North Carolina Film Festivals

Film festivals provide wonderful opportunities for filmmakers, fans, journalists, and critics alike to gather and engage in the art of cinema in an environment rich with opportunities for dialogue and networking.  North Carolina is host to a wide variety of film festivals throughout the year – from rural counties to urban landscapes – you can find festivals focusing on documentaries, shorts, animation, international cinema, and more. 

To learn more about the individual festivals (including tickets, submission guidelines, dates and screenings), click on each festival name below.

If you are a film festival director, and your film festival is not listed, please send a media release with a site link announcing dates and deadlines of your festival to ncfilmcritics@gmail.com.  

*NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, many festivals continue to make adjustments to dates or screening options (virtual vs. face to face). Check each individual festival directly before making plans to attend. If you know of changes to festivals that aren’t listed below, we would love for you to email us an official update. 

Beaufort Film Festival
Beaufort, NC
October 22-30, 2021
Submission deadline: September 1, 2021 

BEYOND: The Film Festival
Cary, NC
October 7-10, 2021
Submission deadline: July 1, 2021

Bull City International Film Festival
Durham, NC
March 5-6, 2022

Submission deadline: January 14, 2022 

Cape Fear Independent Film Festival
Wilmington, NC
Festival dates Submission deadline: TBD

Carolina Fear Fest
Raleigh, NC
May 27-31, 2022
Submission deadline: TBD

Carolina Film Festival
Charlotte, NC
Festival dates and Submission deadline: TBD

Carrboro Film Festival
Carrboro, NC
November 19-21, 2021
Submission deadline: August 31, 2021

Cat Fly Film Festival
Asheville, NC
August 26-29 2021
Submission deadline: June 23, 2021 

Charlotte Black Film Festival
Charlotte, NC
June 15-29, 2022
Submission deadline: March 14, 2022

Charlotte Film Festival
Charlotte, NC 
October 13-17, 2021
Submission deadline: July 23, 2021 

Charlotte Jewish Film Festival
Charlotte, NC 
Winter 2022
Submission deadline: TBD

Cinema Sisters International Film Festival
Wilmington, NC
March 11-13, 2022
Submission deadline: December 21, 2021

CineOdyssey Film Festival
Charlotte, NC
November 4-6, 2021
Submission deadline: September 17, 2021

Cucalorus Film Festival
Wilmington, NC
November 10-14, 2021
Submission deadline: June 23, 2021 

Dirty Dancing Festival
Lake Lure, NC
September 23-25, 2022
Submission deadline: TBD

Down East Flick Fest
Greenville, NC
November 19-21, 2021
Submission deadline: August 22, 2021 

Film Fest 919
Chapel Hill, NC
October 19-23, 2021
Submission deadline: TBD

FilmSPARK, part of SPARKcon
Raleigh, NC
Festival dates and Submission deadline: TBD

Footcandle Film Festival
Hickory, NC
September 22-26, 2021
Submission deadline: June 1, 2021

Foothills Film Festival
Shelby, NC
March 11-12, 2022
Submission deadline: January 15, 2022 

Full Bloom Film Festival
Statesville, NC
September 9-11, 2021
Submission deadline: July 5, 2021 

Full Frame Documentary Film Fest
Durham, NC
April 7-10, 2022
Submission deadline: TBD

Hayti Heritage Film Festival
Durham, NC
Winter/Spring 2022
Submission deadline: TBD

Horror Movie Freaks Film Festival
Clemmons, NC
October 15-16, 2021
Submission deadline: August 1, 2021 

Indigo Moon Film Festival
Fayetteville, NC 
October 8-15, 2021
Submission deadline: July 31, 2021 

Joedance Film Festival
Charlotte, NC
August 5-7, 2021 (virtual)
Submission deadline: June 1, 2021

Longleaf Film Festival
Raleigh, NC
May 13-14, 2022
Submission deadline: February 1, 2022

Lumbee Film Festival
Pembroke, NC
September 17-18, 2021
Submission deadline: April 22, 2021

Micropolitan Film Festival
Marion, NC
Festival dates and Submission deadline: TBD

Nevermore Film Fest
Durham, NC 
Winter 2022
Festival dates and Submission deadline: TBD

NC Black Film Festival
Wilmington, NC
Festival dates and Submission deadline: TBD

North Carolina South & East International Asian Film Festival
Durham, NC
April 23, 2022
Submission deadline: September 17, 2021 

OUT at the Movies International LGBT Film Festival
Winston-Salem, NC 
September 23-26, 2021
Submission deadline: July 31, 2021

OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival (formerly NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival)
Durham, NC
August 13-19, 2021
Submission deadline: May 14 – June 4, 2021 

Raleigh Film & Art Festival
Raleigh, NC 
October 1-3, 2021
Submission deadline: July 7, 2021

Real to Reel Film Festival
Kings Mountain, NC
July 20-23, 2022
Submission deadline: May 14, 2022

Reel Out Charlotte Film Festival
Charlotte, NC
October 23-November 1, 2021
Submission deadline: August 27, 2021 

Reel 2 Reel Student Film Festival
Burlington, NC
October 8, 2021 
Submission deadline: September 6, 2021

Reel Teal Film Festival at UNCW
Wilmington, NC
March 5, 2022
Submission deadline: December 1-31, 2021 

RiverRun International Film Festival
Winston-Salem, NC (with events also scheduled in Greensboro)
April 21-30, 2022
Submission deadline: December 15, 2021

Sick Chick Flicks Film Festival
Chapel Hill, NC
February 19-20, 2022
Submission deadline: November 1, 2021

Stranger Days Independent Film Festival
Charlotte, NC
December 10-12, 2021
Submission deadline: November 1, 2021

Surfalorus Film Fest
Outer Banks, NC
September 22-25, 2021
Submission deadline: May 19, 2021

Tarheel Shorties Film Festival
Wilson, NC
Festival dates and Submission deadline: TBD

Triad Jewish Film Festival
Greensboro, NC
Winter/Spring 2022 

Submission deadline: TBD

Triangle North Carolina Film Festival
Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC
August 1 -November 30, 2021 
Submission deadline: June 30, 2021

Tryon International Film Festival
Tryon, NC
October 8-10, 2021 
Submission deadline: August 22, 2021

Visions Film Festival and Conference
Presented by UNC Wilmington Film Studies Department
Wilmington, NC
Spring 2022
Submission deadline: TBD

Wilmington Jewish Film Fest
Wilmington, NC
May 2022
Submission deadline: TBD

Wreak Havoc Film Festival
Winston-Salem, NC
October 1-2, 2021
Submission deadline: July 31, 2021