Produced by The Boston Globe, GlobeDocs Film Festival celebrates documentary filmmaking and invites filmmakers, award-winning journalists, and special guests from around the globe to gather in Boston for this annual event.

GlobeDocs Film Festival is a five-day non-fiction festival designed to engage, promote, and celebrate documentary film and filmmakers. The festival, which takes place in select independent theaters across Boston, and ONLINE via the Eventive platform, is specifically curated to include lively, hosted post-film conversations with filmmakers and Boston Globe journalists to turn screenings into an opportunity for the community to come together and have an open dialogue.

The annual festival continues the tradition of highlighting important stories and recognizing Boston as a touchstone of the non-fiction film world. Festival programming foregrounds distinct perspectives, diverse communities and BIPOC voices, covering a wide range of topics including science and technology, public health, arts, LGBTQ+ issues, education, racial injustice, and politics.

Recent GlobeDocs festival highlights include: COVER-UP (Academy shortlisted film), PORCELAIN WAR (Academy Award nominee), SEPARATED, UNION, AMERICAN SYMPHONY, BEYOND UTOPIA, ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED (Academy Award Nominee), ALL THAT BREATHES (Academy Award Nominee), FLEE (Academy Award Nominee), ATTICA (Academy Award Nominee), CITY HALL, I AM GRETA, CODED BIAS, FOR SAMA (Academy Award Nominee), THE CAVE (Academy Award Nominee), ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN (Academy Award Nominee).

The twelfth annual festival will take place on October 21-25, 2026 at the Brattle Theatre, Coolidge Corner Theatre, Alamo Drafthouse, and ONLINE from October 21-November 1, 2026.

Awards & Prizes

Audience Award: The GlobeDocs Film Festival offers an Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature and Best Short Film. Filmgoers will have an opportunity to vote at each screening they attend. Cash awards: $1,000 USD for Best Feature and $500 USD for Best Short Film.

The Boston Globe Filmmakers Fund Award: The Boston Globe Filmmakers Fund Award, established in 2014, supports visionary filmmakers with an annual grant while furthering Boston’s role as an epicenter of documentary film. Contributions to the fund have been donated by patrons of GlobeDocs throughout the year.

Rules & Terms

The GlobeDocs Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing independent US and international documentaries, offering a full program of full-length and short films curated by an established programming team, with submissions reviewed by a dedicated screening committee. If you are interested in submitting your work, please read all the information below and follow the instructions.

• FEE WAIVERS NOT AVAILABLE (with an exception for GlobeDocs' alum).

• For documentary features and shorts, the GlobeDocs Film Festival will require a DCP (Digital Cinema Package) file for in-person exhibition playback. A backup format may be required in addition to the DCP. For films selected for virtual presentation, a <10 GB .mp4, .mov, or .mkv file will be required.

• Film must have been completed after January 1, 2025.

• Any number of titles may be submitted by an entrant. However, each title requires its own separate entry form, review copy and entry fee.

• All accepted films are eligible for the Audience Award.

• Feature films may not have been released theatrically, aired on television, or made available for public online viewing prior to the festival.

• ONLY online preview copies are accepted for submissions.

• Be sure to upload photos, stills and press kits or include a web link. If your work is selected, photos will be used for promotion and for the GlobeDocs Film Festival website and catalog.

• Acknowledgment of receipt of your entry will be made by via FilmFreeway. You will be notified of acceptance or rejection via FilmFreeway by approximately September 28, 2026.

• Filmmakers MUST be available to attend the festival to participate in a Q&A with Boston Globe journalists.

• **Feature films MUST be a Boston premiere.**

• GlobeDocs Film Festival does NOT pay rental/screening fees for submitted works which are programmed.

• GlobeDocs Film Festival will pay RETURN shipping for the film (exhibition copy) within the Continental U.S. ONLY. It is the filmmaker’s responsibility to deliver the film to the festival via the requested method by: October 1, 2026.

• Selected short films may be programmed to screen either before a feature, as part of a shorts program, at an event, or any combination thereof.

• You may email: filmfest@globe.com for further questions concerning exhibition playback prior to submitting your film.

6 Reviews
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  • Suffolk University

    GlobeDocs Film Festival is a fantastic community event in Boston! The Boston community's premiere festival focused specifically on documentary. The Q & A's were some of the best I have seen/been a part of and the attention to detail of the moderators was amazing. The festival is very organized and was such a treat.

    - Kely Maloney (director of Keytar Bear, Official Selection for the 2025 festival)

    October 2025
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  • Steven Ascher

    Really well run festival with great curation/programming and terrific audiences. Highly recommended!

    November 2024
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  • Alex Lopez

    Amazing festival! Run so well. My film Another Stab At Life ran in a shorts program and took him the audience award for best short. Great connections made!

    November 2024
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  • Lorenzo Bradford

    Well organized, kind atmosphere to show work and network with other filmmakers

    November 2023
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  • Anthony Werhun

    GlobeDocs provided an ideal festival experience from beginning to end — communication was fantastic, our film block was masterfully curated, and the Q&A was expertly moderated. We are grateful that IT’S NOT UP TO US premiered at GlobeDocs, and highly recommend the festival to filmmakers and movie-goers alike!

    November 2023
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