Every year, we wait in anticipation for the season’s biggest blockbusters to be released in movie theaters. Movies such as Titanic, Gladiator, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Avatar captivated audiences and turned into cultural phenomena. However, some of the world’s most popular movies debuted at USA film festivals before they got their names in lights.
Attending a film festival in the USA may see you catching a glimpse of the next cultural phenomenon before it garners global attention. Be sure to share this with your family and friends by purchasing a USA prepaid SIM card.
Sundance Film Festival, Provo
Let’s start with the most famous US film festival. The Sundance Film Festival was established in 1978 as a platform for independent filmmakers to showcase their talents. Over the years, major movies such as the Blair Witch Project, Little Miss Sunshine and the 2000 remake of American Psycho all made their debut at the festival.
Established: 1978
Date: January
Venue: Sundance Resort
Theme: No set theme
Organisers: Sundance Institute
Price: Tickets are $25 each and packages start from $200 and go up to $750.
Visitors: 40 000
How to submit film: The first step is to complete the online submission form, then send a copy of your film to the address provided on the Sundance Festival website.
Noteworthy winners: A number of Hollywood elite have won the Piper-Heidsieck Tribute to Independent Vision award at the Sundance Film Festival. Some of the big names include Nicolas Cage, Denzel Washington, Keven Spacy and Julianne Moore.
Things to do: Provo has a number of outdoor based activities that tourists can participate in.
Tourist attractions: the Provo City Center Temple, the BYU Museum of Paleontology, and the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum.
Places to stay: the Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, the Hyatt Place Provo, and Aspenwood Manor.
Tribeca Film Festival, New York
The Tribeca Film Festival was established by Jane Rosenthal and Robert Di Nero revitalize the economy of Lower Manhattan in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The Tribeca Film Festival show cases a number of different film genres from conventional film, episodic films, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming.
Established: 2002
Date: The first week in June.
Venue: various cinema venues across Lower Manhattan. The most famous being the Tribeca Cinema.
Theme: No set theme
Organisers: The Tribeca Film Institute
Price: tickets start from $13 to $50.
Visitors: 150 000
How to submit film: tribecafilm.com
Noteworthy winners: a best of New York series curated by Martin Scorsese, Steve Zahn (best actor for Cowboys [2020]), and Wendell Pierce (best actor for Burning Cane [2019]).
Things to do: Lower Manhattan Tour: The Remnants of Dutch New Amsterdam, Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge Guided Bike Tour, and Manhattan Sky Tour: New York Helicopter Flight.
Tourist attractions: Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Places to stay: St Marks Hotel, Hotel NY Downtown Manhattan, and The Standard High Line New York
South by Southwest, Austin
The South by Southwest (SXSW) is part of the larger South by Southwest Festival which takes place in Austin, Texas every year. The SXSW Film Conference takes place over five days, welcomes film makers of all levels, and includes conference panels and sessions. One of the major drawcards of the festival are talks and mentorship workshops from some of Hollywood’s most popular directors.
Established: 1987
Date: The dates for SXSW vary. However, the festival is generally held in March and does coincide with the University of Texas at Austin’s Spring Break and St Patrick’s Day.
Venue: University of Texas at Austin
Theme: no set theme.
Organisers: SXSW, LLC
Price: Pre-booked festival badge (Primary Access to Film & TV Events) cost $995. Walk up rate (purchasing badges on the day) cost $1 595.
Visitors: 16 297
How to submit film: sxsw.com
Noteworthy winners: Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Vessel.
Things to do: Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Lady Bird Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail, and Mount Bonnell.
Tourist attractions: the Barton Springs Pool, LBJ Presidential Library, and the Texas State Capitol.
Places to stay: Hyatt House Austin/Downtown, Kasa East Austin, and Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin.
Fantastic Fest, Austin
Fantastic Fest is a film festival that is held in Austin, Texas. Fantastic focuses on genre films such as horror, science fiction, fantasy, action, Asian, and cult. The festival takes place in September filling eight screens for eight days. The festival hosts many writers, directors, and actors, either well-established or unknown.
Established: 2005
Date: September.
Venue: the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.
Theme: horror, science fiction, and fantasy.
Organisers: Alamo Drafthouse
Price: badges start from $275
Visitors: 20 000
How to submit film: fantasticfest.com
Noteworthy winners: La Pietá, The Five Devils, and The Menu.
Things to do: Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Lady Bird Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail, and Mount Bonnell.
Tourist attractions: the Barton Springs Pool, LBJ Presidential Library, and the Texas State Capitol.
Places to stay: Hyatt House Austin/Downtown, Kasa East Austin, and Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin.
Cleveland International Film Festival, Cleveland
Like all of the other film festivals on this list, the Cleveland International Film Festival celebrates independent directors and filmmakers. In 1977, the festival showed eight films over a period of eight weeks. The festival now shows 213 feature films and 237 short films from 71 countries.
Established: 1977
Date: end of March to the first week in April.
Venue: Tower City Cinemas.
Theme: No set theme.
Organisers: Cleveland International Film Festival.
Price: tickets start at $80 for Cleveland International Film Festival members and $100 for non-members.
Visitors: 105 000
How to submit film: clevelandfilm.org
Noteworthy winners: Dying to Do Letterman, Becoming Bulletproof, and Girl in the Hallway.
Things to do: visit Progressive Field, visit the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and A Christmas Story House.
Tourist attractions: the West Side Market, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Places to stay: the Drury Plaza Hotel Cleveland Downtown, the Wyndham Cleveland Airport, and Comfort Inn Downtown Cleveland.
The USA has been the cornerstone of the international film industry for decades. While a lot of attention is given to popular blockbuster films, a feature of USA film festivals is the fact that they give independent films and filmmakers a voice and a chance to get noticed.
Top 5 USA Film Festivals FAQ
- What is a film festival?
I film festival is a festival that showcases films over a number of days.
- How many film festivals are held in the United States?
There are 17 film festivals that are held in the USA every year.
- What is the biggest USA film festival?
The biggest film festival in the USA is the Sundance International Film Festival.
- Which USA state has the most film festivals?
California is the USA state that has the most film festivals.
- What is the most popular film festival in the USA?
The most popular film festival in the USA is the Sundance International Film Festival.
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