Dark Red Film Festival

08/06/2025

To our filmmaker community,

We want to share something that has been weighing on us the last few weeks. At our core, we are filmmakers. It's right there in our motto, "By filmmakers, for filmmakers." We are filmmakers first, festival runners second. That has always guided our approach this festival, with a filmmaker first mentality. We put our heart and soul into making our festival the type of festival that we, as filmmakers, want to attend. Right now, we are pushing our creative endeavors forward with everything we have as well.

Mason is directing his first feature, has an optioned script, and has another screenplay with an attached director. We are also developing a graphic novel, we’re in post-production on two narrative features that we are producers on, and Tabitha is producing a feature documentary that is already in motion. These projects require all of our creative attention right now, and we want to honor them fully.  

So, after much thought, we are making the decision to pause this year’s season of the Dark Red Film Festival in order to fully focus on our own creative work. What we will never do is half ass Dark Red. We explored options to bring others in to substitute in our absence, and we deeply considered if we had the capacity to put together a pared down version of the festival. But, ultimately, we feel that those options would do a disservice to the festival.

--Continued in the comments. --

12/26/2024

11/04/2024

It's not a life worth living without having the unexpected pop up unexpectedly 😝

Tabitha and Mason put their everything into the craft: tears, sweat, Gump kisses, blood (I assume metaphorically and not just whats on the screen... or real blood), mastery, discipline, patience... and everything else that goes with being a human.

There's no joke: while this year was fantastic, it wasn't without its own drama leading up to launch day, and even when our t-shirts were unceremoniously held hostage during the weekend. When life throws obstacles at you, we have the choice of how to respond, always. There is anger, defeat, and dread along with kindess, acceptance, and moving forward.

Tabitha and Mason like to say the festival is not about them (this is true: it's about all of us), and we celebrate what's truly worth living: art and courage. The courage to get up in the morning and make the day happen, even when we'd rather spend it in bed and let the world forget about us. But they often forget: they are still part of this world, and the praise and acceptance towards other filmmakers is not only just for y'all: it's also for them.

It's easy to blush and accept praise uncomfortably, as anything else could be seen as prideful, but that's not the point. Giving yourself permission to accept gratitude, and being kind to yourself, shows compassion and patience. Above all, it shows it is OK to tell yourself "I did a jood job, and I love you".

There's no one else I'd rather walk the desolate path of The Program, than with y'all ❤️️🖤

-N

11/04/2024

filmfreeway.com/darkredfilmfest

11/03/2024

And now, we must say good-bye for the year.

This year was fantastic, as every year behind us, but everytime during festival season, there's something unique and tangible about living in the moment.

It is impossible to tag everyone into a single post (Instagram limitations... as always 😜) but we do want to acknowledge those who participated in this years festival.

Thank you to those that submitted. Thank you to those that screened. Thank you to those that attended. Thank you to the volunteers. Thank you to the partners. Thank you to the venues. Thank you for the memories. And thank you, for being you.

None of this could have happened without any of you.

We’ll still be active, but not as much as we have been since the campaign started. You'll find moments of posting here and there. And a lot of it is to prepare you for next year: submissions opened Friday, November 1 for Dark Red 2025. Do you dare attempt to face your fears?

You can catch us here, or at our main page ❤️️🖤 This is Dark Red Film Fest signing off.

Never stop creating, Dark Hearts, and we'll see you with the stars.

11/03/2024

Friends. Cohorts. Memories.

Everything leads to this: the experience of a lifetime. Whether it was your first, or third, there is something that can be taken back and shared with others, reflected on internally, and prepared mentally for the next year.

While it may not have been feasible to get everyone in front of the backdrop, Dark Red expresses gratitude to everyone who attended, even if it happened to be the very first film festival you experienced.

And a very Dark place in our hearts if you're not a filmmaker.

Films are for everyone. Art is for everyone. No one, gets left behind.

It's dangerous to do so in The Program 🔪

11/03/2024

Accolades.

Every filmmaker deserves one, even if the time isn't right. Though it makes one wonder...

what is filmmaking about? Do awards matter? Show merit? Provide validation... for you, or others?

As long as the spark of creativity stays bright and fueled, this humble festival says: No.

Make your art anyway, and damn the expectations.

You'll join The Program, one way or another, forever 😈

11/03/2024

A filmmaker is much more than just... a filmmaker. They are part of the worldy narrative, whether it's realized or not.

As we begin slowing down our momentum throughout The Program, each voice is heard clearly, and separately, before joining back into the collective of the Dark Red archives.

Dark Red Film Fest is just one of the many waystations for filmmakers along your grand journey; what will you bring to the others?

11/03/2024

How meta: filmmakers gather with filmmakers to talk about filmmaking.

Of all the insights into how to be an indie filmmaker (you already are one) and how to produce your film with next to nothing, or even with resources at your disposal (get out and do it), there's one key component every communicator needs to understand, and it's at the core of how to get any message across:

Empathy.

To know your enemy is to know yourself, loosely abridged from Sun Tzu. But that's only a small part of understanding what the human narrative is about.

To know your enemy is to know how you feel, about how they feel. The world is large, and it is far more than JUST one person. Having this tool in your back pocket will help you safely through The Program, and along your journey.

11/03/2024

There's always nerves in the beginning:

preparations need to be made, I's dotted and T's crossed, measurements drawn out, machinery powered... the list can be never ending.

All the while in an effort to calm the spirit; everything-and we do mean everything-leads up to the moment when festival goers arrive.

Will they like it? Will they hate it? Will they show up?

There's nothing more frightening than real life, Dark Hearts.