Mystic Film Festival is an annual event that showcases independent feature-length and short-form narrative films and documentaries from around the world. The festival brings together a diverse group of filmmakers and audiences to explore ideas, discuss the filmmaking process, and celebrate creativity. Through engaging community events, industry panels, and film screenings by acclaimed and up-and-coming talent, we aim to make the festival a special experience for filmmakers and audiences alike.
Now in its third year, the festival will take place October 22-25, 2020 over three days and four nights at venues in Mystic, Connecticut and neighboring Connecticut Shoreline towns. Our cornerstone venue is Mystic Luxury Cinemas in Olde Mistick Village. We open with a local premiere and close the festival with an awards event where the best film in each category is recognized. And we’re excited to offer something new in 2020; a screenplay competition, where the winners will be announced at the festival in October.
Our festival was created by area filmmakers and artists to nurture local talent, to promote films made in Connecticut and other parts of the Northeast, and to bring unique cinematic works to our community.
At the halfway point between New York City and Boston lies the beautiful New England seaport of Mystic. Known for its rich seafaring past and maritime history, it is also a popular destination for food and locally produced craft beer and wine, art galleries and museums, and hiking along the pristine Connecticut shoreline and nature reserves.
Mystic is easily accessible by car and rail, and the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport in New Haven, Connecticut and T.F. Green International Airport in Providence, Rhode Island are both within an hour’s drive.
** COVID 19 ** Update ** Because of what's happening in the country due to COVID 19, including the impact it's having on live events, the 2020 festival may become a hybrid virtual / live event or fully virtual. Please be aware of this and know that we will do everything possible to make as much of our event live, but that at the end of the day, it's not in our hands; we and our venues have to abide by the edicts of the State of Connecticut.
The Mystic Film Festival Jury will recognize the top films in competition; Best Narrative Feature, Best Feature Documentary, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, Best International Narrative Feature, Best International Feature Documentary, Best International Narrative Short, Best International Documentary Short, Best New Director, Best New England Film, Human Rights Award, Best Conservation Film, Best Cinematography, Best Student Film, Lifetime Achievement Award, Grand Jury Prize Narrative Feature, Grand Jury Prize Narrative Short, Grand Jury Prize Feature Documentary, Grand Jury Prize Documentary Short, Best Screenplay Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay Narrative Short, Audience Choice Award (Festival-Wide), and Audience Choice Award (Student Film Showcase). We will also be offering awards for the winners of our new screenplay competition, including top female written script. The grand prize winner will win a table read during the festival in October 2020.