23rd NH Film Festival Announces 2025 Film Lineup, Schedule, Special Guests

By InDepth NH

PORTSMOUTH, NH — The 23rd Annual New Hampshire Film Festival (NHFF) has announced the selection of over 100 independent films that will be screened at the four-day event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on October 16–19, 2025.

“This year’s lineup showcases bold, thought-provoking films that are sure to challenge, inspire, and spark conversation,” says NHFF Lead Programmer Ian McCarthy. “We’re proud to bring together filmmakers, industry professionals, and film lovers in the vibrant city of Portsmouth during the peak of foliage season. If you haven’t experienced the New Hampshire Film Festival, this is the perfect year to attend.”

The lineup includes 32 narrative features, 19 documentary features, and 65 shorts, curated from more than 1,700 submissions. More on the entire slate of films selected for the festival can be found at https://nhfilmfestival.com/films-year-accepted/2025/

Says Music Hall and NHFF President & CEO Tina Sawtelle, “The New Hampshire Film Festival is the longest-running and most successful film festival in the Granite State. It’s a true celebration of cinema, drawing thousands of attendees to Portsmouth each year, with carefully curated films, dynamic panel discussions, and vibrant events that both entertain and inspire.”

Films that will be screened that are already attracting attention include:

• Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, starring George Clooney and New Hampshire’s Adam Sandler
• Berlin Silver Bear winner Blue Moon (Richard Linklater) starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, and Andrew Scott, Executive producer Aaron Wiederspahn is a NH resident and plans to attend the festival
• Cannes prizewinners It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi), The Secret Agent (Kleber Mendonça Filho), Sirât (Oliver Laxe), and Sound of Falling (Mascha Schilinski)
• Love+War, from Academy Award-winning filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi
• U.S. premieres of Best Boy (Jesse Noah Klein) and Supernatural (Ventura Durall)
• Animated feature Arco (Ugo Bienvenu) voiced by Natalie Portman, Will Ferrell, Mark Ruffalo, America Ferrera, Andy Samberg
• New England premier of Our Hero, Balthazar, which is getting a lot of buzz; filmmaker Oscar Boyson, grew up in Southern Maine and will be in attendance.
• The Travel Companion, a comedy about friendship centered around a struggling documentary filmmaker is getting rave reviews. It’s co-directed by NH’s Alex Mallis, along with Travis Wood.

This year’s festival will feature a dynamic slate of panels and workshops, offering audiences and filmmakers the chance to connect, learn, and explore the craft:

• Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: A Discussion & Debate – A timely conversation on AI’s growing impact on creative industries, led by Studio Lab’s Ian Messina with special industry guests.
• Across the Table: A Conversation with Jessica Kingdon & Courtney Stephens – Presented by the MacDowell organization, this intimate talk features Academy Award–nominated documentarian Jessica Kingdon (Ascension) in conversation with filmmaker and writer Courtney Stephens.
• Morning Coffee with 2025 NHFF Filmmakers & Special Guests – A festival tradition, these casual morning gatherings offer an informal opportunity to hear directly from featured filmmakers about their process and stories.
• Virtual Production: An Immersive Demonstration & Experience – Presented by Studio Lab, this multi-session, hands-on showcase gives attendees an insider’s view of cutting-edge XR workflows and how virtual production is shaping the future of filmmaking.
• Inspiring Images: Addressing the Challenges of Filmmaking – Presented by ARRI, a world-leading manufacturer of motion picture cameras, lighting, and film production equipment, renowned for setting industry standards in cinematic image quality and innovation. This session explores how tools and techniques across cameras, lighting, and stabilization support storytelling while balancing budget, schedule, and creative vision.
• The Move from Making Shorts to Features (and Sometimes Back Again) – Award-winning filmmaker Jeff Stern leads a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of transitioning between formats.
• Young Filmmakers Workshop – This annual three-day intensive program established in 2001 nurtures the next generation of storytellers.
• Look Up in the Sky: Welcoming You into the World of Aerial Drones – A deep dive into drone technology and its creative applications for independent productions.
• A Chat about Independent Financing, Festivals & Distribution – Industry insiders including Hulu, Factory 25, CAA, Greenwich Entertainment, and NEON share insights on financing models and the evolving distribution landscape.
• The Comedy Panel with Eliza Coupe – NH actress Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings) hosts this lively conversation with comedic writers and performers including Tim Herlihy (Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore) and actor/comedian Jon Rudnitsky (SNL, The Big Leap, Home Again) and more panelists to be announced soon, offering an inside look at the art of making audiences laugh.

Says filmmaker Oscar Boyson who co-directed Our Hero, Balthazar, “I was born and raised in New England so it’s a special honor to be screening here before the rest of the country gets to see the film, with an audience I love and as part of a world-class lineup of the year’s best cinema.”

New this year is a collaboration with Studio Lab, a Derry, New Hampshire-based production facility for creative professionals that specializes in cutting-edge technology that’s reshaping film and content creation. There will be four sessions on 10/17 and 10/18 that will explore how virtual production is impacting the future of filmmaking. Says Studio Lab Director of Marketing John Sifferman, “Studio Lab will take attendees on a deep dive into how this new frontier is changing moviemaking. These sessions will demystify the virtual production workflow, from ideation to execution, and will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the ways new technology is bringing creative visions to life. Get ready for a mind-blowing, immersive, interactive experience.”

The New Hampshire Film Festival is an Academy Award® qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards in three categories: Live Action Shorts, Animation Shorts, and Documentary Shorts. This distinction solidifies NHFF’s status as a premier platform for short filmmakers worldwide, providing a direct pathway to Oscar® eligibility. Short films that receive these prestigious festival awards will now qualify to enter the Short Films competition for the concurrent Oscar® season. Recipients will be eligible for Academy Awards® consideration without the standard theatrical run, provided they comply with the Academy’s rules.

“Achieving Academy Award qualifying status in a third category is a rare distinction and a testament to the festival’s dedication and the incredible talent of the filmmakers who choose to share their stories with us,” said Dan Hannon, NHFF Co-founder and Industry Director. “For more than two decades, we’ve been committed to celebrating and elevating the art of short filmmaking. This expansion furthers our mission to support and reward extraordinary work, connecting filmmakers with unparalleled opportunities.”

NHFF joins an elite roster of international festivals, such as Cannes, Sundance, and Toronto, that carry Academy Award® qualifying status in multiple categories. With this honor, NHFF continues to amplify the creative voice of northern New England while championing independent filmmakers from across the globe.

Purchasing a festival pass enables filmgoers access to all the films being screened at multiple locations across the city, participate in an array of panel discussions, and attend social events. Passes, single day and select individual film tickets are on sale at www.nhfilmfestival.com or at the Music Hall’s downtown Ticketing Hub (located on 134 Congress Street Portsmouth, NH) sponsored by McKeon Charitable.

The first day of the festival generally showcases films that have some New Hampshire connection. All four days will see full length narrative films, documentaries, and short films. Screening venues include The Music Hall Historic Theater, The Music Hall Lounge, 3S Artspace, Moffatt-Ladd House, Novacure, and The Sheraton Hotel.

This year's festival is underwritten by Key Auto and Bank PROV.

About New Hampshire Film Festival

The New Hampshire Film Festival’s mission since its founding in 2001 is to inspire audiences with thought-provoking cinematic stories from visionary talents in independent filmmaking, and to provide a platform for emerging artists to advance their craft, engage with the community and promote to industry leaders. From young filmmakers to up-and-coming directors and seasoned screenwriters to veteran actors, NHFF showcases the brightest talent within the domestic and international film scene. The festival also emphasizes creative collaboration, education and networking through panel discussions, workshops, and social events.

About The Music Hall

The Music Hall is a nonprofit performing arts organization featuring curated entertainment from around the world in two theaters in its downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire campus: The Historic Theater, a landmark 1878 Victorian theater, designated an American Treasure for the Arts by the National Park Service’s Save America's Treasures Program; and the intimate Music Hall Lounge around the corner. In January 2024, The Music Hall, a long-time collaborator and festival screening venue of New Hampshire Film Festival, took over the management of the festival with a goal to maintain and grow its status as a cultural asset, point of New Hampshire pride, and tool for building community and careers in the film industry and on the Seacoast.

For information on the Music Hall, visit www.TheMusicHall.org.

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.