Sidewalk Film Festival

We may be biased, but we think a bag of popcorn in a dimly lit theater is the perfect way to wrap up your summer. Established in 1999 as the flagship program of the Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema, Sidewalk Film Festival has perfected the trifecta of quality film programming, filmmaker networking, and pure fun.

Repeatedly recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the Top 25 Festivals in the World and by TIME Magazine as one of the Top 10 Festivals for the Rest of Us, Sidewalk annually brings over 250 independent films to The Magic City. Low-priced passes, a concentrated footprint, and Southern Hospitality encourage filmmakers and attendees alike to connect during the festival week.

Sidewalk actively strives to bring a variety of films to its audience. To that end, we are pleased to highlight civil and social issues in our Life & Liberty Track, diversity-related topics and black filmmakers in our Black Lens track, female filmmakers in our Women in Film track, Spanish and Portuguese language films in our Festival de Cine track, and LGBTQ filmmakers and content with our SHOUT track. As an Alabama festival, we also spotlight local filmmakers with our Alabama track.