This month, San Francisco’s film scene comes to life with a variety of festivals celebrating diverse genres and voices from around the world. From international cinema to niche festivals, these seven film festivals happening in October 2024 in San Francisco (and around the Bay Area) will showcase the best in storytelling and creativity. Read on to discover the top film festivals you won’t want to miss!

1. Mill Valley Film Festival

• October 3 – 13, Mill Valley
• Tickets

The California Film Institute organizes the Mill Valley Film Festival, which will take place this year between October 3 and 13 and will welcome more than 200 filmmakers from more than 50 countries.

2. San Francisco Latino Film Festival

• October 11 – November 3, Roxie Theater, Mission Cultural Center
• Tickets

San Francisco Latino Film Festival brings together the work of emerging and established filmmakers from the US, Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, offering a wide range of films, including documentaries, dramas, comedies, and short films, that explore the social, political, and cultural experiences of the Latino world. This year, the festival will take place in four locations – Roxie Theater, Mission Cultural Center, KQED, and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

3. San Francisco Short Film Festival

• October 17 – 27, Balboa & 4Star Theaters
• Tickets

The San Francisco Short Film Festival returns from October 17 to 27 this year. Ninety-five short films from around the world will be shown at Balboa Theater, 4Star Theater, and online.

4. Superfest – Disability Film Festival

• October 17 – 20, online & The exploratorium
• Tickets

Superfest—Disability Film Festival is one of the oldest disability film festivals in the world and has a long history in San Francisco. During the festival, you can watch short and full-length movies created by and about people with disabilities. The festival emphasizes accessibility and inclusivity—the screenings will include captioning, audio descriptions, and ASL interpretation.

5. United Nations Association Film Festival

• October 17 – 27, Palo Alto, Stanford University, East Palo Alto, San Francisco
• Tickets

Over the years, UNAFF has screened some of the most awarded and talked about documentaries in the industry, including eight that went on to win Academy Awards
and thirty-five that were nominated. This year’s theme is Shared Humanity, emphasizing our common destiny and issues fostering it or standing in its way.

6. Romanian Film Festival

• October 18 – 20, San Francisco State University
• Free event

The Ninth Edition of the Romanian Film Festival and Discussion Forum, Continuity: Film, Music and Art, will take place from October 18 to 20 at San Francisco State University. Additional showings will take place on October 21st at the University of San Francisco, October 26th at Stanford University, and October 27th at U.C. Berkeley and UC San Francisco Law.

This year’s edition brings to our audience a selection of award-winning films and documentaries, with special guests such as acclaimed British director Joe Pavlo and London-based Romanian violinist and entrepreneur Petru Cotarcea and their very special documentary “The Most Beautiful Noise,” as well as renowned Romanian actress, Ilinca Manolache, the protagonist of Radu Jude’s award-winning long feature Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World.

7. South Asian Film Festival

• October 18 – 20, Roxie Theater
• Tickets

The festival will showcase films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the global South Asian Diaspora. It will feature a wide range of genres, including documentaries, dramas, comedies, and shorts that explore the region’s cultural, social, and political landscapes.

READ MORE: San Francisco Events in October 2024

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