Movies, parties, fun. That's what we do!

Full digital projection and sound including an IMAX, epic parties at waterfront estates, VIP/filmmaker lounge during the festival, all in the unique waterfront town of Gig Harbor! Our goal is the make the Gig Harbor Film Festival a must-attend on the festival circuit promoting fun from the opening night screening to the final awards.

"Gig Harbor takes all of the best parts from my favorite festivals and pulls them into one amazing weekend. Shows films multiple times, high quality theatres, supportive local community, fancy parties. Oh, and the films and the filmmakers were incredible." Hudson Phillips

"What a fun event. Amazing community volunteers make the festival a true joy to attend and the quality and comfort of the theaters are bar none. So happy to present "The Magic of Sailing" at the Gig Harbor Film Festival." Carl Davis

One of the fastest growing independent film events in the Northwest, the Gig Harbor Film Festival will run the last full weekend every September. Located just south of Seattle on the South Puget Sound, Gig Harbor has rich heritage, culture and charm reflected in the warm and enthusiastic reception shown towards filmmakers and audiences.

The Gig Harbor Film Festival is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization as defined by the IRS.

Please visit www.gigharborfilm.org or call: 253-682-9585 for additional information.

Awards & Prizes

All films submitted and exhibited are eligible for the following award categories.
Best Narrative Film (Feature & Short)
Best Documentary Film (Feature & Short)
The Gig Award (Given to a film that has challenged our thinking and broadened our social awareness. Gig Award nominees inspire hope and action and remind us of the persistent good of humankind.)
Made in Washington (Projects made in Washington state, or by local key cast/crew members)
Best Director
Best Actor

Rules & Terms

Rules & Terms
Gig Harbor Film Festival (GHFF) - Gig Harbor, Washington September 25-28, 2025
All genres accepted.

Submission Categories:

Feature Film = 60 minutes or longer runtime
Short Film = 59 minutes or less runtime
Made in Washington (Film must be at least partially filmed in Washington, or at least one key member of the cast/crew must be from Washington State)

Submitters must provide a Preview Screener as a link on either FilmFreeway.com or Vimeo.com including passwords. DVD, Blu-ray, or hard-drive copies of Preview Screeners will not be accepted or viewed.

All entries must be in spoken English or English SUBTITLED.

Films selected for exhibition during the 2025 festival, and entered under the Student Fee pricing will be required to forward a copy of a Student I.D. (valid at the time the film was produced) of either an Executive Producer, Producer or Director as listed in the on-screen credits. If no valid Student I.D. is submitted, payment to cover additional costs will be required by the Final Deadline. If not received, the film will not be exhibited and any entry fees previously paid will be forfeited.

Submitters whose films are chosen as an Official Selection for the 2025 Festival will be notified via email by June 30, 2025.

Upon acceptance as an Official Selection, the Submitter must send an DCP Exhibition Screener (DCP) by August 1, 2025. If the filmmaker is unable to provide a DCP we will make one for you at no charge to the filmmaker. Any Exhibition Screeners not received in the GHFF office by August 15, 2025 will be eliminated from the festival and all application fees will be forfeited.

The Official 20245 Gig Harbor Film Festival trademark and bug are the copyrighted property of GHFF and as such may not be used as a marketing or title card element without the express approval of the GHFF Executive Director. As such, any film accepted and exhibited during the 2025 Gig Harbor Film Festival has automatic approval for its use only when used to promote the submitted film in the edited form exhibited during the 2025 Festival.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Gig Harbor Film Festival is hereby granted the irrevocable right to utilize excerpts from any film submitted and accepted for Exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes in various forms of media, online or mobile formats or social media and in any and all other such formats that exist now or may exist in the future.

Individuals or Corporations submitting any film for consideration hereby warrant that they are legally authorized to commit the film for Previewing and possible Exhibition in the Festival and understand and accepts the requirements and regulations as listed above.

Individuals or Corporations submitting any film for consideration shall indemnify and hold harmless the Gig Harbor Film Festival 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 of or damage to the Preview or Exhibition Screeners entered.

GHFF in no way guarantees the Exhibition of any Submitted film nor its placement in the festival schedule.

104 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Darren Kwan

    It was such an amazing experience at Gig Harbor. The organizers and programming director were all great with communication. The whole event was well planned and played some great quality films. Also I can't forget to mention the venue, the Galaxy Theaters, a great place to be at.

    February 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Darren! Thank you so much for your positive feedback. We're glad that you had such a good experience and we were honored to screen Delora in our Strange Batch.
    And we feel very lucky our venue is the state-of-the-art Galaxy Theatres which really elevate the films of our talented filmmakers.
    We look forward to seeing your next work, Darren!

  • H. Nelson Tracey

    From actress Brook Hogan who attended Gig Harbor on our film's behalf: Love this festival! I attended several film festivals over the past few months, and this one felt like the entire community was involved. It's like the town of Gig Harbor is MADE for this festival-- with its lovely theaters and outdoor spaces. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. It was definitely a highlight on our film festival tour, and I hope to have the honor to be involved again.

    January 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Brook, thank you so much for coming to the GHFF! It was such an honor to screen Breakup Season to full houses. With your performance, it's no surprise that your film went on to theatrical distribution right in time for the holidays!
    We so appreciate your kind comments and feel very fortunate to host the fest in our beautiful, small town. We look forward to welcoming you back.

  • Corey Benson Powers

    I have had the privilege of having my films Nightcap and Locksmith selected for the programming of the 2023 and 2024 editions of the fest, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Gig Harbor is an absolute blast - the community involved in the festival is unrivaled. From the festival team to the filmmakers to the audience that comes to support independent filmmaking, nothing beats Gig Harbor.

    I love that the program included not one but two screenings of the shorts blocks - not only is it amazing to get an additional screening to see my film on the big screen, but it allowed me to catch even more films than usual because I didn't have to make the difficult decision of which block to watch when two blocks ran concurrently.

    I look forward to submitting my next film for consideration for the 2025 edition, and can't wait to be back!

    December 2024
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    Response from festival:

    WOW, thank you for your generous comments, Corey! We are so happy to be able to screen your films in multiple years. (As you know, it's very competitive.)
    We truly appreciate your comments about Gig Harbor and feel grateful for the strong community support. 🥰
    Screening all the films twice has created happier filmmakers and patrons so it's good to hear we're on the right track with that.
    Corey, we look forward to seeing your next work for the 2025 fest!

  • xiaoying su

    It was a great honor for Fighting Back to be selected by the amazing Gig Harbor Film Festival. Among the many festivals I participated in during 2024, the Gig Harbor Film Festival stands out as the best.

    Our team had an incredible time spending a few days in this beautiful city, showcasing our film, learning, connecting, and growing together. Everything about the festival was simply perfect. The theater was outstanding, and the fact that it included an IMAX screen made the experience even more special. I was thrilled that a clip from our film had the opportunity to be showcased in the IMAX theater during the ceremony day.

    The organizers were incredibly warm and accommodating, ensuring everything was top-notch. The food was fantastic, and the selection of films was truly remarkable, with high-quality works across the board. On top of that, the harbor view was unforgettable, making this one of the most memorable moments of the year.

    A huge thanks to Pamela, Josh, and the rest of the team for their hard work and dedication. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to be part of such an extraordinary festival and look forward to staying connected in the future.

    December 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Wow, Echo, thank you for such a stunning review! We were truly honored to host you and Yaakov and it was an honor to screen the WA Premiere of Fighting Back. Your powerful film was very impactful and was a well-deserved nominee for Best Documentary Short Film.
    Justin Zimmerman always brings the best talent to the GHFF and we look forward to hosting your work again in the future, Echo!

  • Wil Kristin

    Loved bringing "Finding Groovopolis" to Gig Harbor for two screenings in 2024. The community's enthusiasm and the care that the GHFF team put into the event made it a truly memorable experience. I am glad to have made many connections and reached such a thoughtful and receptive audience! Thanks, Josh and team!

    December 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Wil, for this positive review! We loved hosting Finding Groovopolis and our audiences enjoyed coming along for the ride in your adventurous film.
    It was an honor to be screening the WA State Premiere and we appreciate your involvement in both Q&A sessions, thank you.
    We look forward to seeing what you create next, Will! (Don't forget to use the waiver code.)