SeasonMap

Film festival, month by month around the world

Screenings, red carpets and a fortnight of full hotels.

77 destinations on SeasonMap, ranked within each month by the comfort score — because the point is not only where the season is on, but whether the weather is worth the trip while it is.

← All seasons · The world's calendar

When it is on

Number of destinations with film festival on in that month. Windows move a little each year.

Film festival in January

  1. 🇺🇸 Palm Springs, United StatesPalm Springs Film Festival · 2–20 Jan (usually)Eleven days of screenings across the valley and an awards gala that pulls the Oscar campaigns out of Los Angeles for a night.79climate
  2. 🇮🇹 Capri, ItalyCapri Hollywood film festival · 26 Dec – 2 JanFor a week over the new year the island's winter shutdown pauses for a film festival, and the few hotels that stay open fill with it.65climate
  3. 🇮🇹 Trieste, ItalyTrieste Film Festival · 14–28 Jan (usually)Central and eastern European cinema, programmed here since 1989 because this is where the two halves of the continent met.61climate
  4. 🇳🇱 Rotterdam, NetherlandsIFFR · 22 Jan – 8 Feb (usually)Eleven days of first and second features from everywhere, which is the one thing that reliably fills this city in deep winter.49climate
  5. 🇸🇪 Gothenburg, SwedenGoteborg Film Festival · 24 Jan – 5 Feb (usually)Scandinavia's largest film event: ten days, several hundred films and cinemas full at eleven in the morning in the darkest part of the year.39climate
  6. 🇳🇴 Tromsø, NorwayTromso International Film Festival · 12–20 Jan (usually)A week of cinema in the middle of January, including screenings outdoors in the snow.24climate

What's on around the world in January →

Film festival in February

  1. 🇺🇸 Fort Lauderdale, United StatesFort Lauderdale Film Festival · 18–28 Feb (usually)Ten days of premieres and documentaries across Broward, anchored on the restored Savor Cinema in Flagler Village.84climate
  2. 🇺🇸 Santa Barbara, United StatesSanta Barbara Film Festival · 4–16 Feb (usually)Eleven days in early February with the awards-season names doing tributes at the Arlington, which is why the hotels fill in a month nothing else would fill them.80climate
  3. 🇵🇹 Porto, PortugalFantasporto · 18 Feb – 10 Mar (usually)One of Europe's older fantasy and horror film festivals, ten days at the Rivoli in the wettest, cheapest part of the year.70climate
  4. 🇺🇸 Sedona, United StatesSedona International Film Festival · 15 Feb – 2 Mar (usually)Nine days of independent film in late February, in the quiet stretch before the spring crowds.69climate
  5. 🇧🇫 Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoFESPACO · 20 Feb – 7 Mar (usually)Africa's biggest film festival takes over the city's cinemas and the Place des Cineastes for a week.67climate
  6. 🇳🇱 Rotterdam, NetherlandsIFFR · 22 Jan – 8 Feb (usually)Eleven days of first and second features from everywhere, which is the one thing that reliably fills this city in deep winter.59climate
  7. 🇩🇪 Berlin, GermanyBerlinale · 8–25 Feb (usually)Ten days in February, and the one big festival whose audience is genuinely the public: half the seats go on open sale and Berliners queue for them at Potsdamer Platz in the cold.55climate
  8. 🇬🇧 Glasgow, United KingdomGlasgow Film Festival · 22 Feb – 10 Mar (usually)Eleven days at the end of February built around the Glasgow Film Theatre, with a habit of screening things in swimming pools and car parks rather than cinemas.53climate
  9. 🇵🇫 Papeete, French PolynesiaFIFO documentary festival · 2–18 Feb (usually)Ten days of Pacific documentary at the Maison de la Culture in early February, in the wettest part of the year, which is exactly why it is indoors.49climate
  10. 🇸🇪 Gothenburg, SwedenGoteborg Film Festival · 24 Jan – 5 Feb (usually)Scandinavia's largest film event: ten days, several hundred films and cinemas full at eleven in the morning in the darkest part of the year.47climate
  11. 🇨🇦 Whitehorse, CanadaAvailable Light Film Festival · 5–25 Feb (usually)Ten days of cinema, music and panels in the darkest, coldest stretch of the northern winter, which is exactly the point of scheduling it then.36climate

What's on around the world in February →

Film festival in March

  1. 🇪🇸 Málaga, SpainFestival de Malaga · 5–25 Mar (usually)The Spanish-language film festival takes over the Cervantes and the Albeniz for ten days in March, with a red carpet on Calle Larios and the city's hotels full of Madrid.85climate
  2. 🇬🇷 Thessaloniki, GreeceDocumentary Festival · 1–20 Mar (usually)Ten days of documentary screened in the converted warehouses on the port in early March, the city's other film festival and the one that fills its cafes with argument.78climate
  3. 🇺🇸 Sedona, United StatesSedona International Film Festival · 15 Feb – 2 Mar (usually)Nine days of independent film in late February, in the quiet stretch before the spring crowds.75climate
  4. 🇨🇴 Cartagena, ColombiaCartagena film festival · 5–20 Mar (usually)The oldest film festival in Latin America, with free screenings on the walls and in the plazas of the old town; the walled city fills for a week and the boutique hotels go early.73climate
  5. 🇵🇹 Porto, PortugalFantasporto · 18 Feb – 10 Mar (usually)One of Europe's older fantasy and horror film festivals, ten days at the Rivoli in the wettest, cheapest part of the year.72climate
  6. 🇧🇬 Sofia, BulgariaSofia Film Fest · 5–25 Mar (usually)A fortnight of screenings across the city cinemas in the flattest month of the year here, with a strong Balkan competition.70climate
  7. 🇫🇷 Lille, FranceSeries Mania · 12–31 Mar (usually)Europe's television festival takes over the Nouveau Siecle and the city cinemas for ten days, half industry market and half free public screenings.69climate
  8. 🇬🇧 Glasgow, United KingdomGlasgow Film Festival · 22 Feb – 10 Mar (usually)Eleven days at the end of February built around the Glasgow Film Theatre, with a habit of screening things in swimming pools and car parks rather than cinemas.64climate
  9. 🇩🇰 Copenhagen, DenmarkCPH:DOX · 12–25 Mar (usually)Europe's largest documentary festival fills the cinemas and a few odd venues for a fortnight in March, which is otherwise the least interesting month in the city.62climate
  10. 🇧🇫 Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoFESPACO · 20 Feb – 7 Mar (usually)Africa's biggest film festival takes over the city's cinemas and the Place des Cineastes for a week.45climate

What's on around the world in March →

Film festival in April

  1. 🇰🇷 Jeonju, South KoreaJeonju International Film Festival · 25 Apr – 10 May (usually)A week of screenings around Gaeksa and the old cinema street at the end of April, and the one time of year the city's rooms sell out on something other than food.84climate
  2. 🇦🇹 Linz, AustriaCrossing Europe film festival · 20 Apr – 2 May (usually)Six days of European independent cinema at the end of April, the kind of programme that never reaches a multiplex.79climate
  3. 🇺🇸 Cleveland, United StatesCleveland International Film Festival · 1–22 Apr (usually)Ten days and several hundred films in April, one of the older festivals in the country and unusually well attended for its size.74climate

What's on around the world in April →

Film festival in May

  1. 🇫🇷 Cannes, FranceCannes Film Festival · 11–22 May (usually)Twelve days in the second half of May when the Croisette is fenced, badges rule everything and rates go to their annual peak.94climate
  2. 🇫🇷 Nice, FranceCannes Film Festival · 10–28 May (usually)The festival is forty minutes down the coast, but the hotel market is regional: Nice reprices for the fortnight and the airport transfer queue doubles.91climate
  3. 🇰🇷 Jeonju, South KoreaJeonju International Film Festival · 25 Apr – 10 May (usually)A week of screenings around Gaeksa and the old cinema street at the end of April, and the one time of year the city's rooms sell out on something other than food.90climate
  4. 🇦🇹 Linz, AustriaCrossing Europe film festival · 20 Apr – 2 May (usually)Six days of European independent cinema at the end of April, the kind of programme that never reaches a multiplex.86climate
  5. 🇺🇸 Seattle, United StatesSeattle International Film Festival · 8–26 May (usually)Eleven days of screenings across a dozen city venues in the middle of May, and the one stretch of the year Seattle's cinemas queue down the block.85climate

What's on around the world in May →

Film festival in June

  1. 🇮🇹 Taormina, ItalyTaormina Film Festival · 10–25 Jun (usually)A week of screenings in the ancient theatre with Etna behind the screen, plus enough red carpet to fill the small hotel stock in town.90climate
  2. 🇷🇴 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaTransilvania Film Festival · 5–25 Jun (usually)Ten days of screenings across the cinemas, plus open-air nights in Unirii Square and a strand at Bánffy Castle out at Bonțida.89climate
  3. 🇺🇸 Nantucket, United StatesNantucket Film Festival · 20 Jun – 1 Jul (usually)Five days at the end of June built around screenwriting rather than red carpets, with staged readings and panels in the old whaling-town halls.89climate
  4. 🇮🇹 Bologna, ItalyIl Cinema Ritrovato · 18 Jun – 5 Jul (usually)Nine days of restored film, ending with free screenings on a big screen in Piazza Maggiore after dark.84climate
  5. 🇫🇷 Annecy, FranceAnnecy animation film festival · 8–27 Jun (usually)The animation industry takes the town for a week; the fiftieth edition moved to the end of June.82climate
  6. 🇹🇿 Zanzibar, TanzaniaZanzibar International Film Festival · 18 Jun – 2 Jul (usually)East Africa's largest film festival takes over the old fort and venues across Stone Town for a week in late June, with screenings outdoors after dark.75climate
  7. 🇨🇳 Shanghai, ChinaShanghai International Film Festival · 10–25 Jun (usually)Ten days of screenings across cinemas all over the city in the middle of June, with tickets released in one online rush a week ahead and the good ones gone in minutes.55climate

What's on around the world in June →

Film festival in July

  1. 🇧🇷 Bonito, BrazilFestival de Cinema de Bonito · 20 Jul – 5 Aug (usually)A week of open-air and small-hall screenings in a town of twenty thousand, mostly Brazilian features and shorts.92climate
  2. 🇪🇪 Pärnu, EstoniaParnu Film Festival · 1–20 Jul (usually)A documentary and visual-anthropology festival in July, one of the oldest of its kind anywhere and much quieter than the beach outside.92climate
  3. 🇿🇦 Durban, South AfricaDurban International Film Festival · 18 Jul – 5 Aug (usually)Africa's longest-running film festival takes over the city's cinemas for the back end of July into early August, in the dry, mild middle of winter, which is the best time to be in Durban anyway.91climate
  4. 🇨🇿 Karlovy Vary, CzechiaKarlovy Vary Film Festival · 1–13 Jul (usually)For nine days in early July the spa town turns into a film festival, students sleeping in the park and queues outside the Thermal.91climate
  5. 🇵🇱 Wrocław, PolandNew Horizons Film Festival · 18 Jul – 5 Aug (usually)Ten days of art-house programming in the summer, built around a cinema that keeps showing the same films afterwards.88climate
  6. 🇮🇪 Galway, IrelandGalway Film Fleadh · 6–14 Jul (usually)Ireland's main film festival runs for six days in early July, with premieres at the Town Hall Theatre and a market alongside it.86climate
  7. 🇺🇸 Nantucket, United StatesNantucket Film Festival · 20 Jun – 1 Jul (usually)Five days at the end of June built around screenwriting rather than red carpets, with staged readings and panels in the old whaling-town halls.86climate
  8. 🇮🇱 Jerusalem, IsraelJerusalem Film Festival · 15–31 Jul (usually)Ten days at the Cinematheque under the Old City walls in late July, with open-air screenings down in the Sultan's Pool.83climate
  9. 🇹🇿 Zanzibar, TanzaniaZanzibar International Film Festival · 18 Jun – 2 Jul (usually)East Africa's largest film festival takes over the old fort and venues across Stone Town for a week in late June, with screenings outdoors after dark.80climate
  10. 🇭🇷 Pula, CroatiaPula Film Festival · 9–16 Jul (usually)Croatia's oldest film festival, screened after dark inside the Roman amphitheatre with several thousand seats on the arena floor.80climate
  11. 🇦🇲 Yerevan, ArmeniaGolden Apricot film festival · 5–20 Jul (usually)Armenia's international film festival, screening across the centre in the middle of July and named for the fruit that is in the markets at the same time.79climate
  12. 🇯🇴 Amman, JordanAmman International Film Festival · 20 Jul – 10 Aug (usually)A first-features festival with an Arab-cinema focus, screening across the western half of the city.79climate
  13. 🇮🇹 Bologna, ItalyIl Cinema Ritrovato · 18 Jun – 5 Jul (usually)Nine days of restored film, ending with free screenings on a big screen in Piazza Maggiore after dark.78climate

What's on around the world in July →

Film festival in August

  1. 🇿🇦 Durban, South AfricaDurban International Film Festival · 18 Jul – 5 Aug (usually)Africa's longest-running film festival takes over the city's cinemas for the back end of July into early August, in the dry, mild middle of winter, which is the best time to be in Durban anyway.92climate
  2. 🇵🇱 Wrocław, PolandNew Horizons Film Festival · 18 Jul – 5 Aug (usually)Ten days of art-house programming in the summer, built around a cinema that keeps showing the same films afterwards.87climate
  3. 🇧🇦 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaSarajevo Film Festival · 10–25 Aug (usually)Started under siege in 1995 and now the region's biggest, with open-air screenings and the whole city out on Ferhadija until late.84climate
  4. 🇧🇷 Bonito, BrazilFestival de Cinema de Bonito · 20 Jul – 5 Aug (usually)A week of open-air and small-hall screenings in a town of twenty thousand, mostly Brazilian features and shorts.83climate
  5. 🇧🇷 Gramado, BrazilFestival de Cinema de Gramado · 8–25 Aug (usually)Brazil's best-known film week takes over the Palácio dos Festivais in the middle of August, with a red carpet down the main avenue and the Kikito awards at the end of it.79climate
  6. 🇯🇴 Amman, JordanAmman International Film Festival · 20 Jul – 10 Aug (usually)A first-features festival with an Arab-cinema focus, screening across the western half of the city.77climate
  7. 🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyVenice Film Festival · 28 Aug – 14 Sep (usually)Eleven days on the Lido at the start of September.75climate

What's on around the world in August →

Film festival in September

  1. 🇨🇦 Toronto, CanadaToronto International Film Festival · 5–20 Sep (usually)Eleven days in early September when King Street West closes and the entertainment district's hotel stock reprices.93climate
  2. 🇷🇴 Timișoara, RomaniaTIFF Timișoara · 17–20 Sep (usually)The Timișoara leg of the Transilvania International Film Festival runs four days each September across Cinema Timiș, Cinema Studio and the Capitol summer garden, with Romanian premieres and open-air screenings.92climate
  3. 🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyVenice Film Festival · 28 Aug – 14 Sep (usually)Eleven days on the Lido at the start of September.85climate
  4. 🇧🇷 Brasília, BrazilFestival de Brasília · 5–25 Sep (usually)The country's oldest film festival, run out of the Cine Brasília in Asa Sul since 1965 and still the place where an argument about Brazilian cinema is worth sitting through.85climate
  5. 🇪🇸 San Sebastián, SpainZinemaldia film festival · 16–28 Sep (usually)Nine days in late September that fill the city harder than August does, with public tickets sold in a scramble a fortnight ahead and red carpets outside the Kursaal every evening.83climate
  6. 🇳🇱 Utrecht, NetherlandsNetherlands Film Festival · 18 Sep – 5 Oct (usually)The national film festival belongs to Utrecht: ten days at the end of September ending in the Golden Calf awards, with free open-air screenings on the cathedral square.82climate
  7. 🇮🇹 Syracuse, ItalyOrtigia Film Festival · 20–26 Sep (usually)Independent cinema screened outdoors in the squares of the old island for a week in late September, free or close to it, and starting late enough that the heat has gone out of the day.81climate
  8. 🇮🇱 Haifa, IsraelHaifa International Film Festival · 15 Sep – 15 Oct (usually)Israel's oldest film festival, staged on the Carmel over the Sukkot holiday, which is also when the city is fullest.77climate
  9. 🇺🇸 Telluride, United StatesTelluride Film Festival · 2–8 Sep (usually)Labor Day weekend, and the programme is not announced until the morning it opens, which is the whole point of it.73climate
  10. 🇺🇸 Breckenridge, United StatesBreckenridge Film Festival · 15–30 Sep (usually)Four days of independent screenings in late September, timed to the aspens turning on the Boreas Pass road.71climate

What's on around the world in September →

Film festival in October

  1. 🇬🇷 Thessaloniki, GreeceThessaloniki Film Festival · 28 Oct – 15 Nov (usually)The biggest film festival in south-east Europe, ten days at the start of November in the port warehouses and the old cinemas on Aristotelous.89climate
  2. 🇲🇽 Morelia, MexicoMorelia International Film Festival · 14–27 Oct (usually)Ten days in the third week of October, and the most serious film festival in Mexico outside the capital.89climate
  3. 🇹🇷 Antalya, TurkeyGolden Orange Film Festival · 15 Oct – 5 Nov (usually)Turkey's oldest film festival, and the week the old town belongs to the industry rather than to tour groups.87climate
  4. 🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyRome Film Fest · 13–25 Oct (usually)Two weeks at the Auditorium in mid-October, with a red carpet that draws crowds north of the centre and a public ticket ballot that opens weeks ahead.86climate
  5. 🇰🇷 Busan, South KoreaBusan International Film Festival · 1–18 Oct (usually)Ten days centred on the Cinema Center in Haeundae in early October, in the best weather of the Busan year.86climate
  6. 🇮🇱 Haifa, IsraelHaifa International Film Festival · 15 Sep – 15 Oct (usually)Israel's oldest film festival, staged on the Carmel over the Sukkot holiday, which is also when the city is fullest.85climate
  7. 🇺🇸 Savannah, United StatesSCAD Savannah Film Festival · 24 Oct – 2 Nov (usually)Eight days at the end of October run by the art school that owns half the buildings downtown, with awards-season screenings in a restored 1920s cinema on Broughton Street.82climate
  8. 🇧🇦 Banja Luka, Bosnia and HerzegovinaBanjalukanima animation festival · 20–30 Oct (usually)A week of international animated shorts in late October, small enough that you can walk in off the street and get a seat.81climate
  9. 🇺🇸 Hot Springs National Park, United StatesHot Springs Documentary Film Fest · 5–20 Oct (usually)The longest-running all-documentary festival in North America takes over the venues along and around Bathhouse Row for nine days in October, which is also the best fortnight of the year for the hills behind the town.78climate
  10. 🇪🇬 El Gouna, EgyptEl Gouna Film Festival · 10–31 Oct (usually)A week of screenings and industry parties in the middle of October, when the sea is still warm and the town fills with Cairo's film crowd.76climate
  11. 🇧🇪 Ghent, BelgiumFilm Fest Gent · 5–20 Oct (usually)Belgium's main film festival, built around film music and the World Soundtrack Awards.73climate
  12. 🇳🇱 Utrecht, NetherlandsNetherlands Film Festival · 18 Sep – 5 Oct (usually)The national film festival belongs to Utrecht: ten days at the end of September ending in the Golden Calf awards, with free open-air screenings on the cathedral square.69climate
  13. 🇨🇦 Vancouver, CanadaVancouver International Film Festival · 1–12 Oct (usually)Eleven days of screenings downtown at the start of October, which is when the rain comes back and the city admits it is indoors again.65climate
  14. 🇹🇼 Kaohsiung, TaiwanKaohsiung Film Festival · 10–31 Oct (usually)A fortnight of screenings around the harbour with a long-running short-film and immersive strand.60climate
  15. 🇨🇦 Banff, CanadaBanff Mountain Film Festival · 28 Oct – 8 Nov (usually)Nine days of mountain film and books at the Banff Centre at the turn of October into November, in the quietest weeks of the year.57climate

What's on around the world in October →

Film festival in November

  1. 🇲🇦 Marrakesh, MoroccoMarrakech Film Festival · 25 Nov – 10 Dec (usually)A week of screenings at the end of November or the start of December, including free ones on a big screen in Jemaa el-Fna.90climate
  2. 🇦🇷 Mar del Plata, ArgentinaMar del Plata Film Festival · 1–20 Nov (usually)The only A-list festival in Latin America takes over the Auditorium and the old cinemas for eleven days in November, out of season and pleasantly unglamorous.90climate
  3. 🇪🇬 Cairo, EgyptCairo International Film Festival · 10–25 Nov (usually)The oldest film festival in the Arab world runs for ten days out of the opera house grounds in Zamalek, in the best fortnight of the Cairo year for being outdoors.88climate
  4. 🇺🇸 Savannah, United StatesSCAD Savannah Film Festival · 24 Oct – 2 Nov (usually)Eight days at the end of October run by the art school that owns half the buildings downtown, with awards-season screenings in a restored 1920s cinema on Broughton Street.84climate
  5. 🇹🇷 Antalya, TurkeyGolden Orange Film Festival · 15 Oct – 5 Nov (usually)Turkey's oldest film festival, and the week the old town belongs to the industry rather than to tour groups.80climate
  6. 🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaKolkata International Film Festival · 25 Nov – 20 Dec (usually)A week of screenings around Nandan and the Rabindra Sadan complex, mostly free or nearly so, with queues that form before the box office opens.76climate
  7. 🇶🇦 Doha, QatarDoha Film Festival · 15 Nov – 5 Dec (usually)The Doha Film Institute's week of screenings and the Ajyal youth jury, staged in the Cultural Village and downtown in late November as the outdoor season restarts.75climate
  8. 🇬🇷 Thessaloniki, GreeceThessaloniki Film Festival · 28 Oct – 15 Nov (usually)The biggest film festival in south-east Europe, ten days at the start of November in the port warehouses and the old cinemas on Aristotelous.74climate
  9. 🇸🇦 Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaRed Sea Film Festival · 25 Nov – 15 Dec (usually)Ten days of screenings and red carpets based in the restored merchant houses of Al-Balad, which is the reason to time a visit to the old town for early December.71climate
  10. 🇮🇹 Turin, ItalyTorino Film Festival · 20 Nov – 1 Dec (usually)Ten days of first and second features in late November, run out of a city that keeps its national film museum inside the Mole.65climate
  11. 🇪🇪 Tallinn, EstoniaBlack Nights Film Festival · 6–22 NovTwo and a half weeks of cinema in the darkest part of November, the only competitive festival of its rank in northern Europe.45climate
  12. 🇨🇦 Banff, CanadaBanff Mountain Film Festival · 28 Oct – 8 Nov (usually)Nine days of mountain film and books at the Banff Centre at the turn of October into November, in the quietest weeks of the year.40climate

What's on around the world in November →

Film festival in December

  1. 🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaKolkata International Film Festival · 25 Nov – 20 Dec (usually)A week of screenings around Nandan and the Rabindra Sadan complex, mostly free or nearly so, with queues that form before the box office opens.88climate
  2. 🇶🇦 Doha, QatarDoha Film Festival · 15 Nov – 5 Dec (usually)The Doha Film Institute's week of screenings and the Ajyal youth jury, staged in the Cultural Village and downtown in late November as the outdoor season restarts.86climate
  3. 🇲🇦 Marrakesh, MoroccoMarrakech Film Festival · 25 Nov – 10 Dec (usually)A week of screenings at the end of November or the start of December, including free ones on a big screen in Jemaa el-Fna.85climate
  4. 🇨🇺 Havana, CubaHavana Film Festival · 1–15 Dec (usually)Ten days of Latin American cinema in the old Vedado picture houses.81climate
  5. 🇸🇦 Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaRed Sea Film Festival · 25 Nov – 15 Dec (usually)Ten days of screenings and red carpets based in the restored merchant houses of Al-Balad, which is the reason to time a visit to the old town for early December.78climate
  6. 🇮🇹 Capri, ItalyCapri Hollywood film festival · 26 Dec – 2 JanFor a week over the new year the island's winter shutdown pauses for a film festival, and the few hotels that stay open fill with it.67climate
  7. 🇮🇹 Turin, ItalyTorino Film Festival · 20 Nov – 1 Dec (usually)Ten days of first and second features in late November, run out of a city that keeps its national film museum inside the Mole.60climate

What's on around the world in December →