The Woodstock Film Festival is an Academy Awards® qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards. Recipients of the festival's qualifying awards will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film/Documentary Short Film category of the Academy Awards®.

The 26th Woodstock Film Festival will take place October 15th - 19th, 2025

Founded in 2000 in the famed artists' colony of Woodstock, NY, the Woodstock Film Festival presents high-quality films, panels, concerts and special events. More than 90 percent of the filmmakers participate, joining prominent industry members who attend from all over the world.

The Woodstock Film Festival is traditionally a haven for networking with high-caliber industry members, filmmakers, musicians, and artists.

Refreshingly far from the hustle and bustle of the Hollywood scene, yet nestled in an area where many film productions are now booming and where industry stalwarts and game-changers now call home, the Woodstock Film Festival regularly draws celebrity guests and seamlessly integrates them with filmmakers, industry members and film fans. In previous years, the festival has hosted Ethan Hawke, James Ivory, Debra Granik, Ramin Bahrani, Awkwafina, Julie Taymor, Matthew Heineman, Roger Ross Williams, Barbara Kopple, Abigail Disney, Ang Lee, Richard Linklater, Kevin Smith, Darren Aronofsky, Mira Nair, Matt Dillon, Mark Duplass, Jennifer Connelly, Natalie Portman, Rachel Brosnahan, Paul Rudd, Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Matthew Modine, Melissa Leo, Lucy Liu, Tim Robbins, Mark Ruffalo, Uma Thurman, David Strathairn, Rebecca Miller, and many more.

“Woodstock is my absolute favorite festival because it has everything; a beautiful and relaxing setting, a wonderful artistic community, and a powerfully curated selection of the finest-crafted films. It’s a love fest for film lovers.” — Roger Ross Williams, Academy Award-winning Filmmaker

"Events like the Woodstock Film Festival are some of the few places where films aren't viewed as units of sale, judged on their value of commerce. The community building, idea sharing, and celebration of film as a medium that the Woodstock Film Festival fosters is invaluable to the lifeblood of the film community. I've been to many festivals all around the world, but this is one of my favorites." - Ethan Hawke, Actor / Director, 4 -times Academy Award Nominee

“Woodstock is the place with the plan for the creative arts, so welcome and stay here and keep it happening!” — Giancarlo Esposito, Actor, The Mandalorian, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul

Legendary director Julie Taymor said “The Woodstock Film Festival is a haven for those who love independent and challenging cinema. The spirit of the Namesake of the festival is in the very fiber of the festival itself - freewheeling, experimental, searching and visionary.”

"The Woodstock Film Festival is that rare and wonderful celebration that joins folks who make movies with folks who love movies in a glorious community around great storytelling. It's a spirit that has flourished forever in this corner of the Catskills and WFF is giving new generations the chance to say, 'Oh yeah, I was at Woodstock!'. - Peter Saraf, Producer, Little Miss Sunshine, The Farewell

Across a range of juried competitive categories, the Woodstock Film Festival offers prizes including Best Feature Narrative Award, Best Short Narrative and Documentary, Best Student Short Award, Best Documentary Award, best Editing Award, the Ultra Indie Award and the Haskell Wexler Best Cinematography Award. Jury members comprised of distributors, producers, actors and directors present the awards in person at the Maverick Awards. Cash prizes are given out with some of the awards, including the Best Feature Narrative and the Ultra Indie award. Annually, the festival also doles out honorary awards to some of the most notable names in the film business, including director James Ivory in 2023, actor / filmmaker Ethan Hawke, filmmaker Debra Granik, IFC Films' president Arianna Bocco, and performer Awkwafina in 2022, Neon’s CEO Tom Quinn and filmmakers Roger Ross Williams and Eliza Hittman in 2021, executive producer Abigail Disney, presented by Julie Taymor in 2019, filmmaker Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land, A Private War) in 2018, presented by Alex Gibney and Molly Thompson, filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) in 2014, presented by Natalie Portman and Jennifer Connelly, and award-winning producer David Linde (Spotlight) in 2015, presented by two-time Academy Award-winning writer/director Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant, Birdman).

Submit your film to the Woodstock Film Festival, and take part in what Ethan Hawke calls “a festival that isn't trying to sell you anything, but simply and beautifully celebrating the art & craft of filmmaking”.

Awards & Prizes

Awards, some with cash, are given out for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Narrative, Best Student Short, Ultra Indie Award, Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography, Best Animated Short, Best Editing Award for Narrative & Doc Features, as well as Audience Award for Narrative & Doc Features. Recent AWARD SPONSORS have included Gigantic Pictures, Gray Schwartz LLP, World of HA, NYWIFT, Panavision NY, Avid, and others.

Rules & Terms

Not eligible for submission if your film screened at a US film festival a year or longer before the Woodstock Film Festival.

All rights must be cleared.

No fee waivers.

All previous screening information must be filled in for the film to be considered.

Films with online distribution are ineligible for the festival.

New York Premieres are preferred. Films must be Hudson Valley Premieres.

No resubmissions of films except for new versions.

We accept VIMEO or other online links to your film. We do not accept DVDs.

In the event that a film is withdrawn by the submitter, no refund will be issued.

Please do not submit a press kit; it is unnecessary for the film screening process and will not be used. Please save your time, money and the environment. Thank you, and we look forward to viewing your film!
57 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Blake Rice

    So honored to have Tea be apart of this amazing fest. Thanks to the programming team, and all involved - hope to see you next year as well! Cheers! -Blake Winston Rice & The Tea(m)

    March 2025
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  • Frederic Winkler

    One of the best film festivals of the year! Great programming and community!

    December 2024
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  • Nick Hartanto

    It was such a pleasure to spend the week at Woodstock watching such high caliber programming. The industry panels, round table and parties were some of the best I've ever attended. Also, the fall vibes were off the charts.

    December 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Nick, we loved having you. Come back again.

  • Laura Colella

    A terrific, multifaceted festival. Excellent programming, communication and attention to the filmmaker's experience.

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Laura! Come back another year!

  • Gleb Osatinski

    Woodstock Film Festival this year felt extensive and expanded. It felt well-organized, and as a filmmaker, I felt well taken care of with the staff's undivided attention. There were plenty of conversations with fellow filmmakers and an audience that felt thirsty to see artwork brought to the festival from different parts of the world. I attended several fantastic panels, had great food during the breaks between films, and danced at night to wake up tomorrow for another great festival day. The parties were terrific, and everything felt great! I recommend that anyone go and be part of it. I am also a proud award recipient, but I am not biased because it isn't my first festival with Woodstock, so in retrospect, it felt exceptional. Way to go, Woodstock. Thank you for your hospitality and wonderful experience.

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Gleb, loved having you!