Mystic Film Festival

10/15/2026

Some moments from our Industry Networking Event at the 9th Annual Mystic Film Festival! Great conversations, new connections, and a wonderful gathering of filmmakers and industry professionals.

10/14/2026

More highlights from Opening Night of the 9th Annual Mystic Film Festival! A great evening kicking off the festival with Slowburn Shoot: An Indie Wrestling Story, our Opening Night film!

Photo Credit: Edita Kirvelevicius

10/14/2026

A look back at Opening Night of the 9th Annual Mystic Film Festival! We kicked off four days of incredible films and conversations with a special screening of Slowburn Shoot: An Indie Wrestling Story, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and special guests. What a great way to start the festival!


Photo Credit: Edita Kirvelevicius

10/14/2026

The people, the films, the memories. A look back at the 9th Annual Mystic Film Festival!
Photo Credit: Edita Kirvelevicius

10/07/2026

Fork In The Road wins Best Conservation Film at the 2026 Mystic Film Fest. Thanks to LymeLine.com for the fantastic article about the film!

A documentary from Lyme resident Lisa Holmes digs into the challenges facing independent farmers and the changing landscape of American agriculture.

10/01/2026

HONORING WILLIAM SADLER AT THE 9TH ANNUAL MYSTIC FILM FESTIVAL

It was an honor to present acclaimed actor William Sadler with the 2026 Mystic Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award at our Awards Ceremony on September 27, 2026.

From The Shawshank Redemption, Die Hard 2, The Green Mile, and The Mist to his unforgettable turn as Death in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, William has built an extraordinary career spanning nearly five decades across film, television, and the stage.

We were thrilled to welcome William to Mystic and celebrate his remarkable body of work, his enduring contribution to the art of acting, and a career filled with characters that audiences will never forget.

Congratulations, William Sadler, our 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient!

Tribute Video: https://youtu.be/FBOX-9EkeIw

Tribute video directed by Kevin Ganey and Edited by Sabine Sheridan of Dragon Eye Entertainment.

Connecticut Office of Film, TV & Digital Media William Sadler Mystic Film Institute

09/28/2026

That’s a wrap on the 9th Annual Mystic Film Festival — also known as the Nor’easter Edition!

A huge thank you to our incredible festival team, volunteers, board members, sponsors, and partners for all of the hard work, dedication, and good humor that made this year’s festival happen — rain, wind, and all! We did it!

Hats off to the filmmakers and writers who shared their work with us this year. Thank you for bringing your stories to Mystic and for being such an important part of our festival.

And lastly, congratulations to all of our 2026 Mystic Film Festival Award Winners!

Lifetime Achievement Award
WILLIAM SADLER

Human Rights Award
MARCH FORTH

Best Conservation Film
FORK IN THE ROAD

Best New England Film
SALT GROWN

Best Historical Film
FORGOTTEN FOUNDER: THE UNTOLD STORY OF SAMSON OCCOM AND DARTMOUTH

Best International Film
ONE WOMAN ONE BRA

Best Documentary Film Cinematography
CIRRUS: A WOODEN BOAT STORY

Best Documentary Film Editing
PUBLIC ACCESS

Best Documentary Short
THE PETAL PUSHER

Best Director Documentary Film
SCHOOL FOR DEFECTORS

Best Feature Documentary
MICRONATIONS

Best Original Score
THE THINGS WE CARRY

Best Screenplay Narrative Short
FENDER BENDER

Best Actor Narrative Short
BIXPY ELLIOT for THE YELLOW SPONGE IS THE DISH SPONGE

Best Actress Narrative Short
SIBEL DAMAR for INSHALLAH

Best Ensemble Cast Narrative Short
UNDER ONE ROOF

Best Narrative Short
INSHALLAH

Best Director Narrative Short
PAIGE HENDERSON THE HOUR

Best Art Direction
REDLINING

Best Costume Design
THE LORD OF ALL FUTURE SPACE & TIME

Best Narrative Film Editing
ROCK, PAPER, DESTINY

Best Narrative Film Cinematography
THE HOUR

Best Director Narrative Feature
JULIA COULTER for ROAD TO L'ETAPE DU TOUR

Best Screenplay Narrative Feature
ACT ONE

Best Narrative Feature
IN SPITE OF OURSELVES

Best Actress Narrative Feature
TINE JOUSTRA for NOBODY WANTS TO BE HERE, NOBODY WANTS TO LEAVE

Best Actor Narrative Feature
BRETT DIER for IN SPITE OF OURSELVES

Grand Jury Prize Narrative Short
THE THINGS WE CARRY

Grand Jury Prize Documentary Short
PLANT LIFE

Grand Jury Prize Feature Documentary
ART OF DESTRUCTION

Grand Jury Prize Narrative Feature
A WOMAN’S WORK

Best Student Film
VALUE

Best Student Film Director
JADEN PARKER ESSE for CLUCKY’S

Best Student Film Screenplay
SAME TIME TOMORROW

Grand Prize Narrative Feature Screenplay Competition
WELCOME TO DABSVILLE written by SARA HALLOWELL

Grand Prize Narrative Short Screenplay Competition
THE SOUND written by KEVIN STUART BRODIE

Grand Prize 30 Minute Pilot Teleplay Competition
YOU DON’T GO THERE written by DANIELLE SEPULVERES

Grand Prize 60 Minute Pilot Teleplay Competition
JANE PARTICLES written by KARIN SHOOK

Audience Choice Award Student Film
RUNNING AGAINST THE ODDS

Audience Choice Award Documentary
MICRONATIONS

Audience Choice Award Narrative
ROAD TO L'ETAPE DU TOUR

Photo Credit: Edita Kirvelevicius

09/27/2026

Don't miss SCHOOL FOR DEFECTORS, a feature documentary directed by Jeremy Workman.

In an industrial corner of Busan, South Korea, stands the tiny Jangdaehyun School. It is home to 20 students, all of whom are North Korea defectors. With unprecedented access to a community never seen on film, SCHOOL FOR DEFECTORS gives voice to young people whom the world might otherwise overlook—illuminating not just what they’ve endured, but who they are about to become. What emerges is a deeply human story of hope, youth, and possibility.

WHEN AND WHERE: September 27, 2026, 2:15 - 4:15 PM at the United Theatre in Westerly.

TICKETS: https://mysticfilmfestival2026.eventive.org/Schedule/Tickets/-6a87c8428bdd5b2e2741f321

The United Theatre The Westerly Sun Stonington Patch

09/26/2026

Don't miss PEOPLE VS POLITICS, a documentary feature directed by Robert M. Pease, and Carol A. Wingard!

PEOPLE vs. POLITICS follows grassroots leaders across the country working to reform partisan elections through open primaries and ranked-choice voting, highlighting their efforts to give voters greater power in the political process.

There will be a panel discussion with the filmmakers and Professor Bilal Sekou, Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Hartford after the screening.

Join us at Mystic Luxury Cinemas on Sunday, September 27 at 1:30 p.m.

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/4nO9nTQJGww?si=fMVZGkS2mcaVdbUj

TICKETS: https://mysticfilmfestival2026.eventive.org/schedule/6a87c00ded7cdfb3fab31fbf

This screening was made possible thanks to a generous grant from CT Humanities and sponsorship from Connecticut Office of Film, TV & Digital Media.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

09/26/2026

Looking for a little romance, a lot of laughs, and all the complications that come with falling for the right person at the wrong time? Don’t miss the feature film IN SPITE OF OURSELVES!

Where: The United Theatre
When: Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 12:00 PM

When Hannah, a warm and determined Portland baker, crosses paths with Archie, an up-and-coming LA comedian with a habit of dodging commitment, their instant chemistry sparks a whirlwind romance neither expected. But after two blissful weeks together, real life pulls them back to separate cities, forcing them to confront distance, doubts, and their own hilariously messy insecurities.

Heartfelt, funny, and deeply relatable, IN SPITE OF OURSELVES follows two imperfect people trying to figure out whether they can move past their fears — and give love a real chance.

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDCfg8Z5QHY

TICKETS: https://mysticfilmfestival2026.eventive.org/Schedule/Tickets/-6a87c804bf88fdafaa113fbf

Love comes easy — relationships don’t. When Hannah, a warm and dete...