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SCAD Savannah Film Festival returns for its 29th year on Oct. 24 through Oct. 31.
The eight-day university-led festival will host exclusive screenings, competition films, feature films, documentaries, shorts, animated
films, panel discussions and workshops. Visiting industry professionals and students of SCAD School of Film and Acting and School of Animation and Motion Media can get to know each other through master classes, coffee talks, portfolio reviews and more.
Variety returns with its “Artisans to Watch” hosted by Jazz Tangcay and “Pixels and Pencils” hosted by Clayton Davis.
Returning programs also include The “Docs to Watch” series, hosted by Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter, spotlighting the ten best documentaries of the year. Entertainment Weekly will host its “Breaking Big” panel recognizing the next generation of Hollywood talent. Deadline is also set to return with its “TV Sidebar” highlighting new series on television.
Last year, Davis’ panel hosted the directors of “KPop Demon Hunters,” “Elio” and “TMNT,” as well as the helmer of “In Your Dreams,” “Arco” and “Little Amélie.” Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang spoke about the global phenomenon that is “KPop Demon Hunters” and discussed the collaborative process behind the film while celebrating the freedom to present Korean culture in a bold, fresh way. “Let’s make these characters real — ugly at times, silly, and real hot,” Kang said with a laugh.
Tangcay’s 10 artisans to watch panelfeatured “One Battle After Another” editor Andy Jurgensen, “Sinners” cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw and “Golden” singer and songwriter EJAE, all of whom went on to win Oscars.
Durald Arkapaw made Oscar history by becoming the first woman to win in the best cinematography category. Speaking about working with director Ryan Coogler – the pair are reuniting for “The X-Files” reboot – she said, “We support each other. I’ve learned how to read the story through [Ryan’s] eyes, to understand what he needs to tell it and what is important to him.”
As the first woman to shoot on 65mm, Durald Arkapaw said she was also grateful for the opportunity to continue opening doors for more representation in cinematography and to be an inspiration for female cinematographers. “It means the world when young girls, or film students of similar heritage, come up to me and express their gratitude, not just for the work, but for the fact that they can see someone like themselves behind the camera.”
SCAD Savannah Film Festival is one of the largest in the Southeast US with more than 74,000 people in attendance.
Last year, SCAD screened 26 Oscar-nominated films, including eight of the Best Picture nominees. Stars who attended in 2025 included Best Actress Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), Best Supporting Actress Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (“Sentimental Value”) and Best Casting winner Cassandra Kulukundis (“One Battle After Another”). Over 200 SCAD alumni also worked on 21 of the films nominated for Oscars including seven of the 10 Best Picture Nominees, three nominees for Best Animated Feature, and every nominee for Best Visual Effects.
Festival passes for 2026 are available now. Individual event tickets will go on sale Oct. 2 online at filmfest.scad.edu or in person at the SCAD Box Office at 216 E. Broughton St. in Savannah.
