For 96 hours, almost four straight days and nights, the New Hampshire Film Festival offers a total immersion into an international feast of entertainment, enlightenment, gastronomy, and socializing. Taking place every fall, the festival presents the best in recent independent narrative, documentary, and short-subject cinema from the region, the nation, and the world. Directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, actors, and film buffs of all ages descend upon downtown Portsmouth to catch exclusive screenings, meet-and-greets with filmmakers, interactive panel discussions, and lively after-parties.

Founded in 2001, the New Hampshire Film Festival began as a small, grassroots event to support local, regional, and student filmmakers. It now holds a coveted place as a highly recognized event that showcases the brightest talent on the international film festival scene. The festival encapsulates over a dozen exciting locations around the city, including four state-of-the-art screening venues ranging in size from 65 to 900-seat theaters, which are all within walking distance. The festival has proudly showcased over 800 films in competition, presented over 60 workshops and panels, hosted close to 100 parties, and welcomed numerous industry guests and celebrities. It now holds a coveted place as a highly recognized Academy Award-qualifying event that showcases the brightest talent on the international film festival scene.

The New Hampshire Film Festival continues to grow year after year and now attracts more than 9,000 attendees, who fill the city sidewalks as they stroll through downtown in between screenings to shop, eat, and mingle. It has truly become one of the region’s most electrifying events in what MovieMaker Magazine calls “the film center of New England.”

This year, New Hampshire Film Festival brings actor Alan Ruck as our Featured Speaker. Join the Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee for a career retrospective, featuring a lively moderated conversation and audience Q&A.