Allentown Film Festival

Calling all Filmmakers! Submit your Narrative Features, Documentary Features, Narrative Shorts, Documentary Shorts, and Music Videos to the Allentown Film Festival. We’re committed to promoting outstanding films from around the world.

The inaugural Allentown Film Festival will take place in person from April 14 - 16, 2023 at the Civic Theatre of Allentown's two historic cinemas: the 19th Street Theatre, a grand Art Deco masterpiece, and Theatre514, a boutique venue across the street. We strive to expand the enthusiastic audience of moviegoers in Pennsylvania’s third largest city and beyond – Allentown is only 60 miles from Philadelphia and 90 miles from New York City. In fact, many of North America's largest cities are less than a half-day’s drive away.

Founded by award-winning filmmakers and educators, the Allentown Film Festival is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that brings the Independent Film Festival experience to Eastern Pennsylvania. Screening blocks include a mix of short and feature films to enhance the audience experience. Screening blocks are followed by Q&A panel discussions during which audience members interact with filmmakers. It’s an unmatched opportunity for artists to receive feedback and encouragement.

About the Region
Set amid gentle hills and charming countryside, the Lehigh Valley is a diverse area, home to Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, as well as dozens of small towns and picturesque boroughs, all peppered with parks, trails, and waterways ready to explore.

Steeped in pre-Colonial, early American, and industrial history, the region’s storied past defines its dynamic present, offering visitors everything from craft beer and covered bridges to museums and amusement parks.

We look forward to seeing you and your films at the Allentown Film Festival.

Submit your films today!

Best Narrative Features
Best Documentary Features
Best Narrative Shorts
Best Documentary Shorts
Best Music Videos

By submitting your film for consideration in the Allentown Film Festival (AFF), you are authorizing AFF use of your work for promotion of and exhibition at the Allentown Film Festival. You hereby accept that you have the rights to the film and to authorize the film exhibition. You accept full legal responsibility for all intellectual property contained in the film and are granting AFF the right to utilize any and all parts of the film for promotional purposes online, in print, and any other medium we may see fit to promote the festival.

By submitting this film, you indemnify and hold harmless the Allentown Film Festival and any of its affiliates, sponsors, agents, owners and employees of said entities from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss or damage to the screening videos entered.

You also accept that Allentown Film Festival is not responsible for obtaining any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property clearances that may be required for screening of your film.

Failure to adhere to any of these guidelines or any other guidelines for submission may result in dismissal from consideration.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Rodrigo Antonio Villaronga

Thank you Allentown Film Festival for showing our film! The staff and volunteers were all so friendly, the closing reception was very fun and a great opportunity to meet people and talk about film. Best of all, the film blocks were very thoughtfully curated.
This was a wonderful experience and I hope to be back next year!

April 2023

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Pete Deshler

Such a wonderful festival! The staff and other participants were very nice and extremely supportive. Overall, a great experience.

April 2023

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Rob Shearer

TL;DR: The festival directors cut out 6 minutes of my film, and I would not have known this if I hadn’t attended the screening.

My short (17-minute) documentary was selected for the inaugural Allentown Film Festival. I was excited to attend, as my wife’s family lives near the area and we were in town visiting. I met the festival directors and they were both very nice. However, when the screening started and my film played, I was shocked to see that the entire middle section (approx. 6 minutes) of my film was removed. At first I wondered if there was an issue with the video file I gave them, and I felt embarrassed that this incomplete version of my film was shown to an audience. I spoke with the festival directors after the screening and they admitted to cutting out the middle section of the film to fit in the time slot. In all my years of screening at film festivals, I have never even considered that a festival would manipulate my film, let alone cut out a huge section of it. An artist should feel safe to submit their work to a festival and trust that they display it in its proper, complete state. It’s unacceptable that they butchered my film (and possibly others) in this way, and it’s especially upsetting that I would not have known this had I not attended the screening. As of now, I cannot in good faith recommend this film festival, and I hope they are able to earn back trust from the filmmakers they have wronged.

Additionally: If the festival directors are worried about fitting the films into the time slot, they should consider either screening less films, or not screening their own short film at the beginning to leave time for the ones that were selected.

May 2023

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Harry Watermeier

We had a terrific time at the Allentown Film Festival. The programming was beautifully curated, Alan was warm, elegant, and enthusiastic, and the facilities were stunning. It was such an honor to be a part of the festival.

April 2023

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Kwesa Drakes

It was an amazing experience not to mention I won 2 out of 3 submissions. Extremely grateful to be apart of this event.

April 2023

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