USA TODAY 10Best
Must-see: 10 best film festivals in the US for 2024
Best Film Festival (2024)
Move over, Cannes! The film festival circuit in the United States is packed with fantastic events, from heavy hitters to up-and-comers screening tomorrow's biggest names in cinema.
To find the best, we asked an expert panel to nominate their favorites, then our readers voted for their top picks to determine the winners. Here are the 10 best film festivals in the United States for 2024.
- Chicago Underground Film Festival - Chicago, Illinois
- BendFilm Festival - Bend, Oregon
- Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Atlanta Film Festival - Atlanta, Georgia
- Washington West Film Festival - Reston, Virginia
- Tallgrass Film Festival - Wichita, Kansas
- Out On Film - Atlanta, Georgia
- NewFilmmakers Los Angeles - Los Angeles, California
- Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Salute Your Shorts Film Festival - Los Angeles, California
Photo courtesy of maybe: ummm guy
No. 10:
Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF) is the longest-running underground film festival in the world, and you'll find daring documentaries and avant-garde narrative films here that push boundaries that other festivals don't. In addition to showing the work of new filmmakers, the genre-defying festival also pays tribute to underground legends like John Waters or Kenneth Anger, with retrospective showings of their classics.
Photo courtesy of Karen Cammack
No. 9:
BendFilm celebrates independent film with a combo of in-person and virtual film screenings, as well as filmmaker discussions and mentor sessions for the public. It's one of only 27 Academy-qualifying film festivals in the U.S., with winners in the animated, Indigenous, and narrative short film categories eligible for Oscar nominations. Most of the screenings are held at the boutique arthouse Tin Pan Theater, a local community venue in downtown Bend.
No. 8:
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival celebrates cinema and storytelling with 200 films from 40 countries, including a selection of world premieres. There's an impressive lineup of films, as well as directors, producers, actors, and special guests that attend, in addition to a red carpet ceremony and a classic church-turned-cinema hosting screenings. With the fabulous Fort Lauderdale beaches as a backdrop, all the more reason for this festival to be a winner on all fronts.
Photo courtesy of Atlanta Film Festival
No. 7:
The 11-day Atlanta Film Festival highlights a diverse lineup of creative media, including virtual reality, episodic content, and music videos, alongside more traditional offerings. The event includes panel discussions and nearly 200 films from across the globe. It’s also an Academy Award-qualifying festival.
Photo courtesy of Washington West Film Festival
No. 6:
Film and philanthropy come together at this Virginia film festival, where all box office proceeds are donated to communities in need. The festival screens films from several categories and genres, as well as hosts Q&A sessions and panel discussions with some of the industry’s top names.
Photo courtesy of James Wilson
No. 5:
Hosted by the Tallgrass Film Association, the four-day Tallgrass Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the state of Kansas, showcasing the best films from around the world each October. There are parties across Wichita, discussions with filmmakers, classes on the art of filmmaking, and many of the films are screened at the historic Orpheum Theatre, a Wichita landmark and vaudeville venue that dates from 1922.
Photo courtesy of Sher Pruitt / Out On Film
No. 4:
Out on Film was established in 1987 as one of the first film festivals dedicated to LGBTQ stories and artists. The festival now spans 11 days, with a full lineup of film screenings and premieres. Documentaries shine, many with a focus on timely issues, like discrimination, HIV/AIDS, religion, and marriage equality.
Photo courtesy of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA)
No. 3:
While most film festivals only come around once a year, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has a monthly festival of shorts, documentaries, and feature films from around the world, followed by Q&A sessions with each filmmaker. Each of the monthly festivals has a specific focus, ranging from LGBTQ, Latin, and Black cinema to topics like immigration, disability, or international animation. There's something of interest for everyone here.
Photo courtesy of Porter Loves
No. 2:
For those who just can't budget the time to sit down to hours of feature films, this festival is for you, with nothing but short films from around the globe being screened at the landmark Harris Theater in downtown Pittsburgh. The festival is diverse, mixing local and international shorts, and also hosts a filmmaker conference, red carpet interviews with guest filmmakers, and even live readings by local actors of the winning entries in the festival's script competition. The festival only lasts four days, but it's absolutely packed with shorts and other events.
Photo courtesy of Erin Brown Thomas
No. 1:
Salute Your Shorts was started by filmmakers for filmmakers and is now considered one of the top short film festivals in the country, noted for offering top-notch programming and a weekend of inspiring and thought-provoking cinema. Judges are directors, have won Oscars, have served at Sundance, and curated for Vimeo, meaning you're in good hands at this annual happening.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate,... Read More
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Anna Keizer
Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland... Read More
Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland area but now calls LA home. After receiving her B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago, she moved to California and finished her M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. She has also graduated from UCLA’s Writing for Television Professional Program and just finished the festival circuit on her dark comedy short She Had It Coming, which she wrote and executive produced. The film was an Official Selection of 25 film festivals with several awards won for it among them. In her spare time, Anna cohosts the podcast ‘80s Movie Montage with her husband, Derek Dehanke.
Anna Keizer
Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland area but now calls LA home. After receiving her B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago, she moved to California and finished her M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. She has also graduated from UCLA’s Writing for Television Professional Program and just finished the festival circuit on her dark comedy short She Had It Coming, which she wrote and executive produced. The film was an Official Selection of 25 film festivals with several awards won for it among them. In her spare time, Anna cohosts the podcast ‘80s Movie Montage with her husband, Derek Dehanke.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a... Read More
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) and relies on her vast experience and gray matter to produce informative, entertaining content.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) and relies on her vast experience and gray matter to produce informative, entertaining content.
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Travel memories may fade over time, but... Read More
Travel memories may fade over time, but photographs recall those magical moments.
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Travel memories may fade over time, but photographs recall those magical moments.
Kristin Luna
Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer... Read More
Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer who has contributed to Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA TODAY, Southern Living and many more. You can follow her adventures via her blog Camels & Chocolate or on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Kristin Luna
Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer who has contributed to Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA TODAY, Southern Living and many more. You can follow her adventures via her blog Camels & Chocolate or on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Roberto Serrini
Roberto Serrini is an award winning Filmmaker and... Read More
Roberto Serrini is an award winning Filmmaker and Travel Journalist who has lent his vision to such global brands as Nike, Google and Apple. He has produced hundreds of short subject documentaries about travel and culture, and is extremely active in the film festival community earning over 100 wins and nominations globally. His commercial work can be seen at www.robertoserrini.com and you can connect with him socially @serrini on all social media platforms.
Roberto Serrini
Roberto Serrini is an award winning Filmmaker and Travel Journalist who has lent his vision to such global brands as Nike, Google and Apple. He has produced hundreds of short subject documentaries about travel and culture, and is extremely active in the film festival community earning over 100 wins and nominations globally. His commercial work can be seen at www.robertoserrini.com and you can connect with him socially @serrini on all social media platforms.
Sky Ariella
Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time... Read More
Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time traveler originally from New York. After graduating from Hunter College in 2018, she took a solo trip around six Southeast Asian countries. Since then, Sky has traveled to 13+ countries from South America to Europe and she’s written for major travel publications like Travel Lemming, Explore, Booking, and In The Know Traveler, along with publishing on her own blog. She’s written for other types of publications like Zippia, FashionCast, and Inspired Momentum Magazine, and currently writes documentary scripts for a major YouTube channel. Follow Sky on Instagram @skyariella, check out her blog on Medium, and learn more about her work on skyariella.com.
Sky Ariella
Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time traveler originally from New York. After graduating from Hunter College in 2018, she took a solo trip around six Southeast Asian countries. Since then, Sky has traveled to 13+ countries from South America to Europe and she’s written for major travel publications like Travel Lemming, Explore, Booking, and In The Know Traveler, along with publishing on her own blog. She’s written for other types of publications like Zippia, FashionCast, and Inspired Momentum Magazine, and currently writes documentary scripts for a major YouTube channel. Follow Sky on Instagram @skyariella, check out her blog on Medium, and learn more about her work on skyariella.com.
Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist and... Read More
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist and film critic based in the Philadelphia area. He is a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Broad Street Review, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, and Splice Today, as well as the Substack newsletter The SS Ben Hecht. Featured on Rotten Tomatoes since 2008, Stephen is a cofounder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, and also a member of the Critics Choice Association and Online Film Critics Society. Visit and subscribe to his website at https://stephensilver.substack.com/
Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist and film critic based in the Philadelphia area. He is a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Broad Street Review, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, and Splice Today, as well as the Substack newsletter The SS Ben Hecht. Featured on Rotten Tomatoes since 2008, Stephen is a cofounder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, and also a member of the Critics Choice Association and Online Film Critics Society. Visit and subscribe to his website at https://stephensilver.substack.com/
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
