HARD FAITH FEST | JUNE 25-28 2026 | 4 DAY EVENT
Lake Avenue Church, Pasadena, CA
THIS YEAR'S THEME - DO NOT FEAR

The Hard Faith™ Film Festival celebrates authentic Christian art and storytelling. Held annually in Los Angeles, CA, the festival attracts filmmakers and audiences from around the world to showcase films that explore the human condition through a Christian perspective.

The festival embodies Hard Faith theology, featuring real-world settings and flawed characters who find hope and redemption. Attendees can participate in workshops, panels, pitch fest, and an awards show, all designed to inspire and connect the Christian art community.

Join us at the Hard Faith Film Festival to experience impactful cinema and engage with a community that values meaningful storytelling and Christian faith. New to our fourth year is a music contest with life performances.

Thank you to all of our sponsors Hollywood Prayer Network, Lake Avenue Church, Creative Icons, Vanguard Consultants, and Events by McKenna.

Awards & Prizes

First Place
Second Place
Third Place
Audience Award
Honorable Mention

Rules & Terms

WHAT IS HARD FAITH™
We recently trademarked the term “Hard Faith” in order to express what we feel is missing in filmmaking: a third way between “faith-based films” which are heavy on God-content made for Christian first audiences and mainstream films which are entertaining but often not bold enough to talk about the significance of God and the importance of faith in our lives. We don’t want to make either mistake, but instead seek to make films that acknowledge both the realities that God exists and life is hard. Imagine if Johnny Cash was making films in the 21st century and that’s what we want to be doing.
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“Hard Faith” plays off a few different meanings. First, the honest reality that faith is often difficult and inconsistent. I have had many struggles with faith and yet I take peace in reading some of the church fathers and who also wrestled with God. I think that this is healthy and there needs to be a space especially in the arts to have this honest admission. Second, faith is hard in such an often contradictory and absurd and dark world full of unspeakable horrors. We need a faith that is strong and resilient to persevere in truly hard and realistic times. Faith is hard, and often after going through a life of suffering we develop a resilient and, yes, Hard Faith that can accept very imperfect lives and people with grace.
74 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Autumn Libengood

    I absolutely adored having our project in this film festival. It’s a festival. I feel like I can genuinely get behind and catch their vision. I loved everybody involved, and it was a huge blessing. I do plan on attending again. Love you all!

    July 2025
    Helpful
  • Malachi Mawhinney

    Great experience with Hard Faith Fest! Thank you to Spence and his team for creating an awesome event!

    July 2025
    Helpful
  • Sean P. Malone

    This is the first festival I have wanted to review. They did everything right. The event was extremely well conceived, organized and executed. As a featured filmmaker I was treated with respect and care. I can't thank you enough, Hard Faith Fest! I definitely plan to attend again in 2026!

    July 2025
    Helpful
  • Carol Hall

    The Hard Faith Film Festival was really well-run. Spencer and McKenna did a great job making everyone feel welcome. All the staff members were very helpful and contributed to the family vibe. The networking opportunities were invaluable, especially going out for lunch and dinner at specific places. I'm very thankful that our sizzle reel for The Jeweled Bird won for Best Costume Design. The Pitch Fest judges' oral notes will help me prepare for the next time I pitch the project. Looking forward to their written notes.

    July 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for sharing your experience and congratulations again on your Best Costume Design win for The Jeweled Bird! We’re glad you found the networking and Pitchfest feedback valuable. It’s always our goal to create a welcoming and supportive environment for filmmakers, and we look forward to seeing your project continue to grow.

  • Alex Graham

    It's hard to imagine a better organized and more enjoyable event. Spencer, McKenna and the entire Hard Faith team are truly gracious hosts who go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and supported. They also clearly put a lot of energy into ensuring that every film was represented as well as possible, from the solid picture and sound to the intelligent screening schedule and expertly produced awards show. All in all it was a superb film festival and inspiring spiritual retreat combined into one - I'm looking forward to attending next year!

    July 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for such a generous review. We work hard to create a well-run festival that serves filmmakers and honors their work, so it means a lot to hear this. We’re glad you had a great experience and look forward to seeing you next year!