Film Independent

08/31/2026

The first 2027 deadline is tomorrow, September 1! ⏰ Submit your work in the Film or Television categories, or enter as a Digital Creator.

For 2027, we’re also introducing three new categories: Best International First Feature, Digital Creator Award and the Robert Redford Environmental Vision Award. Plus, Berlinale is now a qualifying festival!

Don’t miss the first deadline. Submit here: https://bit.ly/FiSA-Submit

08/31/2026

‘Forbidden Fruits’ (IFC Films) producer Mason Novick on the challenges of filming in a mall. 🍒

Watch the full Q&A from our screening, in partnership with the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film, and Television (TFTV), on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4cmZl6S

08/31/2026

Apply to the Screenwriting Lab by TONIGHT, 11:59 pm PT! 🚨

Writers spend two weeks developing their project through individualized story and career development, meetings with film industry veterans and a pitch to industry executives.

✍ Submit your fiction feature screenplay NOW: https://bit.ly/FiScreenwritingLab

Need more time? Join as a to apply by September 14. Plus, you'll received a reduced application fee.

08/29/2026

a Programmers’ Picks screening of ‘The Musical’ followed by an in-person Q&A with director/producer Giselle Bonilla and screenwriter/producer Alexander Heller, moderated by Jenn Wilson (Senior Programmer, Film Independent). 🎶

When a middle school theater teacher (Tony Award winner Will Brill) finds out that his ex (Gillian Jacobs) has been dating his nemesis, the school principal (Rob Lowe), he secretly has his middle schoolers perform a play so inappropriate, the only result could be the ruin of the principal’s reputation.

A 2026 premiere!

🗓️ Tuesday, September 15 at 7:30 pm
📍 Film Independent Theater
🎟️ Join as a for tickets:

Join us for The Musical, followed by an in-person conversation with director/producer Giselle Bonilla and writer/producer Alexander Heller, moderated by

08/27/2026

Our hearts are with our Fellows from Nepal and all who have been affected by the devastating floods. ❤️

You can support on the ground emergency relief, first aid and clean water by donating to the Nepal Red Cross Society here:

The mission of the Nepal Red Cross is to relieve human suffering and to reduce vulnerability through community participation .

08/27/2026

a screening of ‘Ha-Chan, Shake Your B***y!’ (Sony Pictures Classics). 💃

Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly.

Producer Kimberly Parker Zox is a who took part in Fast Track in 2018. A 2026 Sundance Film Festival Premiere!

🗓️ Wednesday, September 16 at 7:30 pm
📍 AMC The Grove
🎟️ Tickets:

Film Independent Members, you and a guest are invited to join us for a theatrical screening of Ha-Chan, Shake Your B***y! Haru and Luis love competing in

08/27/2026

Indy, star of 'Good Boy', had us starstruck at the 2026 . 💫🐶

2027 Spirit Awards submissions are OPEN! The first deadline is coming up on SEP 1. Learn more and submit your film, television series or as a Digital Creator: https://bit.ly/FiSA-Submit

08/26/2026

“I credit a lot of the emotional impact and resonance of the movie to what we were able to find through the Labs.”

For Adam Meeks, developing ‘Union County’, his first feature, starring Will Poulter and Noah Centineo, included the 2023 Screenwriting Lab and Fast Track finance market.

Based on the opioid epidemic in Ohio, Meeks took the time to develop relationships with people in a Adult Recovery Court system, helping shape a recovery story that feels authentic

Ready to take your script further? ✍️ The 2027 Screenwriting Lab is accepting applications through August 31.

Discover Meeks’ journey + apply: https://bit.ly/4xWeKn2

✍: John Squire

Applications for the Film Independent Screenwriting Lab are now open. The deadline for non-Members is August 31st, while Film Independent Members have

08/26/2026

Rest in peace to the legendary Tim Curry. ❤️

Tim Curry, the prolific midnight movie legend whose singular mix of camp and comedy made him a cult icon, has passed away at age 80.

From his career-defining turn as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” to unforgettable roles in “It,” “Clue,” “Annie,” and more, Curry leaves behind a five-decade legacy across film, television, theater and voice acting.

Read about his life and legacy: https://www.indiewire.com/news/obituary/tim-curry-dead-1235190717/

08/26/2026

Thank you to ‘The Sun Never Sets’ (IFC Films) writer/director Joe Swanberg and actors Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson, Debby Ryan, Cory Michael Smith and Karley Sciortino for joining for a fantastic Q&A with moderator Katie Walsh! 🌅

See it in theaters September 4!

Sign up for our newsletter to catch more advanced screenings: bit.ly/FiNewsletter

📸: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images