Virginia Film Festival

Created in 1988 to meld the film industry with the intellectual resources of a research university, the Virginia Film Festival has grown into one of the Mid-Atlantic's leading regional festivals, drawing more than 20,000 attendances over five days each October. Run by UVA, it screens over 100 films across downtown Charlottesville venues and UVA Grounds, and is known not just for its programming but for the discussions that follow — often featuring UVA academics alongside filmmakers. The 2026 festival runs October 22–26.