Virginia Film Festival

We’ve included a list of important Festival dates below so you can start planning for the upcoming 38th Virginia Film Festival today!  We also encourage you to sign-up for our e-newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram so you’ll never miss another VAFF announcement.

Important 2025 Dates: 

• Tuesday, September 23 – Program Announced
• Thursday, September 25 – Full Schedule Live
• Friday, September 26 –Donor Pre-Sale Begins
• Friday, October 3 – Tickets on Sale
• 38th Annual Virginia Film Festival – October 22-26, 2025

For our out-of-town guests, we’ve put together a TRAVEL & LODGING page with links to our hospitality partners.

Charlottesville is one of the Mid Atlantic’s premier vacation destinations. Surrounded by the beautiful, rolling Blue Ridge Mountains, yet only a hundred miles south of Washington D.C., Charlottesville is a vibrant college town with a thriving arts and culture scene, and an impressive colonial history, to boot! During your stay, take time to visit the many vineyards, nature trails, and historical sites that the area has to offer — we promise you won’t regret it.

The 2025 VAFF will feature over 100 screenings, special events, tributes, and discussions. Our five-day program showcases the best of contemporary and classic films alike while shining a spotlight on a wide variety of cultural issues and themes. From traditional screenings and panels to dynamic conversations and special events, the VAFF appeals to a broad spectrum of audience interests.

There are multiple ways to obtain your Festival tickets, including online, on the phone, or in person. And for UVA students, check out the Arts$ program for one complimentary ticket to all films.

Our advice… pick your films and events carefully, making sure not to choose conflicting times! If you choose consecutive screenings across town from each other, take travel time into consideration; you may have to leave on early, so please plan accordingly.

Visit our TICKETS page for box office locations, hours, and much more.

We show over 100 films in five days, but we also like to celebrate and socialize during the Festival Weekend! Come join us for our Opening Night Gala and the Late Night Wrap Party for even more VAFF fun!

The 2025 VAFF will present films in theaters at The Paramount Theater, Violet Crown, and Culbreth Theatre. There are various free and paid parking areas available, as well as access to the CTS Free Trolley that travels from the UVA central grounds to the Downtown Charlottesville. Make sure to look over the Venues and Parking page below to minimize stress and hassle in planning your visit!

VENUES & PARKING

ACCESSIBILITY

If your question is not answered below or if you require further assistance, please reach out to the VAFF team at info@virginiafilmfestival.org.

Whether you’re attending one of screenings or celebratory parties, we truly hope you enjoy this year’s festival! We strive to be a festival that matters – a cultural experience that goes far deeper than the movies we screen and that consistently and intentionally forges connections both within and between our communities, all while facilitating conversations around the most important issues of our time. We are thrilled to be able to continue this mission even in such unprecedented times, and we appreciate your support. See you at the movies!