**Moviemaker Magazine just named The Movie Crush one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World, alongside SXSW, Slamdance, Telluride and Clermont-Ferrand! https://www.moviemaker.com/coolest-film-festivals-2025/**

The Walla Walla Movie Crush showcases America's most intoxicating blend of short cinema, from vintage filmmakers as well as fresh upstarts. We promise a flight for every fancy.

TOP 10 REASONS YOU SHOULD SUBMIT YOUR SHORT TO THE WALLA WALLA MOVIE CRUSH

* Every submission is personally reviewed by our Artistic Director, Warren Etheredge, who has twenty years of experience on the festival circuit, the founder or co-founder of three, and programmer for many others. Warren watches over 2,000 shorts every year. Your work will be judged by the individual making the final decisions.

* Selected shorts represent the very best of current American movie-making. If your work is programmed, you know it is amongst the best of the best.

* Your selected short will be thematically programmed, packaged with other fantastic movies exploring similar content/themes. Any hour-tour long grouping will like include short narratives, doc, animation, music videos, etc. In total, these curated collections prove the whole is greater than the sum of its shorts.

* Selected finalists for top prizes — Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Animated Short, Best Short Screenplay and Best Performance — will be determined by all-star juries of Oscar-winners, nominees and revered moviemakers. Past years' jurors are responsible for such movies and television series such as: CAPTAIN MARVEL, WINTER’S BONE, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT, ALIEN, OCEAN’S 11, SCREAM, LOGAN, ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT, BRING IT ON, GLOW, PARKS & RECREATION, IN THE COMPANY OF MEN, EDITH+EDDIE, LEAVE NO TRACE, OZARK and many more.

* Selected shorts are screened at the historic, 300-seat Gesa Power House Theatre, a handsomely appointed venue with top-notch projection and sound systems.

* Should you attend, the Crush staff will treat you like royalty and family. Our goal is to celebrate every moviemaker’s talents and welcome them into the fold.

* Attending moviemakers are treated to daily, gratis Happy Hours, nightly parties and an invite-only Sunday brunch. The Electric Lounge (aka The Crush Green Room) is open all day for you to eat, drink and be cozy. These events and this pace also provide near ‘round the clock opportunities to network with fellow artists and industry guests.

* The Crush audience is committed, passionate and vocal. They will sit rapt with attention and express their affection for your work.

* A committed group of attendees we call “The Iron Ass Jury” selects an annual Audience Award winner. What separates this audience award from others is that is the only one that is determined by a jury comprised of viewers who have sat through every single screening, thus elevating the prize from popularity contest to true, absolute meritocracy.

* Walla Walla is the Napa Valley of Washington State — a lush and lovely wine region — noted for its beauty and bounty of dining and drinking options. Downtown Walla Walla is abuzz with activity and the scenic surroundings provide countless options for exploration and adventure. In fact, for early-arriving moviemakers, we will guide a Saturday morning hike that shows off the city and allows you to network in nature.

For more information, please visit https://www.themoviecrush.com and subscribe — for FREE! — to *Crushworthy*, the official, mostly monthly e-newsletter of the Walla Walla Movie Crush.

Awards & Prizes

Best Narrative
Best Documentary
Best Animation
Best Performance
Best Screenplay
Alex Sichel Memorial Award
Jerry Goldsmith Memorial Award
Beast of The Crush
Curator's Choice Award

Rules & Terms

* submissions may be no longer than thirty minutes
* submissions must have been shot in the United States OR feature someone above-the-line who is a citizen of the United States OR have been created by a student attending a school in the United States OR feature American content
* submissions must have been completed after January 1, 2025
45 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ben Smith

    Thankful to Warren and his crew for selecting and screening our film, Yearn. The Walla Walla Movie Crush is good vibes all around, and we could tell immediately that the whole team and the festival itself has a lot of character and heart.

    August 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Ben. YEARN delighted our audience, you could feel the anticipation — it's not just the statues that want to see the two hook up! Eager to see more shorts from you in the near future. Please!

  • Christian Loubek

    There is nothing like The Movie Crush! Warren Etheredge is a national treasure. He personally watches all submissions (2,582 this year!). He selects and curates with an incredibly high cinematic IQ. Each block of films is interesting and insightful both in the films selected and the order presented. Proud to share the screen with such fine filmmakers and such exceptional films. Thank you for selecting BELIEF to be a part of your program!

    July 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    We feel very lucky to have screened Hamilton-Loubek shorts in back-to-back years at The Crush. Both OUT OF TUNE and BELIEF are terrific films and clear fan favorites. We wish you could have joined us in person this Sumer to have heard the crown swoon for your latest, but I have faith you'll make more and we will have so many great reasons to lure you back to Walla Walla. Thanks for the kind words and the beautiful art.

  • Jacob Samuels

    Walla Walla Movie Crush was truly an exceptional experience beginning to end. The team puts an incredible amount of care into their programming and they go out of their way to take care of the filmmakers in attendance. An essential stop on your film festival circuit.

    July 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Jacob. We are honored to have presented the world premiere of I WANT MY MOMMY, starring the sublime Clayton Farris and featuring a gasp heard 'round Walla Walla. You score bonus points for becoming an Iron A** juror along with your award-worthy Scripty, Andrea T. Welcome to our CrushFam4eva❤️. Please come back.

  • Neely Goniodsky

    An Unforgettable Weekend at Walla Walla Movie Crush
    I recently had the pleasure of attending Walla Walla Movie Crush. It was a blast!!! The festival brought together an incredible array of filmmakers, leading to some fascinating conversations and connections.
    The film selection was outstanding, with each film offering something unique and engaging. It was evident that a lot of thought and care went into curating a lineup that showcased diverse voices and high-quality storytelling. Every film I watched was truly remarkable.

    July 2024
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Neely. Please know your two artful shorts were important additions to this year's blend. Getting to show them *and* getting to display some of your process/materials for making them at FVC Gallery — were amongst our 2024 highlights. Please come back next year. You are #Crushfam4eva❤️

  • Niels Ostenfeld

    Warren and the whole team was a pleasure to work with. Thanks for having us.

    July 2024
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Niels. It was an honor to screen THE RED BIKE and to introduce audiences to the stellar performance by Michael Ray Escamilla, his passing is devastating. I wish you could have been in attendance for the rapturous response your short received.