The 14 best movie festivals around the world - and when going

These events should take place on the list of buckets of each film buff.


If you Love films , you have to attend a film festival - a celebration of cinema where, in a few days, you can see dozens of films, as well as panels and other events. Film festivals often offer the possibility of seeing films that you will probably not see on the marquee of your local megaplex, such as international films, arthouse images or booming independent productions. But, the main films - two blockbusters and contenders for the award -have their first first at events like these. In any case, a film festival offers the opportunity to see the films of tomorrow today.

There are thousands of film festivals around the world - too many to list them all. Some are known internationally and extremely prestigious, such as the Cannes Film Festival with its first rented prize, the Palme d'Or. Others are much smaller local operations, sometimes focused on a specific genre. And overlap is not uncommon; A film could be presented at first during a festival, then continue to compete or screen in several others.

Although it is worth doing to see which film festivals are closest to you and what is playing this year, here is a preview of 14 of the best film festivals from around the world. Read the rest to know what they are, as well as when they generally take place and what notable films they have hosted.

In relation: 30 travel films to help you inspire your next trip .

1
The Venice Film Festival

Gemma Chan and Chris Pine at the Venice Film Festival
Marco Bertorello / AFP via Getty Images

The Venice Film Festival Was the distinction of being the oldest world film festival, having been founded in 1932. In addition to exploring the singular beauty of the Venice canals, participants can also enjoy a wide range of films, including Artistic efforts from around the world and Hollywood, long -awaited Hollywood.

When should we go: The Venice Film Festival tends to stand at the end of August or early September of each year.

What films have screened: Contenters of the main prices of the academy Roma ,, Gravity ,, Joker , And Dune All have been created in Venice in recent years. The festival of last year saw the first of Poor things ,, Maestro , And The killer .

2
Cannes festival

Jane Fonda and Justine Triet at the Cannes Film Festival
Images Andreas Rentz / Getty

Without doubt the most prestigious film festival, Canes is a dream destination for filmmakers since 1946. held in the south of France (which makes it an excellent holiday destination even without the films), Cannes is famous for the Palme d'Or, its first prize and the One of the highest honors in the whole film.

When should we go: The Cannes Film Festival takes place in May.

What films have screened: Some former Palme d'Or winners include Barton Fink ,, Taxi driver ,, pulp Fiction , And Anatomy of a fall . In addition to several films of major European filmmakers, the 2024 festival will see the first of Francis Ford Coppola Megalopolis And George Miller Furiosa: a mad max saga , although the latter is projected outside the competition.

3
The Berlin International Film Festival

Lupita Nyong'o at Berlinale in 2024
Soeren Stache / Picture Alliance via Getty Images

More commonly called The Berlinale , The main Berlin Film Festival was founded in 1951 and was considered one of the "Big Three" with Venice and Cannes. He is one of the most popular film festivals, because more than 300,000 public members buy tickets to see the hundreds of films that Berlinale has to offer.

When should we go: The Berlinale takes place in February.

What films have screened: The winners of The Golden Bear, the first prize in Berlin Film Festival, include Sidney Lumet's 12 angry men ,, Paul Thomas Anderson Magnolia , And Hayao Miyazaki Removed as if by enchantment . The 2024 Festival included Liminant love ,, Cuckoo , and the winner of Golden Bear, Dahomey , a documentary co -production of France, Senegal and Benin.

4
The Toronto International Film Festival

Matt Damon at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019
Eric Charbonneau / Getty Images for Twentieth Century Fox

THE Toronto International Film Festival , also known as Tiff, transformed the most populous city in Canada into a paradise for moviegoers when it was founded in 1976. A wide range of films from around the world play Tiff, but it was more and more A major predictor of the Oscar success . The first prize of the festival, the People's Choice Award, often goes to a film that will eventually win (or at least be nominated) for the best film.

When should we go: Tiff takes place every September (about the hope of large Oscars tends to start going; another reason why the TIFF is great for prognosticators).

What films have screened: Some notable films that played TIFF include Fire carts ; Hidden dragon crouching tiger ; 12 years of slavery ; La la Land ; Green paper , and the winner of the prize for the choice of the people of last year, American fiction .

5
Film Festival Sundance

Robert Redford at Sundance 2016
George Pimentel / [Getty Images for Sundance Film Festival]

The most prestigious film festival in America began in 1978 as a Utah / US film festival. Originally kept in Salt Lake City, he moved to Park City, Utah, shortly after his foundation and was Renamed the Sundance Film Festival in 1991 , a nod to Robert Redford movie Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid , as the actor played an instrumental role in making the festival what he is. With the first four on this list, Sundance is one of the "Big Five" Film Festivals - the five most important for many filmmakers and film fans. (However, that does not mean that there are not many other big and important festivals.)

When should we go: Sundance is the first major festival because it takes place in January.

What films have screened: Compared to the other festivals of "Big Five", Sundance tends to be a place where the increased filmmakers are likely to find success in small groups. Some career manufacturers who have played Sundance include Clerk ,, The Blair Witch project ,, Little Miss Sunshine ,, Whiplash ,, To go out , And Past .

In relation: Why are Oscars called "Oscars"? The nickname has a complicated story .

6
Edinburgh International Film Festival

Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2022
Images Euan Cherry / Getty

The great event of Scotland affirms the honor of being the longest of the film festival which continuously directs the world. Although Venice and Cannes are older, these two festivals have taken breaks for various reasons (Second World War, Political Disorders, etc.), while the Edinburgh Film Festival I never missed a stage of 1947 until 2020, when Cavid finally forced a cancellation. He started back again last year.

When should we go: The Edinburgh International Film Festival takes place in August.

What films have screened: Ira sachs' Passages And Kelly Reichardt To show up both part of the festival last year.

7
Locarno film festival

Crowd at Locarno Film Festival
Rosdiana Ciaravolo / Getty Images

Founded in 1946, Locarno, film festival in Switzerland is remarkable for the outdoor location where it shows the "The Piazza Grande" selection - a prestigious and high -level slot machine for a film screening. External theater can accommodate 8,000 people. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

When should we go: Locarno takes place every year in August.

What films have screened: Locarno highlights the history of cinema with a range of fantastic repertoire every year. But of course, there are also tons of new films. Some of the films screened last year include the Burning Romanian film Don't expect too much at the end of the world and Iranian production Critical area , which won the first prize of the festival, the Golden Leopard. The 2022 festival opened its doors with a projection of High-speed train , so there is really a lot to see in Locarno.

In relation: 18 films like High-speed train It will pump your heart .

8
Telluride Film Festival

Peter Sarsgaard and Kirsten Dunst at the Telluride Film Festival in 2021
Vivien Killilea / Getty Images

The little and magnificent Tellurid mountain town, Colorado, becomes the dream of a film buff once a year, giving participants to obtain great films, discovering nature and rubbing the elbows with the many stars that go also towards the intimate setting of the weekend. Many talented filmmakers have made their big breaks to Tellurida , And the festival has a tradition not to reveal its list of films before night before the start of the festival.

When should we go: LEVELIDE takes place at the end of August.

What films have screened: Recent films that have been created at Teluride include All of us foreigners ,, Not cut gems, Women who speak , And Belfast , although participants should be assured that the festival also frequently projects highly anticipated films that have already been presented in Venice, which starts earlier.

9
South by the Southwest

Steven Yeun at SXSW in 2023
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for Sxsw

Sxsw is more than just a film festival, because the Austin's annual event in Texas also offers many music and technology events. The films are generally worth checking, and the range tends to include innovative films which are, for lack of a better word, more "hip" than the price in the most prestigious European festivals.

When should we go: SXSW takes place in March.

What films have screened: Some films that have been presented in Sxsw are 21 Jump Street ,, The cabin in the woods ,, Bridesmaids , and this year Monkey .

10
New York Film Festival

Steven Spielberg at NYFF in 2015
Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images

There is no shortage of Big Apple in film festivals (there is also the Tribeca Film Festival ,, Brooklyn Film Festival , and tons of small independent and gender events), but the New York Film Festival (where Nyff) is the biggest matter. It regularly attracts high -level first, was founded in 1963 and is currently led by Lincoln Center, which is located in the Upper West Side in Manhattan.

When should we go: Nyff takes place at the beginning of fall, generally.

What films have screened: Nyff selections have included Macbeth's tragedy ,, Irishman ,, The social network , And Ava Duvernay documentary 13th .

11
Chicago International Film Festival

Music Box Theater at Chicago International Film Festival
Barry Brecheisen / Getty Images

The windy town welcomes North America Longest competitive film festival , offering a diverse list of films, ranging from international India to highly anticipated consumer studio outings.

When should we go: The Chicago International Film Festival generally takes place in October.

What films have screened: The former Hugo gold winners, the first prize at the Chicago International Film Festival, include Portrait of a lady on fire And Godland . It is typical for future nominees at the Oscars who were also presented at previous festivals to play Chicago. Last year's festival screened 14 films that would get appointments.

In relation: 12 Oscar -winning films that are offensive according to today's standards .

12
Melbourne International Film Festival

Quentin Tarantino at MIFF in 2009
Paul Crock / AFP via Getty Images

Head for that Australian Film Festival , the largest in the southern hemisphere. Founded in 1952, Miff obviously presents many Australian films, but it also selects tons of international films, both Indies and high -level outings.

When should we go: Miff is another August film festival.

What films have screened: Some of the films that were screened at MIFF last year are The sweet Orient ,, Anatomy of a fall ,, Theater camp , And Perfect days .

13
Animation is the film festival

Angelina Jolie at the Animation Is Film Festival
Images Neilson Barnard / Getty

There are a lot of film festivals that focus on a specific genre or type of film, whether documentaries, shorts, horror or others. THE Animation is the film festival , which takes place in Los Angeles, presents animated films from around the world.

When should we go: The festival takes place in October of each year.

What films have screened: Nominated for possible Oscars The boy and the heron And Dreams of robot played last year, as did A chicken for Linda , which swept the festival prices.

14
Fantastic festival

M Night Shyamalan and James McAvoy at Fantastic Fest 2016
Rick Kern / Wireimage

Another specific gender festival, Fantastic festival Focus on horror, science fiction, fantasy and action films that generally do not get their laurels in more traditional film festivals. Many films that will become cult classics - if not purely and simple traditional successes - to the Austin event.

When should we go: Head to Austin, Texas, every September for Fantastic Fest.

What films have screened: Some of the films that have had their first world in the fantasy fest in recent years are Last night in Soho ,, Divide and the short marvel cinematic universe Night Wolf-Garou .


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