CASCADIA International Women's Film Festival is entering its eighth festival season dedicated to showcasing the exceptional work of women directors from around the world. To date, CASCADIA has proudly presented the work of more than 220 women directors worldwide. Approximately 40 films will be screened over the course of the four-day in person festival. An online festival version afterwards is also planned.

We are located in beautiful Bellingham, WA, USA. Our area of the Pacific Northwest is an ideal location for both film making and viewing. Bellingham is a city of approximately 100,000 on the shores of Puget Sound and lies halfway between Seattle, WA.and Vancouver, BC, Canada.

CASCADIA presents separate programs for short subject films, feature narrative and documentary films. We showcase women filmmakers from throughout the world as well as local directors, considered to be those working in the region extending from Vancouver B.C., Canada to the Seattle, Wa. metropolitan area. CASCADIA also searches for films by Indigenous women filmmakers and emerging and student filmmakers. Please let us know if you qualify for consideration in this area.

Festival film programs are followed by Q & A with the attending filmmakers and/or an industry or subject panel discussion. The festival also hosts networking and social opportunities specifically for our directors. Directors are our guests at CASCADIA's Saturday night Directors' party. The festival also stages a reception and program with its Honored Guest. Past Honored Guests have been legendary documentary director Barbara Kopple, the only woman to have won two Oscars for Best Direction; renown director Martha Coolidge, first woman DGA president; Cheryl Boone Isaacs, past president of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Oscar-winning Documentary Director Freida Lee Mock. The 2020 festival honored the centennial of the 19th Amendment with a special online screening and discussion of the HBO film, "Iron Jawed Angels" directed by Katja von Garnier.

The festival added an online version of the festival in 2020 during the pandemic and has continued since with a hybrid festival showing its films both in person at the theatre give our films and filmmakers greater audience exposure and make them accessible to those who might not otherwise be able to attend an in person festival.

All filmmakers selected for the festival receive a screening fee and laurels.

CASCADIA International Women's Film Festival accepts only short films directed or co-directed by women. To be considered for the 2024 festival, films must have been completed and released AFTER October, 2022. Only completed, final release films will be allowed. No additional editing or revisions will be permitted once a film has been submitted. We accept films of any genre but the running time including titles must be UNDER 20 minutes.

Films must be presented in English. If not, English subtitles or dubbing is required. We will NOT accept films that have been shown previously locally in another festival or at our local theatres (near Bellingham) and prefer that films not be shown in regional festivals or theatres (Near Seattle or Vancouver) or that they are not currently accessible on streaming services such Amazon and Netflix. Closed captioning is encouraged and preferred.

CASCADIA's feature films are curated. If you have a feature you'd like us to consider, you may contact us at info@cascadiafilmfest.org and someone will get back to you.

We strongly encourage those considering submitting to review the Official Selections from the previous festivals. This will be a good indicator of the level of quality we are seeking. Trailers for those films may be found on our website. http://www.cascadiafilmfest.org

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Nil Unerdem

    Amazing festival in beautiful Bellingham! Cheryl and the board went above and beyond to welcome all the women directors, set up great events, parties, film screenings, panels. It was my favorite fest so far and thank you so much for selecting my short to be part of it! Hope to return in the future.

    June 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Nil! Was wonderful to have you with us for the festival. Look forward to seeing you again soon!

  • NataĊĦa Prosenc Stearns

    Filmmakers receive a royal treatment at Cascadia, which is a festival like no other. From great hospitality, excellent program, to beautiful projections and wonderful people. Don't know how they pull it off so flawlessly! Cheryl and her team are professional, friendly, fun and they draw in the community of Bellingham film fans, who support the festival. Thank you for the unforgettable experience in hopes that our paths cross again.

    May 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Natasa! We were so honored to have you and your film at the festival this year. We look forward to you returnig again soon!

  • Cat Dale

    I took part of the 2023 Script Studio portion of the festival--and it was magical. Thank you for including my script in the festival and allowing me to hear the actors and feedback from the judges. This festival will continue to be one of the best supporting female filmmakers and writers!

    May 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Cat! We're pleased that the experience was helpful. Look forward to seeing another of your scripts in the future and to having you at the festival again!

  • Sylvia Kinard

    One of the best professional experiences I have ever had. Great networking, wonderful films by women, and the chance to enjoy the beauty of the PNW.

    May 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Sylvia. We strive to make the Script Studio and the festival a supportive and professional one for women film makers. We can't take credit for the natural beauty of our location but gives you one more reason to come back to the festival!

  • Nathanael Vass

    Sit right back, get cozy and let me tell you how wonderful Cascadia is. I almost wanna keep it a secret for myself it's so good.

    First off, the programming is SO strong. We didn't see one mediocre film at the festival and our shorts program was probably the strongest our film has played in. And the attendees were there to talk FILM: a spirited, insightful Q&A (and continued discussion over drinks later in the evening after the theater staff politely ushered us out).

    Secondly, the workshops and panels are relevant, fun, and well-organized. This is truly a filmmaker's festival that encourages the production of good art. Some bigger festivals feel like they're just there so that attendees can rub shoulders with whatever celebrity they've paid to show their face. But Cascadia's audience is there to talk MOVIES. And this year's honored guest (2-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple) was such a delight to hear speak, and an enthusiastic participant in the festival.

    Finally (and perhaps most importantly) Cascadia is building a community. The second you arrive, you're part of a warm, inviting family and you really don't want to leave. We'll be back, count on it.

    (Oh yeah, and they had enough sponsorship this year to spring for director accommodations AND a small screening fee!)

    I'm gonna stop talking now but I could keep going. Viva Cascadia!

    May 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Nate! We were so pleased to have you, Eva and Julia attend the festival this year with your film and to take part in all the events. We do our best to create an environment where film makers can feel free to exchange and share information, cultivate new connections and friendships and support one another through the collective experience of film.
    Hope to see you back again another year with or without a film. As we like to say, once you're part of the CASCADIA family, you're invited to come back whenever you can!