The 34th annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (October 10 - 18, 2025) is the longest-running nonfiction film festival in North America. HSDFF offers multiple awards categories and is a designated Academy Award®-qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Documentary Short Subject.
MovieMaker Magazine has named HSDFF to its global list of “50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee”. HSDFF, a 9-day event, makes its home in one of the most unique vacation destinations of the American South, the historic Spa City of Hot Springs, Arkansas, with almost all screenings and parties held within easy walking distance.
Each October, the city comes alive as film lovers and filmmakers gather to participate in screenings of over 100 of the best international features and shorts, and to attend unforgettable events. Along with Gala screenings and events, including Opening and Closing Night and Centerpiece Galas, HSDFF also honors filmmakers and top industry leaders with various on-stage award ceremonies, including the Career Achievement Award and the Impact Award. Over the years, Hot Springs has hosted many legends in documentary film and is known for its warmth and hospitality to filmmakers.
At the 2024 festival, HSDFF hosted the second annual Filmmaker Forum, a two-day
filmmaker/industry conference. Held on October 21 and 22, the conference offered
dynamic programming focused on the business, art and craft of documentary
filmmaking. The Forum, with a major focus on public media, aims to become a
major annual convening of filmmakers and industry leaders from throughout the
South and Mid-South regions and from across the U.S. Over 100 filmmakers and
40-plus top industry leaders attended the inaugural Filmmaker Forum. The
Filmmaker Forum is expected to return for the 3rd edition in 2025 as an integral part of HSDFF.
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival hosts multiple juries made up of
filmmakers, critics/journalists and industry leaders. Awards are given in the
categories of Best Documentary Feature, Critics Prize, Best Documentary Short
and Audience Awards, as well as additional recognitions determined by the
juries. In partnership with PBS’ Reel South, HSDFF also presents the Reel South
Award to a short film. Audience Choice Awards are given to Best Feature, Best
Short and Best Southern Feature/Episodic.
The winning short film in the Documentary Short Film Competition is eligible for
Academy Award® consideration without the standard theatrical run, provided the
film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.
