Your Guide to Film Festivals in San Francisco
At any time of year ,there’s a film festival unreeling in San Francisco. Check out our guide to discover which festivals are happening each month.
San Francisco might be almost 400 miles from Hollywood, but this is a city that loves the movies. Just look at all of our annual film festivals!
Since this is San Francisco, things are bound to be a little off-kilter. Festival fare ranges from the San Francisco International Film Festival, the longest-running film festival in the Americas, to the quirky Another Hole in the Head Genre Film Festival, which advertises itself as “three weeks of celluloid mayhem not usually found in your local cineplex."
See what's playing when you're next in town!
January
Noir City: San Francisco Film Noir Festival
January 19-28, 2024 Grand Lake Theatre, 3200 Grand Ave., OaklandDedicated to noir philosophy, attitude and style in films, books, art and music, the festival is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and promises “ultra rare films and very special guests.”
February
San Francisco Independent Film Festival
February 8-18, 2024 Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St. 4 Star Theater, 2200 Clement StThis film festival screens the best of independent films from the Bay Area and beyond.
Explore the San Francisco Independent Film Festival
Mostly British Film Festival
February 15-22, 2024 Vogue Theater, 3290 Sacramento St.This week-long film fest spotlights works from the U.K., Ireland, Australia and South Africa.
March
Sonoma International Film Festival
March 20 to 24, 2024 JAK W, 539 1st St. West, SonomaThe Sonoma International Film Festival focuses on independent films, documentaries, world cinema and short films. Centered around Sonoma's historic plaza, over 90 hand-selected films will be screened.
Explore the Sonoma International Film Festival
SF Irish Doc Film Fest
March 30, 2024 Delancey Street Theater, 600 EmbarcaderoShowcasing the best in contemporary Irish cinema, the SF Irish Film Festival is especially heavy on documentaries this year. And who tells better tales than the Irish?
April
Napa Valley Film Festival
April 5-7, 2024 The Copia’s Ecolab Theatre, 500 1st St., NapaThe ultimate celebration of film, food and wine, the Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) lights up the picturesque towns of Napa.
Explore Napa Valley Film Festival
San Francisco Silent Film Festival
April 10-14, 2024 Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St.The San Francisco Silent Film Festival presents silent films accompanied by live music. This festival promotes silent film as art and historical record
Explore the San Francisco Silent Film Festival
Ocean Film Festival
April 12-14, 2024 Cowell Theater, 2 Marina Blvd.One of the largest and most diverse of its kind, this festival features documentaries, animations, narratives and other traditional screen fare on topics ranging from ocean adventures to island culture and more.
Explore the Ocean Film Festival
Berlin & Beyond
April 18-22, 2024 Location to be announcedAmerica's leading festival of contemporary cinema from German-speaking countries Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
San Francisco International Film Festival
April 24-28, 2024 Location to be announcedAn extraordinary showcase of cinematic discovery and innovation. Since its inception in 1957, the SFIFF has hosted hundreds of prominent guests from Spike Lee to Bette Davis and presented almost 7,000 films from more than 120 countries to nearly two million filmgoers.
May
CAAMFest
May 9-19, 2024 Location to be announcedCAAMFest is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland. Since 1982, the festival has been an important launching point for independent Asian American filmmakers, as well as a vital source for new Asian cinema.
June
San Francisco Black Film Festival
May 9 to 19, 2024 African American Arts and Cultural Complex, 726 Fulton St.This celebration of African American cinema and the African cultural diaspora showcases a diverse collection of films from emerging and established filmmakers; more than 10,000 films have been screened from around the world since the inaugural festival in 1998.
Explore the San Francisco Black Film Festival
Frameline, San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival
June 19-29, 2024 Location to be AnnouncedThis legendary showcase of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender cinema screens groundbreaking documentaries, features, touching short films and cinematic classics
Queer Women of Color Film Festival
June 14-16, 2024 Location to Be AnnouncedThis festival showcases new films that reflect the lives of queer women of color and addresses the vital social justice issues that concern multiple communities.
July
San Francisco Frozen Film Festival
July 17-21, 2024 Location to be AnnouncedShowcasing the year’s best new, independent, avant-garde films, the Frozen Film Festival takes its name from the distinct chill of the San Francisco summer.
Explore the San Francisco Frozen Film Festival
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
July 18-August 4, 2024 Location to be AnnouncedFilms from American and international filmmakers showcase the diversity and vitality of Jewish culture. The festival is the first, oldest and most prestigious celebration of its kind in the world.
August
Crossroads
August to 30-September 1, 2024 Gray Area, 2665 Mission St.Cinematheque celebrates works of aesthetically radical cinema in Crossroads, which showcases new film/video works by emerging and established filmmakers, including performance and works of “live cinema."
October
Mill Valley Film Festival
October 3-13, 2024 Mill Valley, CaliforniaPresented by the California Film Institute, the Mill Valley Film Festival celebrates the best in independent and world cinema. Founded in 1978, it has established an impressive track record for launching new films and filmmakers.
Explore the Mill Valley Film Festival
San Francisco Green Film Festival
October 10-20, 2024 Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St.Films, visiting filmmakers and guest speakers from around the globe cover environmental topics surrounding clean energy, green chemistry, food, housing, trash, water and art in the environment.
Explore the San Francisco Green Festival
San Francisco Dance Film Festival
October 16-20, 2024 Location to Be AnnouncedFounded in 2010, the San Francisco Dance Film Festival (SFDFF) seeks to bring dance to wider audiences. Programming covers a broad spectrum, including sub-genres such as “screendance"—short experimental dance pieces created specifically for the camera—as well as filmic interpretations of dance performances originally created for the stage.
Explore the San Francisco Dance Film Festival
Superfest: International Disability Film Festival
October 17-20, 2024 Location to Be AnnouncedThe longest-running festival of its kind in the world, Superfest showcases an innovative range of juried short and feature-length films that celebrate disability as a generative and creative force in cinema and more broadly in culture.
November
American Indian Film Festival
November 1-9, 2024 Location to Be AnnouncedThe world’s oldest festival dedicated to films by and about Native Americans showcases new and exciting work.
December
Another Hole in the Head Genre Film Festival
December 1-25, 2024 Balboa Theater, 3630 Balboa St.An annual festival of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy and exploitation cinema brings the most outrageous films from both emerging and established filmmakers to audiences who like a little excitement with their popcorn.
Explore Another Hole in the Head Film Festival
Beach Break Entertainment Film Festival
December 28-30, 2024Half Moon Bay, CA
Just a short drive down Highway 1, the Beach Break Entertainment Film Festival is a showcase for independent California filmmakers, featuring stories that promote hope, expand knowledge, and inspire change.
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