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Top 5 Buffalo Film Festivals

5 Buffalo Film Festivals You Can’t Pass Up.

If you’re a film fan in the Buffalo area, great news. Here are 5 city film festivals you can’t pass up. When it comes to the Buffalo video production community, festivals are essential, so here are our top picks:

1. MicroMania Film Festival

Buffalo Film Festivals - MicroMania Film Festival

Location:

WBBZ – TV

4545 Transit Road Suite 750

Williamsville, New York 14221

Contact:

[email protected]

Sponsored by WBBZ-TV and The New Hotness, this festival is exclusive to micro-short films–yes, even shorter than short films. Short film lovers should really check this one out! This event focuses on international micros of 5 minutes or less that will be considered for awards. Winning categories include Best Micro-Documentary, Best Micro-Narrative, Best Micro-Experimental, Best Micro-Animation, and an Audience Choice Award. So if you’re looking to absorb culture and art in Buffalo, consider checking this one out. This film fest will be recorded and aired on the TV station WBBZ.

2. Western New York Refugee Film Festival

Buffalo Film Festivals - Western New York Refugee Film Festival

Location:

Journey’s End Refugee Services

2495 Main St #530

Buffalo, NY 14214

Contact:

Contact Them Here

This niche film festival centers around the Syrian refugee crisis and will present a trilogy of films on the subject to cap off the entire refugee-themed event. Brought to you by the makers of Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11, Refugee is an important film that makes an impact on audiences concerned with refugees everywhere, and on audiences that may never have given the issue much thought before. The documentary uses a narrow brush to convey a broad idea in this personal story of Raf’aa, a woman who is forced to abandon her husband and children and flee to Syria when the bombing hits too close to home.

3. Inclusive Theater of Western New York Festival of Shorts

Buffalo Film Festivals - Inclusive Theater of Western New York Festival of Shorts

Location:

The Foundry

298 Northampton St

Buffalo, NY 14208

Contact:

[email protected]

(716) 218-8129

This is a film festival with a mission to shine the spotlight on the stigma surrounding social issues experienced by people from all walks of life. These may be social issues such as suicide, PTSD, eating disorders, drug addiction, gun violence, physical disabilities, and mental illness. These are mature topics not for everyone. Trigger warnings do apply, so plan accordingly. Some of the titles include Headspace, The Gun in the Room, and The Opioid Zodiac.

4. Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival

Buffalo Film Festivals - Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival

Location:

Eastern Hills Mall Cinema

4545 Transit Rd

Williamsville, NY 14221

Contact:

[email protected]

Catch a film festival that leans toward the filmmaker, but welcomes film fans of all stripes. Held only 20 miles away from Buffalo in Williamsville, this fest offers topnotch independent films from the world over. This festival lasts an impressive 10 days, covering a multitude of genres ranging from sci-fi, to action, to animation, to horror, and more. It takes place at the Eastern Hills Mall Cinema.

5. Christian Family Film Festival

Buffalo Film Festivals - Christian Family Film Festival Christmas Fest

Location:

770 West Main St

Ellington, NY 14732

Contact:

[email protected]

Located 1 hour and 15 minutes outside of Buffalo in Ellington, this small town has big offerings when it comes to Christian films and holiday events. The faith-based categories include but aren’t limited to Inspirational Shorts, Inspirational Features, Christian Documentaries, and Christian Music Videos. For quaint surroundings and an intimate, spiritual experience, make a family trip or plan for a film adventure with your church youth group.

City film festivals are plentiful in Buffalo and surrounding areas, so do yourself and your fellow fans a favor and check out some of these unforgettable offerings.

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