BETTER CITIES FILM FESTIVAL
The world’s most inspiring stories about making better cities, towns & neighborhoods.
Inspire your town with a night of ideas!
Inspire your community with a one-night screening of the Better Cities Film Festival. Our unique film festival is a creative way to gather people and engage them in conversation about placemaking and urban planning.
REVIEW:
"Better Cities Film Festival is one of the most successful events we've ever had - extremely well attended and beloved by the audience! In just over an hour, we traveled the world, were inspired by other cities' stories, and began to see our city through a different lens. I would recommend the Better Cities Film Festival to every community!”
-Reif Larsen, Troy, New York, FOCUS Lab
Share your story.
Submissions are now open for the 2024 Better Cities Film Festival in Detroit, Michgian, September 19-22.
All genres and lengths are acceptable.
To make submissions easy, we use the industry standard Film Freeway platform.
Download & share our Call for Entries graphic on your social networks or print & post our Call for Entries flyer.
SCREENINGS & EVENTS
UPCOMING
Winston-Salem, NC
March 23, 2024
a/perture cinema
311 W 4th St
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Screening of the BCFF Best of Fest reel - one night only!
Hosted by a/perture cinema
Sponsored by Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership
(More info)
Detroit, Michigan
September 19-22, 2024
Our 11th annual flagship 4-day film festival
in Detroit, Michigan.
More details coming soon!
Spokane, Washington
Date TBA
Garland Theater
924 W Garland Ave, Spokane, WA 99205
Special Event: Best of Fest Screening
plus WORLD PREMIERE of River City Rising produced by First+Main Films.
Olympia, Washington
Date TBA
Best of Fest Screening & Happy Hour
Hosted by festival producers Joshua & John Paget
(email for info)
RECENT
Austin, TX
February 28, 2024
5:30-7:30pm
@ Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
South Lamar
1120 S Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78704
One night only - custom curated for Austin by AIA Austin.
Hosted by AIA Austin
(More info)
San Luis Obispo, CA
March 6, 2024
6:00pm
@ The Hub at Monterey Street
1701 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Eventbrite Ticket Page
One night only “Best of Fest” screening
Hosted by Building a Better SLO
BETTER CITIES FILM FESTIVAL SOUTH
Durham, NC
February 9-10, 2024
Full Frame Theater
Hosted by SOUTHERN URBANISM
(More info)
Salt Lake City, Utah
December 7, 2023
Hosted by the Congress for the New Urbanism - Utah Chapter.
(More info)
St. Catharines, Ontario.
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
Screening curated by Better Neighborhoods Inc. and MainStreet Engineering
Screening Venue: The Film House (bottom floor of the FirstOntario Performing Arts Center)
For more info go to this link
For tickets go to this link
Frederick, Maryland
November 9, 2023
Custom curated screening presented by
Downtown Frederick Partnership
Screening Venue: Spire Theater
(More info)
Petaluma, California (Two Screenings):
Screening One:
Wednesday, Sept. 20, 5:45-8p.m.
Boulevard 14 Cinema
For more info. and tickets go to this link
Screening Two:
Thursday, Sept. 28, 5:45-8p.m.
Santa Rosa Junior College
Carole E. Ellis Auditorium
For more info. and tickets go to this link
Presented by Petaluma Urban Chat
(More info)
2023 Better Cities Film Festival - 10th Anniversary
Annual Flagship Festival
Detroit, Michigan, USA
October 5-8, 2023
(More info)
Kendallville, Indiana
Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 I 6 - 8 pm
For more info. and tickets go to this link
Presented by Historic Downtown Kendallville
Van Nuys, California
Thursday, June 22, 2023 | 7:00pm
AHLA Meetup: Movie Night featuring the 2021-22 Best of Fest Reel
Presented by Abundant Housing LA
(More info)
CNU 31 Charlotte, North Carolina
May 31-June 3, 2023
Best of Fest Screening & Happy Hour at the 31st annual Congress for New Urbanism.
(email for info)
Binghamton, New York
April 29, 2023 | 3:00pm-6:00pm
Presented by Greater Binghamton Office of Placemaking and Visit Binghamton Film Office.
(More info)
Winston-Salem, NC
March 25 | 2:00PM
Screens at a/perture cinema. Sponsored by Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership.
(More info & tickets)
Troy, New York
January 24th, 2023 | 6:30PM
Capital Region edition of Better Cities Film Festival. The FOCUS Lab @ The Future of Small Cities Institute
Best of Fest 2021 Reel, and post-screening Q&A with filmmaker John Paget.
(More info)
Birmingham, Alabama
February 5th, 2023
Birmingham's 205 Festival will feature an impressive line up of placemaking and urbanist activities, including a specially curated line up of BCFF films.
(More info)
2022 BCFF
Annual Flagship Festival
Detroit, Michigan, USA. October 20th-23rd, 2022
(More info)
Stormwater Poland 2022
Katowice, Poland. September 28, 2022
(More info)
UN-Habitat Better Cities Film Festival, 11th World Urban Forum
Katowice, Poland, June 26-30, 2022
(More info)
CNU30 Screening: Oklahoma City
The Congress for the New Urbanism
Oklahoma City, OK. March 25, 2022
(More info)
3Sixty BCFF: Holland MI
Holland, Michigan. May 21, 2022
(More Info)
World Cities Day
Online Special Screening
co-hosted by UN-Habitat, the 11th World Urban Forum (WUF11), and the World Urban Campaign
October 31 – November 7, 2021
2021 Western States Planning Conference
Scottsdale, Arizona. August 24th 2021
BCFF @ Landscape Design Festival MAGENTA
Kaunas, Lithuania. September 17-26, 2021
October 7-10, 2021
(More Info)