WorldFest Houston

WorldFest Houston The Houston International Film Festival is a fiercely independent discovery competitive film festival.
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A huge thank you to Darienne Adams, one of our WorldFest59 jurors. A 3x Remi winner whose own WorldFest story started ba...
09/09/2026

A huge thank you to Darienne Adams, one of our WorldFest59 jurors. A 3x Remi winner whose own WorldFest story started back in the 1990s, she gave her time and expertise to help select this year's honorees, and we couldn't do it without jurors like her.

Judging a festival with 55+ years of history is no small task. It takes people who understand craft, respect diverse storytelling, and care about giving emerging filmmakers a fair shot. Darienne brought all of that to the table.

Now we're looking ahead to WorldFest60, and we need more voices like hers on the panel. If you're a filmmaker, producer, writer, or industry professional who wants to help shape the next class of Remi winners, this is your invitation.

Your turn to be part of the process.

🎬 WorldFest60: April 30 - May 8, 2027
đź”— Juror sign-up in bio

Meet Matthew Principe: opera houses, orchestras, and the WorldFest59 jury. 🎬Matthew’s career spans the Metropolitan Oper...
09/03/2026

Meet Matthew Principe: opera houses, orchestras, and the WorldFest59 jury. 🎬
Matthew’s career spans the Metropolitan Opera, Detroit Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera, and Boston Baroque. As Producer for Cultural Partnerships at Viva Verdi!, he brought that same eye for storytelling, performance, and connecting artists with audiences to the WorldFest59 International Jury.
Those are the kind of real eyes your work gets in front of at WorldFest.
Our jurors are filmmakers, writers, educators, artists, and industry veterans who bring years of experience to thoughtfully evaluating your feature, short, documentary, or screenplay.
Your story could be next.
WorldFest60 is open for submissions through FilmFreeway or HIIKE.
And if you have the industry experience to help us recognize the next generation of independent storytellers, applications for the WorldFest60 jury are open too.
Both paths start at the link in bio. 🎬

09/01/2026

"A good story, well told.”
That’s the mantra. Five words that have guided WorldFest for decades, straight from our founder, J. Hunter Todd.
We sat down with Kathleen Haney, Hunter’s wife and WorldFest’s longtime Artistic Director, and their daughter Katy Lea Cannon, who now leads the festival as Executive Director. Two generations, one extraordinary legacy, and a conversation about what WorldFest has always looked for: a good story, well told. 🎬
Kathleen describes each festival as its own “harvest” of films, and sees short films as the ultimate calling card. A filmmaker shows us what they can do, then sometimes comes back years later with a feature, another short, or a screenplay in hand.
That’s one of our favorite things about a festival that has been around this long. We don’t just get to discover films. We get to watch filmmakers grow.
And filmmakers, this is your sign: WorldFest60 Early Bird submissions close August 31.
Bring us your calling card. Bring us your good story, well told.
Link in bio to submit. 🎬

Gold Remi winner. Alumnus. Juror. Lucas Zoppi has sat on every side of the table, and that's exactly why his eye on this...
08/31/2026

Gold Remi winner. Alumnus. Juror. Lucas Zoppi has sat on every side of the table, and that's exactly why his eye on this year's jury matters.

WorldFest59 Juror Spotlight: Lucas Zoppi

He knows the creativity, persistence, and vulnerability behind every festival submission, because he's lived it. That's the kind of perspective that shapes a jury with real integrity, not just credentials.

Your turn is next. WorldFest60 is open for submissions, early-bird pricing ends August 31. Submit your feature, short, doc, or screenplay now on FilmFreeway or HIIKE. 🎬 Link in bio.

As we build toward WorldFest60, we want to celebrate the people who help make WorldFest possible.Our jury is the backbon...
08/27/2026

As we build toward WorldFest60, we want to celebrate the people who help make WorldFest possible.
Our jury is the backbone of the festival: filmmakers, educators, artists, scientists, and storytellers who give their time and expertise to thoughtfully review and celebrate independent work. Michael-Claude Winfield is a wonderful example of why that matters.
An auteur filmmaker and screenwriter, Michael-Claude bridges cinema, science, and the natural world. His documentary short Disturbed (2022) earned a Gold Remi at WorldFest-Houston 56, while his screenplays have received recognition from American Zoetrope and the Austin Film Festival. He is also an FAA-certified UAV pilot, a qualified wildland firefighter, and a doctoral student at Oregon State University studying remote sensing and sustainable forest management.
Michael-Claude brought that rare combination of creative, technical, and scientific perspective to the WorldFest59 International Jury, where he reviewed Canadian entries.
For nearly six decades, WorldFest jurors have helped us recognize creative excellence and discover remarkable independent storytellers. We're grateful to Michael-Claude—and to every juror who gives their time, expertise, and thoughtful attention to the work entrusted to us.
Your story could be part of WorldFest60.
Early Bird pricing ends August 31.
🎬 Submit through FilmFreeway or HIIKE
đź”— Links in bio

08/25/2026

In 1968, WorldFest handed out its first Remi Award. Since then, filmmakers who've held one have gone on to define entire genres, including a young Steven Spielberg, decades before Hollywood knew his name.

The Remi isn't just a trophy. It's industry recognition that your work stands out, backed by 55+ years of credibility that festival programmers and distributors actually respect.

This year's Remi is waiting for its next story. Early bird pricing on submissions closes August 31st, so the window to enter at the lowest rate is closing fast.

Your film could be the one we're talking about in another decade. Submit now while early bird pricing lasts. Link in bio.

08/24/2026

Early Bird pricing for WorldFest60 ends August 31. 🎬
Not sure where to start? Executive Director Katy Lea walks you through exactly how to submit your project through FilmFreeway, step-by-step—from finding WorldFest to choosing your category and completing your entry.
And this year, filmmakers have another option: WorldFest60 is also accepting submissions through HIIKE.
Whether this is your first festival submission or your fiftieth, we want the process to feel simple so you can focus on what matters: sharing your work.
Every WorldFest submission is thoughtfully reviewed as we search for the projects and storytellers that will become part of our 60th edition.
Submit by August 31 to take advantage of Early Bird pricing.
🎥 FilmFreeway + HIIKE
đź”— Submission links in bio
Your story could be part of WorldFest60.

08/22/2026

In 1968, WorldFest began its competitive festival tradition with a simple belief: authentic storytelling deserves a stage.
Sixty years and thousands of films later, that belief still drives us.
Our archives tell the story: faded posters, Remi Awards, festival programs, and the names of emerging filmmakers who would go on to shape cinema. Every piece of that history began with someone taking a chance on their work.
That's what 60 editions of WorldFest mean. Not simply longevity, but a legacy of discovering, encouraging, and celebrating independent filmmakers.
Now we're building WorldFest60 and there's a place in that legacy for your film.
🎬 Submissions and festival details are at the link in our bio.
See you at WorldFest60.

In 1961, the roots of WorldFest began with a commitment to recognizing creative excellence. Six decades later, that miss...
08/20/2026

In 1961, the roots of WorldFest began with a commitment to recognizing creative excellence. Six decades later, that mission continues through jurors like Vinod Ganatra.
The acclaimed Indian director, editor, and producer served on our WorldFest59 International Jury, bringing three decades of experience as a juror at more than 100 national and international film festivals. His honors include the Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award in South Africa and the Liv Ullmann Peace Prize in Chicago for his Gujarati film Harun-Arun.
That global perspective is part of what Vinod brought to WorldFest59: decades of experience across cultures, genres, and traditions, given generously in service of independent filmmakers and their work.
To Vinod and every juror who lent their time, expertise, and thoughtful attention to WorldFest59: thank you for helping us discover and celebrate remarkable storytellers from around the world.
WorldFest60 is now open for submissions, with Early Bird pricing through August 31.
🎬 Submit through FilmFreeway or HIIKE at the link in our bio.

For six decades, WorldFest has been finding filmmakers before the world knew their names.In 1991, Ang Lee’s debut featur...
08/15/2026

For six decades, WorldFest has been finding filmmakers before the world knew their names.

In 1991, Ang Lee’s debut feature, Pushing Hands, came through WorldFest — years before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Oscars, and the international acclaim that would follow.

That spirit of discovery is at the heart of WorldFest: recognizing independent filmmakers, celebrating original voices, and creating a place for stories worth seeing.

As we look toward WorldFest 60, we’re celebrating the filmmakers who have become part of our history — and looking for who’s next.

Your story could be next.

🎬 WorldFest 60 submissions are now open. Link in bio.

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9898 Bissonnet Street #650
Houston, TX
77036

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

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(713) 965-9955

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