6-8, 2026
Taking place in spring-fed river town of San Marcos and the adjacent communities of Lockhart and Seguin, the Lost River Film Fest is soaked in a youthful, progressive, small-town-Texas vibe, providing a splendid spotlight on independent cinema and live music.
OUTsider LGBTQIA Festival
TBD: Winter 2026
OUTsider showcases LGBTQIA film and art via unique festival experiences in order to educate and entertain the public as well as to support the creative endeavors of LGBTQIA artists.
Paramount Summer Classic Film Series
May – September 2025
Every year when the heat turns up, Austinites know it’s time to escape into our century-old movie palace and enjoy some of the greatest films ever made with 90+ films from all genres and eras and a wide array of guests.
Sound Unseen
TBD: Winter 2025
Sound Unseen is a unique, cutting edge “films-on-music” festival, bringing together both worlds with the best in documentaries, short films, and music videos, while also showcasing rare concert footage, panels, and live music.
South By Southwest Film Conference & Festival (SXSW)
March 12-18, 2026
Now one of the biggest festivals in the nation, SXSW offers the latest and greatest in the music, film, television and interactive with speakers and content from around the world.