The Women's Film Festival is an annual festival that is normally during Women's History Month in March that showcases work made by and/or about women and self-identifying women. This year, it will be held in September 2025. The Women's Film Festival is the only event of its kind in Philadelphia that celebrates and elevates women in film and television.

Since October 2014, The Women's Film Festival has presented hundreds of culturally relevant films and exciting programming to broad and diverse audiences in the Greater Philadelphia region. Past main venues included the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center of Performing Arts, Caplan Theater at the University of the Arts, Drexel URBN Annex Screening Room, National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art Ruth and Raymond G Perelman Building, The Lightbox Center, The Suzanne Roberts Theater, Masonic Temple, Neighborhood House at Christ Church, Moore College of Art & Design, and Fleisher Art Memorial.

To learn more information about The Women's Film Festival, please visit our website at www.thewomensfilmfestival.org.

Awards & Prizes

- Best Full Length Narrative ($100 prize)
- Best Full Length Documentary ($100 prize)
- Best Short Narrative ($100 prize)
- Best Short Documentary ($100 prize)

Rules & Terms

Please submit your work (documentary, short, feature, animation, or music video) featuring a strong female role in the category of director, writer, producer, editor, director of photography, or lead actress. Work cannot be screened in Philadelphia area prior to this film festival and must not be open to the public to view. No submission waivers.

Good luck to all, and thank you for sharing your work with us.

CERTIFICATION OF ENTRANT: I, the contact person for the film submitted with this application, agree to the following:

I have read, understood, and completed all eligibility requirements for which I would like this film to be considered.

* To the best of my knowledge, all of the statements in this application are true.
* The Women's Film Festival DOES NOT PAY SCREENING FEES. By submitting my film to this festival, I am giving consent to allow The Women's Film Festival to screen it if selected.
* If selected for the festival, I agree to pay for print shipping costs. The Women's Film Festival will pay for return shipping. (DVD/Blu-ray screeners will not be returned.)
* All final works must be completed and shipped 4 weeks before the screening date. This contract is binding and will be held responsible for the information in my submission.
* I agree to allow The Women's Film Festival to screen my film at post-festival events.
* The Women's Film Festival will only accept films written, directed, produced, videographed, edited, or principally acted by an artist that identifies as a woman or whose subject matter relates to women issues.
51 Reviews
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  • Lorraine Portman

    The Women's Film Festival is well organized and very welcoming. The events for filmmakers are lovely. Communication is solid. The Women's Film Festival has a lovely audience who appreciates the well curated films. I am honored and thrilled our film played this festival and we hope to return.

    March 2026
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  • Michelle West

    Such a wonderful community! Suzi and Phuong really go all out to connect with the filmmakers and make sure everyone is included in all the festivities. Their filmmaker round table was a fantastic opportunity to really talk about the nitty gritty of filmmaking rather than a rushed Q&A. So much substance! Love these gals!

    December 2025
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  • Asha Bagal Kelly

    This is a well-organized festival with many opportunities for filmmaker networking including brunch events and panel discussions. I met some really interesting artists and future collaborators! Every screening and mixer was held in a beautiful location, and I felt genuinely taken care of and welcome throughout the festival.

    November 2025
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  • Evangelia Kingsley

    We were so honored to have our film, Complicit: Observations from the 57th Floor, be a part of this wonderful festival. The organizers were warm and welcoming and the attendees were so wonderfully interesting, interested and engaged. It was a privilege and would happily come back any time!

    November 2025
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  • Kalima Young

    This was a fabulous festival. The work was interesting, and the hosts were very gracious with our project. I will definitely submit my next project to this fest.

    October 2025
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