New Hampshire Film Festival

Overview

The New Hampshire Film Festival is New Hampshire's most important film festival. Founded in 2001 and held annually in October in Portsmouth -- the Granite State's only seaport and a city with one of New England's best-preserved historic downtowns -- the festival presents independent American and international cinema to the coastal New Hampshire community.

Portsmouth's identity as a vibrant arts city belies its small size. The city has an exceptional concentration of theatres, galleries, music venues, restaurants, and independent businesses for its population of under 25,000. This density of cultural institutions creates a receptive environment for a film festival that draws participants from across New Hampshire and the Seacoast region.

The October timing provides a fall foliage festival context that draws day-trippers from Boston (90 minutes away) alongside year-round residents.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Program -- independent American and international features
• New Hampshire Film Showcase -- films by New Hampshire filmmakers
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction features
• Short Film Competition -- competitive short programs
• Family Film Program -- films for families

What Filmmakers Should Know

NHFF accepts open submissions. For New Hampshire filmmakers, this is the most important state platform. The Boston-area proximity creates access to a significant potential audience of cinema enthusiasts from New England's largest metropolitan area.

Major Awards

• Best Film -- jury prize
• Best New Hampshire Film
• Audience Award

Festival History

New Hampshire Film Festival was founded in 2001 and has operated as the state's primary film cultural event.

See Also

For New England festivals, see Film Festival Strategy. For independent filmmaking, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies.