The Social Justice Film Festival, based in Seattle, returns in April 2026. The festival celebrates justice through cinema and conversation with community partners, exploring aspects of social justice through filmmaking.

The festival will feature programming and speakers dedicated to highlighting social justice issues globally, while celebrating the efforts of individuals and groups striving for a better future. We will present short films, feature-length documentaries, and narrative films from both the United States and international creators.

Past festival programs have featured distinguished speakers such as Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking" and anti-death penalty activist; Danny Glover, activist and actor; Will Potter, investigative journalist; Jose Antonio Vargas, founder of Define American; DJ Cavem, recording artist and educator; Aaron Dixon, former captain of the Seattle Black Panthers; Bobby Andrew, Yupik elder; Sanjay Rawal, activist and filmmaker; Darnell Moore, BLM organizer; and Rev. Harriet Walden, among others.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The Social Justice Film Festival showcases film and video productions aimed at fostering positive global change. As a movement, social justice advocates for a culture characterized by equity, justice, and inclusion. Our festival has featured films addressing a wide range of issues including incarceration, Indigenous futures, immigrant rights, environmental sustainability, oppression, race and racism, gender equality, artistic expression, animal rights, alternative lifestyles and economies, disenfranchisement, water and food insecurity, economic disparity, homelessness, exploitation, and corruption. The festival aims to present works that challenge societal structures on both macro and micro levels worldwide.

The festival will be held in-person at The Social Justice Institute in Seattle. Following the conclusion of in-person events, the festival will stream selected films for the following week, contingent upon filmmaker consent.

We are looking forward, and excited to see the projects you have been working on.

Thank you for all you do,

Yours, sincerely,
Social Justice Film Festival

Awards & Prizes

The Social Justice Film Festival awards honors by jury decision in each of our categories.

Feature films - Narrative and Documentary
Short films - Narrative and Documentary
Youth Visions Showcase - Films made by students and filmmakers 21 and under

Rules & Terms

IMPORTANT DATES
Submissions officially open July 1, 2026

Earlybird deadline:
August 31, 2026

Regular submission deadline:
September 30, 2026

Final submission deadline:
October 31, 2026

Notification of acceptance:
MLK day, January 19, 2027

Festival dates:
April 2027

PLEASE HELP US INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY.
Accessibility helps us serve the needs of people with different abilities, people who speak languages other than the original filming language, helps with content searchability, and it ultimately helps your film find its greatest possible audience.

If your film is selected to screen in the festival, you will need to provide either a subtitled version of the film or a caption track in .SRT format. There are several ways to do this for free or low cost, here is a short tutorial on a few different methods:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AE7plD5O5DM_xwzzS_aT1lF1tliNzPOxmsrnnsi2wNs/edit?usp=sharing

If you already have a subtitle track, closed captions, open captions, or an audio-description track, please include that in your submitted film file.

ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS
The 2027 Social Justice Film Festival is hosting our 15th year of Social Justice films. Only films related to social justice are able to be reviewed, and the selected films will screen in conjunction with panel discussions and speakers over the course of the festival in Seattle. Films for this festival should be current, completed from 2024 and newer.

Selected films must be made available for Festival presentation in digital video file. Digital download file via Google drive, WeTransfer, Vimeo download or similar option is the preferred format, or Flash drive via mail. Filmmakers whose films are selected should deliver their film in an acceptable final presentation format. Failure to provide the film in working format may result in the film being unable to play at the Festival.

Language:
Foreign language films must be made available with the original
language soundtrack and English subtitles.

REQUIRED SUBMISSION MATERIALS

Entry Fee
Entry fees are not refundable.

Please be aware that in all categories, World, North American, and US
Premieres are preferred.

Notification:
Films selected for screening will be notified by January 19, 2027

Shipping (accepted films):
In most cases, shipping will be unnecessary, as you will transfer files electronically.
If you opt for physical media, it will be the filmmaker’s responsibility to cover the incoming shipping costs to SJFF. SJFF will cover the return costs to the US domestic address designated by the filmmaker.
SJFF is unable to cover international shipping and digital download is highly recommended.

AWARDS
The Seattle Social Justice Film Festival awards honors according to jury voting in each of our categories.
23 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Micha Espinosa

    The Social Justice Film Festival was a powerful and beautifully organized experience. The short films were thoughtful, moving, and beautifully curated, and I was honored that Lamentation at the Liesbeek was included and shown as part of the program. The venue was beautiful, the panel after the screening added depth and conversation, and the organizers were fantastic—warm, thoughtful, and deeply committed to the work.

    April 2026
    Helpful
  • Saeed Moltaji

    We were thrilled that our film Message won the Silver Prize in the Narrative Short category at this outstanding festival.
    It was an inspiring celebration of storytelling — a significant and thoughtfully organized festival, made memorable by a highly professional team.

    June 2025
    Helpful
  • Kelly Moneymaker

    It was an honor to have "Drum Song: The Rhythm of Life" selected to be part of The Social Justice Film Festival. To screen alongside other SJ filmmakers, attending interesting (and sometimes heart-wrenching Q&A's and to meet Sam, Jody, Marisa, and John was a huge gift. They put their hearts into this festival and it's deeply appreciated!

    April 2025
    Helpful
  • Gary Janks

    An outstanding film festival, thank you all so much for selecting Wild Coast Warriors! It was a really important venue for spreading the word globally that the human rights of indigenous people fighting for their lands, seas, livelihoods, culture and social and climate justice really matters and this fight back can enable these brave and humble people to triumph over the biggest giants in the fossil fuel industry in court and win!

    April 2025
    Helpful
  • Vicki Topaz

    My plans to attend this amazing festival fell through however I cannot say enough about their detailed communication, organization and attentiveness to updates and questions. It was an honor for our film, BY MY SIDE, to to be selected for the Social Justice Film Festival. Thank you Jody Cole and team !

    October 2023
    Helpful