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.
 



48hour
48 HOUR FILM PROJECT AUSTIN
TBD 2024
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.

 

AGLIFF
ALL GENDERS LIFESTYLES & IDENTITIES FILM FESTIVAL
August 21-25, 2024
The All Genders, Lifestyles & Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) presents programming for the Austin community depicting a myriad of issues across cultures, race, immigration status, class, gender identity and expression, age, and religion.

 

ATX Short Film Showcase logo
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 TV Festival

ATX TELEVISION FESTIVAL
May 30 - June 2, 2024
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
AUSTIN ACTION FILM FEST

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.  

 

Arthouse
AUSTIN ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL
January 14-20, 2024
Austin Arthouse Film Festival spotlights work from filmmakers across the world who defy conventions and tropes, who champion art over mass appeal and whose work challenges audience expectation. 

 

aaaff
AUSTIN ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
June 26-30, 2024
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.

 

comedy
AUSTIN COMEDY SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
October 17, 2024
The Austin Comedy Short Film Festival is a unique forum for international independent filmmakers to showcase their short comedy films.

 

AFF
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL
October 24-31, 2024
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.

 

Logo for Austin Horror Film Festival
AUSTIN HORROR FILM FESTIVAL
October 17-19, 2024
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.

 

AIndie
AUSTIN INDIE FEST
January 13-15, 2024
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.

 

ajff
AUSTIN JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
TBD Fall 2024
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 logo
AUSTIN LIFT-OFF FILM FESTIVAL

April 1-30, 2024
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.

 

APFF
AUSTIN POLISH FILM FESTIVAL
TBD Fall 2024
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.

 

ausrev
AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL
February 13-15, 2025
The Austin Revolution Film Festival showcases independent films from all over the world, along with hosting networking events and parties for attendees.

 

Spotlight FF
AUSTIN SPOTLIGHT FILM FESTIVAL
September 21, 2024
Austin Spotlight Film Festival is an annual international film festival held at Alamo Drafthouse Mueller featuring short films, music videos, trailers, and kickstarters.

 

Action FF
AUSTIN UNDER THE STARS FILM FESTIVAL

October 19 – 20, 2024
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
AUSTIN VETERAN ARTS FILM FESTIVAL

October 24, 2024
The AVAFEST Film Festival 2024 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.

 

CineLasAmericas
CINE LAS AMERICAS
May 15-19, 2024
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival showcases contemporary films from North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean and Spain.

 

ctd
CINEMA TOUCHING DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL & SHORT FILM COMPETITION
TBD Fall 2024
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.

 

FF
FANTASTIC FEST
September 19-26, 2024
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.

 

forest
FILMS FOR THE FOREST
TBD 2024
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.

 

FFT
FUTURE FRONT TEXAS
TBD 2024
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
GTX FILM FESTIVAL
September 28, 2024
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.

 

hill
HILL COUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL

May 30 - June 2, 2024
Presented by the Hill Country Film Society, the Hill Country Film Festival is an independent film event held in the heart of the Texas Hill Country showcasing feature and short films from around the world.

 

INDIE MEME
INDIE MEME FILM FESTIVAL
April 17-21, 2024
Indie Meme presents an exclusive opportunity to see internationally-acclaimed, award-winning narrative features, documentaries and shorts from South Asia

 

LAKE TRAVIS FF
LAKE TRAVIS FILM FESTIVAL
TBD Fall 2024
Lake Travis Film Festival (LTFF) showcases filmmakers around the globe with authenticity, vision, and purpose. The festival aims to connect independent filmmakers and industry professionals with an eager community audience.

 

Logo For Lost River Film Festival
LOST RIVER FILM FEST
TBD Fall 2024
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
OUTSIDER LGBTQIA FESTIVAL
February 15-18, 2024
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.

 

Logo - Sound Unseen
SOUND UNSEEN
TBD December 2024
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.

 

sxsw
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FILM CONFERENCE & FESTIVAL (SXSW)
March 7-15, 2025
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.