Film Festival Insider™ Weekly
Film Festival Insider™ Weekly is your no-fluff guide to the festival circuit. Each week, Heather Brittain breaks down industry news and festival trends—then shows you what they mean for your film. Get clarity, context, and action steps to submit smarter and gain traction. Because strategy—not luck—is what gets films selected.
All Posts
Doc Fortnight, True/False Signals, and What the Market Is Really Saying
When programming and market shifts align, that’s where real festival strategy begins.
BIG MOVES
True/False 2026 Drops Its ProgramDeadline just covered the newly announced...
When Festivals Make Headlines: Berlin Backlash, SXSW Deal Signals & the Power of Strategic Positioning
Festivals don’t just screen films — they signal power, politics, acquisition appetite, and future momentum, and this week the signals are loud.
BIG MOVES...
SXSW Buzz. Berlin Heat. San Diego Strategy.
If you’re paying attention to programmer behavior instead of headlines, this week offers some of the clearest directional signals we’ve seen this year.
BIG...
Sundance Signals, Santa Barbara Buzz, and Strategic Submission Moves
From Sundance premieres to Santa Barbara’s 2026 momentum and March deadlines, here’s your essential strategy update.
BIG MOVES
1. Sundance Wrapped - and the...
Sundance Fallout, Berlinale Buzz, and the Fests Shaping What Comes Next
Post-Sundance patterns, emerging signals, and spring deadlines that matter.
BIG MOVES
1. Sundance Is Wrapping — But the Real Signals Are Just Beginning
As...
What Sundance, Rotterdam, and SBIFF Are Really Signaling Right Now
Strategic festival cues and submission moves for serious indie filmmakers
BIG MOVES
1. Sundance Is Live — and the smartest move isn’t in Park...
What the 2026 Golden Globes Just Told Us About Festival Strategy
Vulnerability, voice, and the kind of storytelling programmers are saying yes to
BIG MOVES
What the Golden Globes just confirmed about festival taste...
This Is the Year You Stop Circling the Circuit
Welcome to 2026. Let’s move different.
Because this year is not about getting in —It’s about getting seen, strategized, and set up to go...
Last Looks, Bold Moves: Your Final Festival Update of 2025
Momentum doesn’t come from crossing your fingers. It comes from context.
This week, we’re tracking major festival signals — from awards-season doc shifts to...
2026 Festival Intel Drop: Sundance Sets the Vibe, Tribeca Clock Ticks
The Sundance lineup just dropped - and with it, a clear signal for the year ahead. If you’re serious about visibility in 2026, this...
Strategy Shifts, Global Signals & a Theater Comeback Worth Watching
There’s power in knowing what’s shifting - not just which festivals are trending, but why.This week, we’re tracking strategic moves that could shape...
Hybrid Lanes, Bold Moves, and Festival Shakeups
Forward-thinking festival strategy. Zero fluff.
BIG MOVES
1) Tribeca 2026 Adds “Creativity Lab” for Hybrid Storytelling📍 U.S. - June 3–14, 2026Tribeca’s 25th anniversary...
