Greetings Friends,

Welcome to The 2nd Annual Pottsville Film Festival. We’re honored to have you consider our festival.

2026 HONORED GUEST:
We're so happy to announce that this year's honored guest will be comedy legend, RICHARD KLINE! In his 50+ year career, Richard has starred in everything from Broadway, to Hollywood films, to hosting gameshows, to numerous TV roles—including his iconic turn as the upstairs neighbor "Larry Dallas" in the hugely popular sitcom "Three's Company". Richard will be with us all weekend, and will also lead an industry workshop that we'll share more info on soon!

THE FESTIVAL:
The Pottsville Film Festival is situated in the heart of Pennsylvania’s historic Coal Region, where we are fast building a community of filmmakers and artists who are seeking to establish a home. Our goal is to bring filmmakers of all backgrounds together, and to celebrate local and international storytelling in our charming, history-rich city located just 2.5 hours from New York City and less than 90 minutes from Philadelphia and eastern New Jersey.

Screening over 50 projects (with 15 awards presented), The Pottsville Short Film Festival is the perfect late spring weekend destination for filmmakers throughout the Northeast.

Last year’s inaugural fest was a big success, thanks in large part to festival organizer D.J. Higgins (American filmmaker, writer, director and instructor). Thank you D.J. for your tremendous passion, expertise and commitment to the arts. 2025’s esteemed industry guests included Sopranos actors Artie Pasquale and Daniel Grimaldi—and Pottsville native, television writer and producer Meredith Averill—who’s a two-time Golden Globe nominee, a four-time nominee of the Writers Guild of America Award, and an Executive Producer on the hit Netflix show "Wednesday”.

BEAUTIFUL POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA:
Hosted in Pottsville, PA—a city known for its historic downtown district, vibrant arts scene, and the world famous and iconic Yuengling Brewery (America’s oldest)— attendees can enjoy screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry workshops, local food and craft beer, a free tour of the Yuengling Brewery, and strolls through a region filled with beautifully preserved architecture, and scenic mountain vistas. From the deep tunnels of the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mines to the boutique shops lining Centre Street, Pottsville blends past and present in a way that inspires artists and audiences alike.

JOIN US:
Whether you're submitting a short film or animation internationally, joining us for the screenings, or exploring the beauty and history of Pennsylvania’s coal country, this festival invites you to be part of our growing creative tradition. We look forward to seeing you in late May 2026 (please mark your calendar), and thank you for your support!

Awards & Prizes

Cash Prizes

Best of the Fest - $500.00

Best Pennsylvania Film - $500.00
(Shot primarily in PA, or, Director is a PA resident or PA-based filmmaker, or the film has a PA based story or subject matter)

Best Director - $500.00

Awards (Trophies)

Best Narrative (Short)
Best Comedy (Short)
Best Horror (Short)
Best International (Short)
Best Student (Short)
Best Animation (Short)
Best Actress (Short)
Best Actor (Short)
Best Cinematography
Best Documentary (Under 40 mins)
Best of the Skook (Best Schuylkill County Film. Criteria includes----shot primarily in the Skook, or, Director is a Skook resident or Skook-based filmmaker, or the film has a Schuylkill County based story or subject matter)

Rules & Terms

RULES & TERMS

a) All entries must obtain the appropriate copyright clearances (i.e. music, archive footage, images, etc). The filmmaker agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Pottsville Film Festival, its staff, and partners from any claims arising from the exhibition of their film.

b) Considered films are uploaded only through FilmFreeway. Entry fees are non-refundable, regardless of submission or acceptance status

c) Upon acceptance, PFF will request the following: a MP4 file of your film, logline, brief synopsis, and high-resolution images of your poster in vertical, horizontal, and square orientations.

d) Non-English language works MUST include English subtitles at the time of submission.

e) Filmmaker attendance is welcomed but not required. PFF does not provide travel, lodging, or transportation reimbursement unless explicitly stated.

f) Upon acceptance, if the filmmaker does not meet the deadline requirements, the film risks being pulled from the festival lineup and replaced by another.

By agreeing to the Rules and Terms, you transfer the Pottsville Film Festival the right to use excerpts of your submitted film, stills, and trailers, for the purposes of publicity and marketing of the film at the 2025 festival, and for other non-commercial uses related to the promotion of the festival.

SUBMISSIONS

a) PFF has no premiere or exclusivity rule, we also consider work that is online.

b) PFF does not accept works in progress, but completed films only.

c) This year PFF will not be accepting feature-length films, but we look forward to accepting longer form content in the future.

d) Entry into the festival guarantees the film's place in the competition, giving it a chance to win one of the listed awards. The exception to this is Festival Selects that are by invitation only. These films are not eligible for any of the listed awards.

e) Winners will receive their awards at the ceremony on the festival's final day.

f) All programming decisions made by the PFF selection committee are final.

By submitting, you confirm that you have read, understood, and comply with all eligibility requirements for the festival and the categories in which you want your film to be considered.

If you have further questions that weren't addressed here or on the website, please feel free to email: pottsvillefilmfest@gmail.com
12 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Eric Greenberg

    Fantastic festival. The organizers were extremely welcoming. Great small town atmosphere.

    June 2026
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  • Eric Olmeda

    Great local film festival! The Chopping Block and Majestic Theatre were very welcoming. Looking forward to next year and seeing great films, friends and who will be making a guest appearance, Richard Kline is a national treasure!

    June 2026
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  • Derek Frey

    We had an excellent experience screening The Current State of the Backyard Pool Industry at the Pottsville Film Festival. The festival was well organized, welcoming to our cast and crew, and the festival is clearly run by people who genuinely care about filmmakers and independent cinema.
    The audience was engaged, the staff and volunteers were wonderful, and the post-screening conversations were a highlight. We are grateful to have been part of the festival and would gladly return in the future.

    June 2026
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  • Keith Rubin

    Pottsville was a terrific experience! Joe and their whole team were super communicative and supportive throughout the process, and we loved screening BRETT WAS A F*CK as part of the 2026 festival.

    June 2026
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  • Vincente DiSanti

    Love what DJ and his team are doing with this fest. Great communal atmosphere and one heck of a venue space to watch films all weekend. The networking events are held at amazing locations all over town and really show off what Pottsville has to offer. Meanwhile, the entire town is blanketed with interesting history and locations to visit. Definitely worth the trip!

    April 2026
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