The Social Justice Film Festival returns in April 2026, celebrating justice through cinema and conversation, in partnership with a host of community partners to explore all aspects of social justice through the art of filmmaking.

Based in Seattle, Washington, a city known for progressive politics, technology innovation and stunning natural surroundings, the festival brings together filmmakers from around the world to encourage interaction and engagement through film and events.

The festival will include programming and speakers that bring attention to social justice concerns in the world, and celebrate the stories of groups and people who are working for a better future. We will exhibit shorts and feature-length documentaries and narrative films from the U.S. and around the world.

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

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The Social Justice Film Festival highlights film and video work being done to encourage positive change around the world. As a movement, social justice promotes a culture of equity, justice, and inclusion. Our films have spotlighted issues pertaining to incarceration, Indigenous futures, immigrant rights, the environment and sustainability, oppression, race and racism, gender equality, the arts and rights of expression and speech, animal rights, alternative lifestyles and economies, disenfranchisement, water and food insecurity, economic disparity, homelessness, exploitation, corruption, and more. The festival will showcase works that challenge societal structures all over the globe on a macro and micro level.

The festival occurs in-person in our traditional Seattle area theaters: The Social Justice Institute at Pacific Tower and The Northwest Film Forum. After the close of in-person events, the festival streams selections for the next week according to 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,
Jody Cole
Curator
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 June 19th , 2025

Earlybird deadline:
August 31, 2025

Regular submission deadline:
September 30, 2025

Final submission deadline:
October 31, 2025

Notification of acceptance:
December 15, 2025

Festival dates:
April 15-19th, 2026

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 2026 Social Justice Film Festival is hosting our 14th 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 2023 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 December 15, 2025.

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.
22 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • 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
  • Polina Buchak

    Loved being part of Social Justice Film Festival! Their team is wonderful and I really resonate with their overall mission. I wasn't able to attend in person, but the communication was very clear. Look forward to applying again!

    October 2023
    Helpful