Founded by Tim Rhys and Karol Martestko-Fenster, and now presented by Bennington Theater, The Vermont Film & Folklore Festival is a four-day cultural event celebrating its 3rd year in November 2026. The festival celebrates cinematic storytelling as well as storytelling via oral and written mediums. The festival's mission is to serve the 200,000 people of southern Vermont by creating an annual event which underscores the importance of story to who we are as a society with a shared set of values, while simultaneously discovering and nurturing some of the most talented storytellers of our time.

Awards & Prizes

Grand Jury Award - Best of Fest
Jury Award - Best Narrative Feature
Jury Award - Best Documentary Feature
Jury Award - Best Documentary Short
Jury Award - Best Narrative Short
Jury Award - Best Vermont Feature
Jury Award - Best Vermont Short
Audience Award - Best Feature
Audience Award - Best Short

Rules & Terms

FILM LENGTH
-Feature films with a runtime of 60 – 120 min.
-Short films with a runtime of 1 – 45 min.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
-Submissions must be made through FilmFreeway.
-All films must either be in English or with English subtitles.
-Filmmakers must have all necessary legal authority and rights required to submit.

REFUND POLICY:
Refunds will not be issued for films that do not qualify within our submission categories. Please check that your film qualifies or contact us before submitting.

SUBMISSION ELIGIBILITY
All submissions must have been completed after January 1, 2023 for consideration.

PREMIERE STATUS
A Vermont premiere is not required, but it's preferred.

Judges' decisions are final. Submitted materials cannot be returned. Staff of The Vermont Film & Folklore Festival ineligible for awards.
14 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • 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 be selected for the Vermont Film & Folklore Festival. Thank you Cash Cassidy and team !

    June 2025
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  • Damian Trapp

    Fantastically well-run and organized, very fun experience

    June 2025
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  • Andrew Comeau

    Fantastic small festival in a beautiful locale. The festival staff is warm, welcoming and helpful. You can tell they are huge fans of film and they curate an excellent selection of indies and interesting speakers. Highly recommend!!

    June 2025
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  • Michele Noble

    Vermont Film & Folklore Festival is so awesome! Really unique and extremely thoughtful Festival from programming to gatherings complete with local charm, to great Q& A’s and fantastic parties, it is wonderful. They care about the films and filmmakers and it shows in everything they do. They create a warm and welcoming Festival vibe in beautiful Vermont. I met really terrific filmmakers and saw wonderful blocks of films. The awards are amazing hand crafted cheeseboards. Again so thoughtful and really unique. Thank you Tim, Cash, Nick, Jacques, Greg, Sandra and Kat and all the volunteers for going the extra mile to create such a memorable Festival. And thank you for recognizing our film with an award for best screenplay it means so much to us after we experienced such a brilliant time at Vermont Film and Folklore Festival.

    May 2025
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  • Carrie Lederer

    The Vermont Film & Folklore Festival is a heartfelt gathering rooted in the belief that storytelling—whether whispered by firelight or projected on a screen—connects us. Nestled in the Green Mountains, in the charming town of Manchester, VFFF blends tradition and experimentation, honoring folklore through film as living, communal art forms.

    Set against this stunning backdrop, the festival brings together talented filmmakers, artists, and audiences with a down-home, welcoming spirit. The volunteers were enthusiastic, communicative, and genuinely committed to creating a meaningful experience. I felt at home here.

    VFFF creates not just shared space, but shared listening—where stories are truly heard. Thank you for recognizing Wild Horses at the Door with the Jury Award for Best Documentary Short. It was a thoughtful, deeply inspiring weekend.

    May 2025
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