Join us for a one‑day feast of comedy, community, and (naturally) cookies in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh! On Saturday, March 13, 2027, the Cookies & Comedy Film Festival takes over the nearly‑200‑seat Harris Theater (809 Liberty Ave.) in the city’s Cultural District.

What to expect:

- A hand‑picked slate of uproarious short films from Pittsburgh yinzers and funny folks worldwide
- Live hosts for each film block, drawn from the city’s top stand‑up talent
- Interactive Q&As and plenty of networking for filmmakers and fans alike
- A legendary Pittsburgh-style cookie table.

Classic theater concessions on site, along with everything surrounding Downtown Pittsburgh has to offer.

Local Filmmakers:
Need a submission‑fee discount? Drop us a line at info@cookiesfilmfest.com and we’ll hook you up.

Come for the laughs, stay for the cookies!

Awards & Prizes

Awards will be announced at the award ceremony for:

- Best Short Film (5-20 minutes)
- Best Super Short Film (Under 5 minutes)
- Best Comedic Acting
- Best Local Short Film
- Best Local Comedic Acting
- Festival Director's Choice

Additional awards may be granted for other categories, to be determined.

Rules & Terms

Film Submission Criteria:

- Comedy Genre: Your film must be a comedy or have significant comedic elements.
- Completion Date: Films must have been completed after January 1, 2025.
- Language: Non-English films must include English subtitles.
- Length: Films should not exceed 20 minutes.

Local Filmmakers: At least half the film must have been created within an hour of Pittsburgh.
23 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Faithe Nguyen

    This festival is a wonderful opportunity to become acquainted with the earnest, up-and-coming comedy & film scene in Pittsburgh. Scott was responsive, helpful, and enthusiastic throughout the whole filmmaker's submission process, and he's done a great job cultivating a fun event! Definitely an experience that you will undoubtedly enjoy. It was the perfect place to bring along some friends and enjoy a classic Pittsburgh cookie table. The pizzelles were fire.

    April 2026
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  • Elijah Gaddy

    Amazing concept, great venue, and one of the more interesting and memorable Q and A sessions I have been a part of.

    March 2026
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  • Joe Conniff

    This festival is so unique and fun to be apart of. From home-baked cookies to stand-up comedy interludes to 5 star communication from the festival director. The audience was energized and laughing throughout the whole day.

    If you love the comedy genre, then no one else does it better than Cookies & Comedy for independent filmmakers! So much joy and so much love.

    March 2026
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  • Gavin Irvine

    Unfortunately I was unable to attend the festival, but I was thrilled that my film The Postman was selected. Communication with Festival Director, Scott Danzig, was exceptional - he kept me in the loop, so to speak, and even sent me a video of the audience's generous reception to my film, which was extremely kind of him. Scott's enthusiasm for film and filmmakers is clearly bighearted, unselfish and abundant and without doubt I shall be entering future projects into this wonderful film festival. Bravo Scott and thank you!

    March 2026
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  • Aaron Rota

    Awesome Festival. Scott, the Festival Directors
    communication was warm and responsive. Though my Team and I weren't able to make the festival in person, Scott found ways to tie us in, making us feel included and considered. I look forward to submitting again!

    March 2026
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