Rochester International Film Festival

Rochester International Film Festival 3 Days. Dozens of films. 1,500+ attendees. The Rochester International Film Festival is one of the longest running short film festivals in the world!

Produced and presented by Movies On A Shoestring, Inc. (est. 1959), we screen dozens of films by filmmakers worldwide in (4) distinct showings at the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman Museum in Rochester, NY. Admission is FREE to attendees, who enjoy a variety of shorts hailing from the narrative, documentary, animation and other genres. Films selected to appear in our fest are awarded a distinctiv

e Shoestring Trophy. Others may earn Honorable Mentions or Certificates of Merit. Filmmakers in attendance also participate in Q&A with our audiences. Select entries are included in our "Best of the Fest" permanent, traveling collection which includes the most popular films from each program based on audience surveys submitted at the screenings. Films from this collection are available for non-commercial use by schools, universities, film clubs, libraries, etc. MOAS was founded by area movie enthusiasts, providing a venue for independent filmmakers who wished to present their cinematic creations publicly. Learn more at RochesterFilmFest.org.

After yesterday’s annual member picnic on beautiful Canandaigua Lake, we’re feeling energized to get to work on RIFF 202...
08/31/2026

After yesterday’s annual member picnic on beautiful Canandaigua Lake, we’re feeling energized to get to work on RIFF 2027. We’re thrilled to welcome so many new volunteers this year!

Helping to spread the word about this free event coming up next month in Buffalo.
08/28/2026

Helping to spread the word about this free event coming up next month in Buffalo.

Submissions are open for RIFF 2027–our 69th annual festival showcasing the best in short films. Submit your film and spr...
08/21/2026

Submissions are open for RIFF 2027–our 69th annual festival showcasing the best in short films. Submit your film and spread the word!

The Slamdance On The Road tour will be in Rochester on July 10th!This independent film festival and artist-led organizat...
07/09/2026

The Slamdance On The Road tour will be in Rochester on July 10th!
This independent film festival and artist-led organization is dedicated to discovering and supporting emerging filmmakers. The event at The Little Theater highlights shorts and a feature film created by filmmakers with visible and non-visible disabilities, elevating underrepresented voices in independent cinema. A live Q&A with filmmaker/comedian J Snow follows the screening.
Tickets (just $5 thanks to support from WXXI) are available at https://thelittle.org

RIFF board members and volunteers at our 2026 Annual Meeting. Our festival debrief generated ideas for making next year...
06/19/2026

RIFF board members and volunteers at our 2026 Annual Meeting. Our festival debrief generated ideas for making next year’s fest even better. April 29 - May 1 will be here before you know it!

Here's what the Dryden Theatre looked like on Saturday afternoon--close to capacity for seven films including the crowd-...
05/06/2026

Here's what the Dryden Theatre looked like on Saturday afternoon--close to capacity for seven films including the crowd-pleaser Avni.

What a group! We had so many amazing and talented filmmakers travel to our festival from around the world: the Republic ...
05/05/2026

What a group! We had so many amazing and talented filmmakers travel to our festival from around the world: the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, India, Spain, Hungary, Germany, the UK, Canada and the US. Seeing their work and hearing them talk about their passion for telling stories through their art was incredibly special. For a few short days we became a family and we miss them already!

This is how we do it—USA, Germany, Hungary, Vietnam, India. Come see our final two shows TODAY at 2:00 and 7:30.
05/02/2026

This is how we do it—USA, Germany, Hungary, Vietnam, India. Come see our final two shows TODAY at 2:00 and 7:30.

A very special thank you to the George Eastman Museum for hosting us at the iconic Dryden Theatre. We’re incredibly grat...
05/01/2026

A very special thank you to the George Eastman Museum for hosting us at the iconic Dryden Theatre. We’re incredibly grateful to have such a historic and inspiring space to showcase our festival and celebrate filmmakers.

What an incredible night! Huge thanks to everyone who came out and made it so special—the energy, the conversations, and...
05/01/2026

What an incredible night! Huge thanks to everyone who came out and made it so special—the energy, the conversations, and the support meant a lot. We’re just getting started, and there’s so much more ahead. If you joined us, we hope you’ll be back again tonight and tomorrow. If you missed it, now’s your chance—come experience it with us!

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P. O. Box 17746
Rochester, NY
14617

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