We’re thrilled to be showcasing films from some of our amazing alumni filmmakers as part of our 2022 program! Here’s a glimpse at what our WWest family is bringing to this year’s program:

• Chicken // Short Narrative by alum Josh Leong
• One Buck Won’t Hurt // Short Documentary by Christopher Stoudt, produced by fest alum Ryan Suffern
• Fight or Flight // Short Narrative by Lindsey Hagan, part of the Gnarly Bay collective, whose work we’ve shown over the years
• Free to Care // Short Documentary by Owen Dubek and longtime alum, Chris Temple, both part of Optimist, whose films we’ve featured at many fests!

So happy to welcome back this lineup of fantastic filmmakers. Story can change the world!

Join the amazing crew of Washington West volunteers at this year’s fest, Oct. 13-17.

New volunteers:

• Complete this sign-up form
• Attend our upcoming virtual orientation (required for all new vols!) on Tues, 9/27 at 7 pm ET: meet.google.com/ags-jaef-sjg
• If you can’t make this date/time, let us know at volunteer@wwfilmfest.com

Returning volunteers join us for a quick refresher orientation on Wed, 9/28 at 7 pm ET:                                            meet.google.com/xad-vbqp-erf

Looking forward to having you join our team!

REFUGE: A Story About Fear and Love in the American South will open our 2022 festival at 7 pm on 10/13 at the beautiful Capital One Hall. We’re thrilled to share this important story with our audiences and grateful to have three amazing members of the film team with us for a discussion: Producer and Co-Director, Din Blankenship, and subjects, Chris Buckley and Arno Michaelis.

We encourage you to learn more about our special guests and check out some of the valuable resources related to their work –>

• Chris Buckley is a husband, father, war veteran and former extremist. He now champions empathy and acceptance and works with Parents4Peace, a public health ngo that empowers families, friends, and communities to prevent radicalization, violence, and extremism.
• After founding and playing an active role in a worldwide racist skinhead organization in the late 1980s-1990s, Arno Michaelis is now an advocate of peace, forgiveness, and gratitude. He’s an inspiring speaker and author of My Life After Hate, co-author of The Gift of Our Wounds
• Din Blankenship is an Atlanta-based architect-turned-filmmaker. In 2021, she founded Late Bloomer Films, which has a compelling lineup of films, including REFUGE.

Dear Washington West Family,

2020 has been one whirlwind of a year. With the uncertainties and restrictions of what COVID presents, we feel it is our responsibility first and foremost to prioritize the safety of our attendees, filmmakers, volunteers, and staff. We have therefore made the sad decision to cancel this year’s in-person film festival in October.

Our decision to cancel is an incredibly difficult one for our staff and Board of Directors as we reckon with just how important stories and community are right now in this specific time in history.

However, we will not allow COVID to rob us of celebrating our 10th anniversary! We will be hosting virtual events throughout the remainder of the year and into 2021 ranging from online screenings, Q&As, panels, and more. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to get the latest news about what we’re up to.

We can’t wait to showcase stories on the big screen in front of our audiences again. Please stay safe, healthy, and sane as we traverse through the second half of 2020. We are truly, all in this together.

With our fullest support,
Washington West Film Festival Staff

“Story can change the world.” 

We at Washington West Film Festival live by this saying. It speaks not only to the power of art, but also to the transformative nature of a medium like film.

Many of us go to the theater for pure entertainment, where we can unplug from our surroundings and be transported into the vastness of a galaxy far, far away, or a world where superheroes protect us from the most threatening of foes.

Storytellers can also use film to explore far more personal truths, by shining a light on real world narratives that have shaped the society we live in.

In today’s world, these voices are more important than they’ve ever been. 

Story can change the world because it teaches us to dream big, and share the ideas we conjure up in our imagination with people around the globe. Story can also change the world because it can educate us about the real world fears and injustices that people experience in their day-to-day lives. 

Film can give a voice to those who have something important to say, with a trust and certainty that their own experience will inform not only what’s on the screen, but what happens off-screen as a result. 

Whether it’s the story of a fictional character like Luke Skywalker, or a real-life hero like Martin Luther King Jr., film has the ability to inspire us in ways nothing else can.   

The goal of this space is to engage our community — storytellers and audiences alike — to seek out stories that inspire them. We will highlight films and filmmakers who speak to Washington West’s ideals through interviews and recommendation lists, and will inform readers of local events and other opportunities where they can connect with their fellow film lovers. 

And most important, we look forward to sharing the stories of Washington West with you.

Congratulations to the 2019 Washington West Award Recipients!

The jurors for the 2019 Feature Narrative Competition were: alum Devin Landin (Producer, Saints Rest), Joe Amodei (Founder & Distributor, Virgil Films & Entertainment), Kimberly Skyrme (Casting Director, Producer, Writer & Director), alum Laura Somers (Director, Rich Kids), and alum Michael Gallagher (Director, Funny Story).

Jury Award Best Feature Narrative: Burden
Jury Award Best Feature Narrative Director: Bora Kim, House of Hummingbird

The jurors for the 2019 Feature Documentary Competition were: Dana Flor (Director & Producer), alum Josh Hansbrough (Director & Cinematographer, Peace of Heart), alum Matt Maude (Director, Producer, Writer & Cinematographer, General Magic), alum Priscilla Torres (Executive Producer, They Call Us Warriors), alum Samantha Smith (Director, 1-800-Give-Us-Your-Kidney), Sara Barger (Fellow, Docs In Progress), and Tiffany Fisher-Love (Producer, United Skates).

Jury Award Best Feature Documentary: 17 Blocks
Jury Award Best Feature Documentary Director: Davy Rothbart, 17 Blocks

The jurors for the 2019 Short Film Competition were: alum Gerardo Velasquez (Actor, Rich Kids), Gina Daddario (Media & Communications Professor and Chair, Shenandoah University), John Douglass (School of Communication Associate Professor, American University), alum Kyle Morrison (Director & 2018 Best Documentary Short Film award winner, Mott Haven), alum Verner Maldonado (Director & Producer, Swim).

Jury Award Best Short Documentary: R.A.W. Tuba
Jury Award Best Short Narrative: The Neighbors’ Window
Jury Award Best Short Film Director: Marshall Curry, The Neighbors’ Window

Congratulations to our award winners and a big thank you to our jury!

1. We’ll actually watch your film. From start to finish. At least 3 times.
   Believe it or not, many film festivals do not screen their submissions. We uncompromisingly believe every filmmaker deserves a fair chance to share their story.
2. Our screening team is anything but homogenous.
   It is diverse in age, gender, race, socio-economic background, ideology, etc. to ensure your film is carefully considered by screeners who look and sound like you.
3. We will provide feedback of your film upon request, regardless of selection status.
   It is important to us that filmmakers whose work is not accepted, still leave having benefitted from engaging with our film festival.
4. Most importantly, submitting your film allows us to raise funds for communities in need.
   As of last year, we gave over $30,000 for foster children arts education. You can be a part of this effort!

Submit a Film