Chattanooga Film Festival

Overview

The Chattanooga Film Festival (CFF) is an entirely volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit film festival held annually in June at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St, Chattanooga, TN 37405. The 13th edition is scheduled for June 18 to 21, 2026 in person, with virtual programming running June 19 to 27, 2026. The festival programs an eclectic mix of independent films with a strong genre lean, describing its annual selection as a "movie mixtape" rather than a strictly curated genre event.

The festival screens more than 45 features and dozens of short films across each edition, plus live podcasts and a nightly secret screening series called the Red Eye. CFF is not Academy Award-qualifying and is not FIAPF-accredited. Its value proposition for filmmakers is audience engagement, community building, and the festival's growing reputation among independent genre filmmakers in the American South.

The 2025 edition (the 12th) ran June 20 to 28 and included two world premieres, a closing night selection, and a second wave announcement with more than 45 additional features. Badges are sold through the festival's Eventive platform. Individual tickets for certain screenings are available at $13 per film or short film block, though some films are badge-only due to rights restrictions.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Program - a mix of horror, sci-fi, thriller, comedy, and genre-adjacent independent features, including world premieres and special screenings
• Short Film Program - short films across all genres, with short films defined as under 30 minutes
• Red Eye - the festival's nightly secret screening series, a late-night program of surprise films
• Special Screenings - cult films, tributes, and repertory programming
• Live Podcasts - recorded podcast events with filmmakers and genre community figures
• Virtual Component - online screenings available to US audiences, running longer than the in-person dates (June 19 to 27 for the 2026 edition)

Submission Details

CFF accepts submissions exclusively through FilmFreeway. The festival accepts all genres of film, not only horror or genre films, though the programming leans toward genre and independent work.

Submission rules:

• Entry fee is per category and non-refundable
• Short films must be under 30 minutes
• Fee waivers are not available except to alumni filmmakers
• Student submissions must include a copy of a current student ID or be submitted from a .edu email address
• Films must be submitted before the end of the deadline you paid for
• Submission does not guarantee screening
• The festival has a strict zero-tolerance policy for projects made using Generative AI. Any projects that have used generative AI tools in their creation will be disqualified
• From 2020 onward, the festival has an annual online component. Films restricted against inclusion in a virtual or hybrid event can still be submitted, but these restrictions may prevent selection

Submission fees: Specific fee amounts vary by deadline tier (Early, Regular, Late). Check the FilmFreeway listing for current pricing. Fees are modest compared to major festivals, consistent with the festival's nonprofit, volunteer-run structure.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Genre identity: CFF is often billed as a genre or horror festival, but the organizers explicitly state that they program all types of films they genuinely love. The selection process values creative vision and originality over production polish. If your film is weird, unconventional, or genre-adjacent, CFF is more receptive than festivals with rigid category definitions.

Volunteer-run structure: The festival is run entirely by volunteers, not industry professionals. This means the organizational capacity is different from staffed festivals. Communication may be slower, and the infrastructure is leaner. However, it also means the selection process is driven by genuine enthusiasm rather than commercial calculations. The festival's motto is about celebrating films and filmmakers, not the film industry.

Hybrid format: The festival has run a virtual component since 2020, extending access to US audiences beyond the in-person dates. If your film has restrictions on online screening, be aware that this may limit your selection chances. The virtual component means your film can reach audiences who cannot attend in person in Chattanooga.

AI policy: CFF has one of the strictest AI policies of any festival. Any project that has used generative AI tools in its creation will be disqualified. This includes AI-generated scripts, AI-generated footage, and AI-generated audio. If your film uses any generative AI, do not submit to CFF.

Community focus: The festival's mission is to make the future of film festivals and the film industry kinder, more inclusive, and more accessible. The atmosphere is informal and community-oriented rather than industry-focused. There are no market events, no industry accreditations, and no distribution deal-making. The value is in the audience experience and the community of filmmakers and genre fans.

Nightstream connection: CFF was one of the five founding partners of the Nightstream collaborative festival, a virtual genre festival created during the COVID-19 pandemic in partnership with other regional genre festivals. This connection places CFF within a network of American independent genre festivals.

Location context: Chattanooga sits at the foot of Lookout Mountain in the Tennessee River valley. The city has reinvented itself from an industrial center to a creative and outdoor destination. The Chattanooga Theatre Centre is the primary venue, with additional programming at nearby venues.

Major Awards

• Best Feature - jury prize for the best feature film in the program
• Best Short Film - jury prize for the best short film
• Audience Award - voted by festival attendees

The festival's award structure is intentionally minimal. The focus is on programming and audience experience rather than competition.

Festival History

The Chattanooga Film Festival was founded in 2014, with the first edition held in 2015. The festival grew from a small regional event into one of the most respected independent genre festivals in the American Southeast over a decade. The 2026 edition is the 13th.

The festival was one of five founding partners of the Nightstream collaborative virtual festival, created in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic alongside other regional genre festivals. This collaboration helped sustain the festival community during the pandemic and established CFF's hybrid format, which has continued with both in-person and virtual components.

The festival operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with an all-volunteer staff. It is funded through badge sales, donations, and sponsorships. The organizers accept tax-deductible donations to support the festival's operations.

See Also

Use the Festival ROI Calculator to model the total cost of submitting to and attending CFF, including submission fees, travel to Chattanooga, and accommodation. Use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator to assess your likelihood of selection based on film type, runtime, and premiere status. For broader festival strategy, read Film Festival Strategy. For independent filmmaking approaches, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies.