LightReel Film Festival 2026

Curated Cinematic Experiences

June 3–6, 2026 • Washington, DC Experience four days of bold storytelling, filmmaker conversations, IndustryInsights panels, and cinematic celebration across the Union Market District. Passes and tickets are now available.

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First Time at LightReel?

Get festival-ready with the LightReel Film Festival Survival Guide Series. These quick videos will help you navigate screenings, venues, passes, parties, and everything you need before arriving in the Union Market District.

LightReel Survival Guide #1

Getting Started at LightReel

LightReel Survival Guide #2

Choosing Films & Building Your Schedule

LightReel Survival Guide #3

Navigating the Union Market District

LightReel Survival Guide #4

Talks, IndustryInsights & Special Events

LightReel Survival Guide #5

Parties, Networking & Festival Etiquette

The Marquee Moments

Kick off and close out LightReel 2026 with three unforgettable cinematic events.

Spotlight Night

June 3, 2026

The Furious

Three young men fighting inside a warehouse or industrial space, one is being thrown through the air, while another is on the ground in a crouched position, and the third is standing over them in a defensive stance.

Explore Spotlight Night

Opening Night

June 4, 2026

This Tempting Madness

A woman with dark curly hair wearing a sleeveless orange dress looking at her reflection in a mirror.

Explore Opening Night

Closing Night

June 6, 2026

W.E.B. DuBois:
Rebel With A Cause

Black and white photograph of a man sitting at a cluttered desk with papers, books, and documents, in a room with a wooden door and a shelf with books and a sign that reads 'FIGHT.'

Explore Closing Night

IndustryInsights

Award-winning voices. Unfiltered conversations. From The Catalyst to In Conversation and craft sessions.

From The Catalyst series to In Conversation sessions, LightReel’s IndustryInsights program brings together artists shaping the future of film and media.

Portrait of Oscar-winning sound mixer Willie D. Burton appearing at the 2026 LightReel Film Festival IndustryInsights series in Washington, DC.

Emmy-winning editor Stephanie Filo featured as a speaker at the 2026 LightReel Film Festival IndustryInsights program.

Filmmaker Kirk Fraser featured in conversation at the 2026 LightReel Film Festival in Washington, DC.

Black and white portrait of Angel N. Livas, CEO of ALIVE Podcast Network, at the Lightreel 7 Film Festival held on June 5-6, 2026, with a purple and gold graphic design background indicating her speaker role.

Oscar-winning sound mixer Russell Williams II featured at the 2026 LightReel Film Festival in Washington, DC.

Explore IndustryInsights

Films

LightReel 2026 showcases a dynamic lineup of narrative and documentary features, shorts, and emerging voices from across the diaspora.

Colorful collage promoting the 2026 LightReel Film Festival theme, “From the District to the Diaspora.”

Browse the Films

Festival Jury

The LightReel Festival Jury brings together respected voices from across film and media to recognize excellence in storytelling and craft.

Their work culminates in the selection of The Black Butterfly, LightReel’s highest honor, awarded to the films and creators that define this year’s festival.

Meet the Jury

LightReel Legacy / Special Screenings

Restored and landmark works connecting past and present.

Posters for the LightReel Legacy Series films Riverbend and Alma’s Rainbow screening at the 2026 festival.

Explore Special Screenings

Volunteer