Our goal is to showcase thought-provoking films and offer a venue where movie lovers who appreciate independent vision can celebrate this unique art form.

The Cleveland County Arts Council is pleased to announce that on July 23-26, 2025 the 26th Annual “Real to Reel International Film Festival” will once again open its doors to embrace filmmakers and film lovers alike.

Located in the heart of North Carolina between Asheville and Charlotte, Cleveland County is right in the middle of it all. The mission of the Real to Reel International Film Festival is to offer a forum for independent film, video, and multi-media artists from around the world to showcase their talents and expose the works of these artists to our region.

Visitors to the Joy Performance Center - 202 S. Railroad Ave., Kings Mountain, a renovated classic theater from the 1940’s in Kings Mountain, NC can expect to find a great lineup of films from all over the world, a chance to talk with many of the filmmakers and of course a concession stand with all those goodies you would expect to find.

Awards & Prizes

Awards are presented to best film and best student film in each category in each of the four categories listed below:

• (1) Best of Fest
• (4) "Best of Category" Professional Awards
• (4) "Best of Category" Student/Amateur Awards
• (1) Audience Choice Award
• (1) Best of North Carolina Award
• (1) Founder's Choice Award
• (1) Festival Director's Choice Award

Rules & Terms

Films are accepted in 4 categories
• Documentary
• Feature Length (Over 61 minutes in length)
• Shorts (Under 60 minutes in length)
• Animation

* You will be contacted via email regarding the outcome of the judging by the end of June. If your film is selected for the festival will screen from FilmFreeway. If your film has color bars or a watermark you will need to upload a version without these for the screening. Please provide an option for us to download your film via FilmFreeway for screening purposes. For the sake of accessibility, please provide an option for captions as well.

*Students please include a copy of your valid student ID with your entry form or email it to thomas@ccartscouncil.org.

* The management of R2R International Film Festival reserves the right to decide all questions regarding rules and regulations. Submission of a film constitutes that the filmmaker accepts the rules and regulations set forth herein and that the film will screen at the festival if chosen.

*R2R reserves the right to add, alter or eliminate categories based on the availability of qualified entries.

*Films that use any generative AI are not eligible for Real to Reel consideration.

23 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jessica Maloney

    Loved participating in this festival this year! As a professor, it is inspiring to watch students find their love for film in class and then be able to present their films to a wider audience. This festival made that possible! As a filmmaker, it's wonderful to see such a wide range of beautifully curated works in this area of North Carolina. I thoroughly enjoyed the panels and hearing from directors, cinematographers, writers, and more. A wonderful festival that I would highly encourage you to visit and participate in!

    September 2024
    Helpful
  • Meg Jenkins Locke

    What a wonderful festival in a charming NC town. I am from the Carolinas and I loved being a part of this festival.
    Great films, great filmmakers, great volunteers, and of course, great support from Real to Reel. Thomas Manning is doing a great job along with the Cleveland County Arts Council. Submit for a great experience!
    Can't wait to come back next year.
    Our film, "Sister" was chosen as the Audience Choice Award and we were so very honored and grateful!!!
    Every Day Is A Day!!!

    August 2024
    Helpful
  • Ryan Steven Green

    There are a number of good things I can say about Real to Reel that start with my earliest communications with Fest Director Thomas Manning. Communication was honest and personal right from the start, which is big for me. I mean, every filmmaker knows what it's like to feel as if you are submitting into a void because of the silence you are greeted with. Not so from Real to Reel. Now, I had the good fortune of visiting Kings Mountain for the festival. What awaited me there was such a sense of welcome and hospitality that it was refreshing. I do believe the team members and volunteers truly valued my presence at the fest and simply could not hide the fact. Maybe you've had the experience of attending a fest but never really felt like you found your way 'in'? Not so at Real to Reel. As an attending filmmaker, you will be seen and made to feel important in a way that is hard for a bigger fest to replicate. Lastly, I was blown away at the quality of some of the submitted films. My experience at smaller fests is that programming can sometimes take the backseat to some of the strengths that a smaller fest has to offer (like those listed above). Again Thomas demonstrated his ability to put together an engaging slate of films - and I know this stems from Thomas's deep knowledge of and appreciation for the art of cinema. Overall, a very positive experience that I do hope I'll be able to repeat in future!

    August 2024
    Helpful
  • Holland Gallagher

    Great festival in Western NC! Very accommodating and communicative hosts and a lovely theater.

    August 2024
    Helpful
  • Michael Flores

    Real to Reel was an incredibly warm, welcoming, and accommodating film festival. We were so happy to be able to take part and so very thankful for Thomas and the rest of the team.

    August 2024
    Helpful