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Nine Film Festivals That Celebrate Midwest Cinema

by Angela Zonunpari

People sitting in chairs in a theater.
Photo Credit: Ann Arbor Film Festival
The Midwest boasts of some of the oldest and freshest (and weirdest) film festivals in the country.

From Chicago to Fargo, these nine film festivals spotlight regional voices, celebrate indie creativity, and keep cinematic talent rooted close to home.

Cinema in the Midwest doesn’t need the coasts—just heart, grit, and a community willing to nurture talent. And thanks in part to regional film festivals, Midwesterners are making moves and movies!

There are dozens of film festivals across the region amplifying the work of local filmmakers and the collaborators who bring their visions to life, from actors and directors to editors, designers, and engineers. These opportunities are especially important since the Midwest falls way behind other parts of the country when it comes to jobs and revenue in the film industry.

We’ve highlighted nine festivals that are sharing their love for regional cinema, dedicating all or part of their programming to Midwest-connected or -made films.

  • Midwest Film Festival (Chicago, Illinois)

    Billed as “the nation’s only year-round film festival exclusively dedicated to the Midwestern filmmaker,” the Midwest Film Festival hosts monthly screenings and themed events, plus roadshows in other parts of the Midwest that bring bold, experimental Midwestern films to a new audience.

  • River Bend Film Festival (Goshen, Indiana)

    What happens when Midwesterners love filmmaking? They start a film festival with their friends! That’s how the River Bend Film Fest started in 2002 in South Bend. Now hosted in a city of ~34,000 people (they moved to Goshen in 2016), this festival celebrates the work of local and regional filmmakers while also screening original stories from the United States and beyond.

  • Cedar Rapids Independent Film Fest (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

    Yes, that Cedar Rapids, but no relation to insurance. All films screened at this festival (running since 2001) have an Iowa connection—a requirement for selection. It also welcomes filmmakers at different stages, from professionals and hobbyists to students of all ages. This year they received over 100 entries and screened 62 of them.

Five people sitting on stage of a theater with audience members looking on.
Photo Credit: Claudia Malson Photography via The Midwest Film Festival Facebook
The Midwest Film Festival takes their programming on the road to showcase cinematic works by Midwesterners in other parts of the region.

  • Ann Arbor Film Festival (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

    It’s said to be “the oldest independent and experimental film festival in North America.” And is one of the few Academy Award-qualifying festivals with winners of three award categories being eligible for Oscar nominations. Founded in 1963, for its first 40 years, the Ann Arbor Film Festival only showed works filmed on 16mm! Their festival line-up has included special programs celebrating Midwest’s filmmaking history.

  • Frozen River Film Festival (Winona, Minnesota)

    This festival in rural Winona is “the only documentary film festival within Minnesota” and likely the only one hosted during the winter. It’s a five-day event of indie docs and arts programming. They have several awards that recognize Minnesota filmmakers, including a People’s Choice Award for creatives who live within 60 miles of Winona.

  • Hello From Fargo Film Festival (Fargo, North Dakota)

    Started just three years ago, this festival specifically invites films and media made by creatives connected to the Dakotas and Minnesota. Inspired by Slamdance (where films rejected by Sundance are screened) and the spirit of creating your own community, the festival hopes to foster “an environment where emerging talents can flourish and established filmmakers can experiment.”

A young person looks into a screen of a video camera as they are filming a scene in front of them.
Photo Credit: Frozen River Film Festival Facebook
The Frozen River Film Festival in Winona, Minnesota, hosts events and programs throughout the year, including a filmmaking summer camp for young people.

Catalano Film Festival (Miamisburg, Ohio)

Hosted in the suburb of Dayton, this festival focuses solely on regional cinema, highlighting the work of Ohio artists and others in the Midwest. “It’s all about the hidden gems. If we only went to see movies at the multiplex we’d be missing out on a lot of voices, personality and richness,” festival founder and indie filmmaker Johnny Catalano said in a 2024 interview.

Black Hills Film Festival (South Dakota)

Did you know that parts of Armageddon (1998) were filmed in Badlands National Park? This festival features films produced and shot on location in South Dakota. Entries often include national and international films, as well as local and regional ones. This year’s festival is October 2-5 at Journey Museum in Rapid City.

Midwest WeirdFest (Eau Claire, Wisconsin)

This festival pegs itself as a cinematic celebration of “all things fantastic, frightening, underground, paranormal, off-beat, and just plain weird!” It turns 10 next year and has roots in other local horror and fantasy film festivals. Their “Best of the Midwest” category is dedicated to short films made by filmmakers in the region, with a strong showing of Wisconsinites in 2025.