FILM FESTIVALS
The Austin area is home to over 25 world-class film and television festivals, each covering a variety of unique genres and films types. Along with amazing screenings, many of the festivals also include a conference aspect with informative panel sessions that feature prominent industry figures. If you are interested in more than just attending, each festival has a call for entries and volunteer opportunities.
48 HOUR FILM PROJECT AUSTIN
TBD: 2022
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 26 - September 6, 2021
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.
ANIMALIS FABULA FILM FESTIVAL
November 26-28, 2021
An international festival showcasing animal-centric stories by filmmakers of every skill level. AniFab is produced by World Animal Awareness Society, an Austin-based, award-winning nonprofit.
ATX TELEVISION FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
ATX Television Festival is a yearly celebration of all things TV with a weekend of panels, screenings and parties where you can hang out with your favorite sitcom stars of present and past.
AUSTIN ACTION FILM FEST
September 25-26, 2021
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 ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
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.
AUSTIN ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
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
TBD: 2022
The Austin Comedy Short Film Festival is a unique forum for international independent filmmakers to showcase their short comedy films.
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL
October 21-28, 2021
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 INDIE FEST
TBD: 2021
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
November 1-14, 2021
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 MUSIC VIDEO FESTIVAL
December 7-11, 2021
The Austin Music Video Festival celebrates Austin's longstanding music video heritage with music video screenings, awards, parties, panels and workshops.
AUSTIN POLISH FILM FESTIVAL
TBD - 2021
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
February 15-19, 2022
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
September 18, 2021
Austin Spotlight Film Festival is an annual international film festival held at Alamo Drafthouse Mueller featuring short films, music videos, trailers, and kickstarters.
AUSTIN STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL
September 25, 2021
In its fourth year, the Austin Student Film Festival is dedicated to the craft of student filmmaking. The festival is open to short films (not longer than 40minutes) from high school and colleges.
AUSTIN UNDER THE STARS FILM FESTIVAL
November 7, 2021
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 YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
The Austin Youth Film Festival gives young, independent filmmakers a venue to showcase their work to peers and pros alike, thus fostering a love of filmmaking among the future voices of our community.
AUTFEST TEXAS - AUTISM FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2021
AutFest Texas raises awareness about life with autism through film and video. The films show a range of ages and abilities, challenges and triumphs that living with autism can bring.
CAPITAL CITY BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
December 3-5, 2021
Celebrating black filmmakers from across the nation, the Capital City Black Film Festival provides a stage for burgeoning talent in the heart of Austin.
CINE LAS AMERICAS
TBD: 2022
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
October 15-16, 2021
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.
CONTRAST FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
The Contrast Film Festival highlights boundary-pushing, genre-defying, and forward-thinking filmmaking with an emphasis on female & queer artists.
FANTASTIC FEST
September 23-30, 2021
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
TBD: 2022
Films for the Forest is a 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 21-22, 2021
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 16-18, 2021
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 COUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
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.
IDTV ACTION FEST
TBD: 2021
Iron Dragon TV Action Fest brings the exciting world of international action films to Austin. Experience a new generation of filmmakers, action actors, stuntmen, producers and fans of the action genre.
INDIE MEME FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
Indie Meme presents an exclusive opportunity to see internationally-acclaimed, award-winning narrative features, documentaries and shorts from South Asia
LAKE TRAVIS FILM FESTIVAL
September 15-18, 2022
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.
LOUD & CLEAR YOUTH FILM FEST
TBD: 2022
The Loud & Clear Youth Film Fest celebrates digital short films created by the Austin School of Film youth students ages 8-18 years old.
OTHER WORLDS AUSTIN
December 2-5, 2021
Science Fiction comes in all shapes and sizes: horror, drama, comedy - see the best of these films at the Other Worlds Festival.
OUTSIDER LGBTQIA FESTIVAL
TBD: 2022
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.
RTX
July 1-3, 2022
RTX is the world’s greatest celebration of animation, gaming, comedy, and internet culture, where amazing entertainment and the best fans in the world meet up for the best weekend of the year.
SHOT BY SHOT FILM FESTIVAL
TBD: 2021
Shot By Shot Film Festival focuses on quirky underground short films just left of indie. There are so many talented artists making unconventional, unmarketable and sometimes uncomfortable films - Shot By Shot is here with a platform filmmakers to present those projects to the world on the big screen.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FILM CONFERENCE & FESTIVAL (SXSW)
March 11–20, 2021
Now one of the biggest festivals in the nation, SXSW offers the latest and greatest in the music, film and multimedia interactive worlds.