Blog: Film festivals

The Sedona International Film Festival celebrates current independent film from around the world. The festival strives to bring the best in narrative features, documentaries, short subjects, animation and foreign language films in all genres to its indie audience. It provides a rich educational opportunity to filmmakers, students and the general public alike through its on-site workshops, panel discussions and seminars.

The Festival's mission statement: "Bringing people together to broaden the understanding of the human condition and celebrate the power of independent film through cinema and the Sedona experience. To educate and inspire filmmakers and audience members to make a difference around the world through film."

The 27th Annual festival features nine days of independent films: February 20-28, 2021.

*** NEW THIS YEAR: We are introducing our SCREENPLAY COMPETITION!

Now celebrating its 27th season, the Sedona International Film Festival prides itself on bringing the best in independent film to its ever-growing audience of indie film lovers. From features to documentaries, short subjects to animation, and an impressive lineup of foreign films, the Festival screens more than 170 films at the state-of-the-art Harkins Sedona Cinemas, the Mary D. Fisher Theatre (the festival's own art house theater venue) and the Sedona Performing Arts Center, located in beautiful Sedona, Arizona .

In addition to all of our incredible independent film programming in all genres, the festival also features a "Family" film series, a "Green/Sustainable" series and other exciting themed series tracks each year. Additionally, the festival features a "Docs That Make a Difference" series and World Cinema Showcase. The festival has also introduced a new initiative: "Art into Activism — Turning Movies into Motivation" that inspires and encourages audience members to "act" on topics they've seen in our films when they leave our theaters.

The Festival features a gala with an annual celebrity tribute, filmmaker dinners/events each night and an awards ceremony.

Past festival honorees have included: Susan Sarandon, Rob Reiner, Marc Shaiman, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Alexander, James Brolin, Cybil Shepherd, Elliott Gould, Michael Moore, John Waters, Peter Bogdanovich, Nicholas Cage, Gary Sinise, Jonathan Winters, Paul Sorvino, Lea Thompson, Phil Rosenthal, Rip Torn, Rita Rudner, Tim Daly, Richard Schiff, Jamey Sheridan, James Karen, David Rasche, Jane Seymour, James Keach, Doris Roberts, Giancarlo Esposito, Nick Nolte, Joe Pantoliano, Mary Stuart Masterson, Diane Ladd, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, along with classic movie icon Robert Osborne from Turner Classic Movies. Additional tributees have included Ned Beatty, Alan Cumming, Lainie Kazan, Peter Masterson, Carlin Glynn, Elizabeth Banks, Ed Asner, Rick Schroder, Elmer Bernstein, Ted Danson, Ann Miller, Donald O'Connor, Mary Steenburgen and Sean Young.

While every festival has its celebrity honorees, the Sedona International Film Festival prides itself on honoring the FILMMAKER first and foremost. The FILMMAKERS are the true celebrities and are given the most attention, focus and accolades at the Sedona festival. This includes Q&A discussions after every screening, complimentary hotel accommodations at one of Sedona's incredible hotels, complimentary meals in the Filmmaker/VIP lounge every day of the festival plus top "All-Access" passes to all festival activities and films. The filmmakers are our "STARS" and we treat them as such!

The Sedona International Film festival boasts a stellar lineup of some of the best independent films from around the world in all genres.

Don't just take our word for it ... here's just a sampling of what some filmmakers had to say about the Sedona International Film Festival:

"Twenty-nine film festivals later, there is really only ONE worth going to ... SEDONA"

"What an unbelievable, wonderful, inspired and inspiring event you ALL just put on."

"Flawless! The atmosphere breathtaking and the films were magnificent."

"I have been to a good few film fests and yours was the nicest experience that I have had. I think all the filmmakers I spoke with share this sentiment."

"I have to tell you, of all the film festivals I've been involved in, yours stands head and shoulders above them all! Somehow, you were able to make our visit a class act and, at the same time, keep your film festival a film festival."