THE TEAM IS READY AND SHARED WITH US THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM THE OPENING NIGHT IN HOUSTON

Dear friends: we're ready to strut down the red carpet with our wonderful opening night films! You'll see everything from blue jeans to ball gowns at this fiercely independent opening night event. Catch Beautiful Lure (Japan) or Narco Sub (USA) and join us for a champagne toast at the Westin Memorial City immediately following the 7pm screenings at Cinemark Memorial City.  See you at the movies!

- Team WorldFest

SCREENINGS & EVENT LOCATIONS

Cinemark Memorial City, 310 Memorial City Way

TICKET OPTIONS

Screenings start at $7.50. Opening night is $20. Festival Passes at $200.

54nd ANNUAL WORLDFEST-HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

• Dates: Thursday, April 22nd through Sunday, April 25, 2021
• Location: Screenings at Cinemark Memorial City, 310 Memorial City Way

Check out our Program Book and Schedule!

WORLDFEST- HOUSTON 2021 April 22, 2021

Welcome to WorldFest!

As we emerge from the shadows of last year, we celebrate the 54th year of our film festival and reflect on the many lessons at hand realizing that our mission of spotlighting emerging cinematic talent is as important as ever.
In this year of introspection, isolation and social unrest, these films and the stories they tell connect us globally and offer understanding. From our humble beginnings in Atlanta in 1961 as an International Film Society and growing to make Houston our eventual home, we believe that the mantra of “A good story, well told” continues to serve us and the independent filmmaker very well.

WorldFest-Houston is highly respected around the word for its dedication to honor that mantra and to maintain our “Fierce Independence…!” This particular year, WorldFest presents an abbreviated program yet still an exciting cornucopia of cinematic projects. These films entertain, enlighten and educate discriminating audiences. We feel this year is one of our very best!

Our dedicated staff and volunteers have labored many long hours to produce WorldFest 54 for you. Film festivals mean many different things to people. A festival is discovery, it is growth, it is excitement, it is opportunity. We meet filmmakers from all over the world, as they share their remarkable & amazing cinematic stories. Some of their efforts reach us on a very profound level, some entertain us, some challenge us and some thrill or chill us to the bone. While some of our discoveries will go on to great success and acclaim, others may only live on in our collective memories.

So now, we glimpse for a brief, bright moment the rare and wonderful cinematic creations that are ours to enjoy. Cherish these special stories and unique moments in time. We have labored earnestly to bring you this delightful offering of cinematic stories.

Please, enjoy the show…!

Warmest regards

Hunter Todd Director & Founder
Kathleen Haney Program Director

Dear Film Fans! 

Opening night was a delightful blur of ballgowns, flashing lights and dazzling debuts from Covid-cocoons. NARCO SUB (USA) fans were glowing with Director Shawn Welling, Producer Derek Potts and Actor Tom Vera in attendance. NARCO SUB was presented a Special Jury Remi Award for Action Adventure.  

BEAUTIFUL LURE (Japan) opened our special focus on emerging Asian Cinema Panorama Asia directed by Hiroshi Akabane. Not only did this beautiful film win a Special Jury Remi Award for Dramatic Features but was also presented with two other awards - Best Actress (Panorama Asia) was awarded to Nao Hasegawa and won Russian American Magazine's Best International Feature.

Day Two has an amazing selection of films from all over the world! What will you watch this evening?  Be sure to reserve your seat through Cinemark online for tickets or by phone or in person for passes! 

See you at the movies!

- Team WorldFest

SHORTS! SHORTS! SHORTS!

Today we have a dazzling array of short subject films debuting on the silver screen with attending directors for each block. At WorldFest, we love our short film directors because so many amazing directors get their start with a brilliant short film. Come support these amazing filmmakers as they share their dreams with us!

See you at the movies! 

Highlights for Day Three!

Day three of WorldFest-Houston with friends flying in from all over! We have a wonderful selection of incredible indie films from such far away lands as Bulgaria (SHIBIL), Canada (BONE CAGE), Columbia/Mexico/USA  (OKLAHOMA  MON AMOUR), Germany (IT's GONNA  BE FINE), Japan (PEGASUS),  Macao (PATIO OF ILLUSION) and Mexico (LUCINDA URRUSTI. PAINTER). Join us for a marvelous slate of award-winning films tonight and all day tomorrow!

SPECIAL POP UP SCREENING of Special Jury Remi Award Winning film I'VE GOT YOUR 6 by Director Bill Foster at 5pm today in theater 12!  Don't miss this beautiful story with cast and crew! 

We'll see you at the movies!  

-TEAM WORLDFEST

WorldFest-Houston 

FINAL SHORTS

Our final slate of shorts includes another wonderful round of dramas, travel shorts to help us dream of future post-covid vacations to come,  sci-fi shorts to dream of different realities and horror shorts so we can master our fear! 

Enjoy these cinematic samplings and we'll see you at the movies! 

-TEAM WORLDFEST

Closing day of our WorldFest Mini-Fest! This whirlwind of cinematic excellence continues through the 9'o clock hour. We have our fearless filmmakers out on Galveston Bay sailing away in our Annual Consular Corps Regatta in partnership with the Houston Yacht Club. WorldFest is the only film festival in the world with its own sailboat race! 

If you're not on the water, come join us for our amazing round of feature films to close out this unique year. 

We'll see you at the movies!  

-TEAM WORLDFEST

1618

Showing: Friday, 4/23 at 7:10 pm

This film is based on a true story: the visitation of the Inquisition to the city of Porto in 1618. At the time the entire population was exhorted to denounce heresies under pain of excommunication. In a city where a large part of the population had Jewish ancestry, over one hundred New Christians, among others, were imprisoned, causing terror in the New Christian community, mass emigration and the near total destruction of the city’s economy. Friction between Porto’s judicial authorities, which had always been on good terms with the New Christians, and the inquisitorial visitation reached such a point that guards on horseback surrounded the ecclesiastical court, preventing the “heretics” in custody from being transported to Coimbra. The Visitor even travelled to Spain to give Philip II an account of the events transpired.

OFFFICIAL CLOSING NIGHT FILM

Young Pleun Nijhuis's convincing and mature performance in "Hidden in the Spotlight" showed much potential and earned her the Remi award for BEST RISING STAR FEMALE at WorldFest 54!

Young Erik Gyarmati's playful performance in "Cream (HAB)" was well beyond his years and earned him the Remi award for BEST RISING STAR MALE at WorldFest 54!

The passionated performance of the late Mary Pat Gleason in "Saving Paradise" captivated us and earned her the well deserved posthumous Remi award for BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS at WorldFest 54.

Asivak Koostachin's magical performance in "Run Woman Run" embodying the spirit of legendary marathoner Tom Longboat earned him the Remi award for BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR at WorldFest 54!

Kit Thompson's charming performance in "Belle Douleur. " was easy to fall in love with and earned him the Remi award for BEST ACTOR (Panorama Asia) at WorldFest 54!

Nao Hasegawa's enchanting performance in "Beautiful Lure" lured us into the story and earned her the Remi award for BEST ACTRESS (Panorama Asia) at WorldFest 54!

Florencia Lozano's touching performance in "Life After You Movie " took us along on an emotional journey and earned her the Remi award for BEST ACTRESS at WorldFest 54!

Greg Finley's incredible performance in "Downeast" kept us on our toes and earned him the Remi award for BEST ACTOR at WorldFest 54!

The Houston International Film Festival is the third oldest film festival in North America, started in 1961, right after New York and San Francisco.

It is the oldest Independent film festival in the world and we are fiercely independent!

We value a “Good Story, Well Told” and want to share what we find with Houston.

Our mission is to recognize and honor outstanding creative excellence in film, to validate brilliant abilities, to promote cultural tourism for Houston, to educate young people in the cinematic arts, to develop film production in the region and to add to the rich cultural fabric of the city of Houston.

Join us for our four day mini-fest in April as we explore the endless possibilities of cinematic excellence. We bring the world to the silver screen in the most  diverse city in America. 

Check the program book!

The teams of Zero Gravity and Finding Manny attended the screenings and received their REMI AWARDS (respectively Gold and Platinum)
Proud of our BEST FOR FESTS

The team of finding Manny honored in Houston with The WorldFest - Houston Platinum Remi Award Hunter Todd (Festival founder) with Cindy Drukier and Jan Jekielek (producers)

WorldFest-Houston Remi Awards

WorldFest’s mission is to recognize and honor outstanding creative excellence in film & video, validate brilliant abilities and promote future filmmaking in Texas as well as enhance cultural tourism for Houston.

There were more than 4,500 category entries in all film and video categories; only 12-15% of submitted entries placed for WorldFest Remi awards. The WorldFest Remi Award is named for the brilliant artist, Frederic Remington, who captured the Spirit of Texas and the West with his remarkable paintings and sculptures.

BEST ACTRESS / Panorama Asia ~ NAO HASEGAWA

Your film at the 55th WorldFest-Houston!

April 27 – May 1, 2022 Event Date

The 55th Annual WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival is now officially open for entries! WorldFest offers competition for Shorts, Documentaries, Feature Films, Music Videos, Experimental & Student Films on the Silver Screens of the wonderful Memorial City Cinemark Theatres, with international filmmakers attending the 5-day International Film Festival! EarlyBird Discount Deadline is Nov 15th!

WorldFest Houston's blog I Website: http://www.worldfest.org I Submit I Facebook I Twitter I Contact Hunter Todd

Enter the festival that gave first honors to Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Ang Lee, the Coen Brothers, Randal Kleiser, Oliver Stone, Ridley Scott, Robert Rodriguez, David Lynch, John Sayles, Robert Townsend, Deepa Mehta, Agnieszka Holland, John Frankenheimer, Robert Rodriguez, Richard Linklater, Jonathan Demme, John Boorman, Martin Brest, Lesli Linka Glatter, Hal Hartley, Will Vinton, Hugh Wilson, Michael Cimino, Gavin Hood, David Winning and John Lee Hancock!

This is America’s Discovery Film Festival – We’re Fiercely Independent!

Competition in 10 major categories with 200 sub-categories to ensure you are judged with your peers for the chance to win a coveted Remi Award!

Five great days in April, at the beautiful Memorial City Cinemark Theatres. Here’s a taste of what WorldFest-Houston has waiting for you: see your film on the big screen; network with filmmakers from more than 50 countries; enjoy the Festival Club every night at our headquarters hotel, the Memorial City Westin/Marriott, parties at the VIP Hotel Zaza, walk the Red Carpet; attend more than 100 new film Premieres; relax at the VIP Police Escort Tour of NASA & Rocket Park; enjoy the Houston Yacht Club/Consular Regatta with Texas BBQ, Beer & Wine! Covid has forced us to present a shorter festival, and we expect limited seating restrictions in April. However, we did enjoy welcoming more than 100 Intl Filmmakers attending last year!

See the largest survey in North America of New Asian independent & major studio films from Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Mongolia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, with Asian Filmmakers attending our remarkable 8th Annual Panorama Asia, the largest Major Spotlight on Asian & Chinese Cinema in the film festival world!

Enjoy great new films from Italy in our 17th Annual Panorama Italia, with the Italian Directors in person to intro the film and meet the audience! 

All at the 55th WorldFest-Houston Intl Film Festival, April  20-24th, 2022.

Enter Here Today.​

This could be your film at the 55th WorldFest-Houston!

The 55th Annual WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival is now officially open for entries! WorldFest offers competition for Shorts, Documentaries, Feature Films, Music Videos, Experimental & Student Films on the Silver Screens of the wonderful Memorial City Cinemark Theatres, with over 1,000 international filmmakers attending the 5-day International Film Festival!

EarlyBird Discount Deadline is Nov 15th!

Enter the festival that gave first honors to Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Ang Lee, the Coen Brothers, Randal Kleiser, Oliver Stone, Ridley Scott, Robert Rodriguez, David Lynch, John Sayles, Robert Townsend, Deepa Mehta, Agnieszka Holland, John Frankenheimer, Robert Rodriguez, Richard Linklater, Jonathan Demme, John Boorman, Martin Brest, Lesli Linka Glatter, Hal Hartley, Will Vinton, Hugh Wilson, Michael Cimino, Gavin Hood, David Winning and John Lee Hancock!

This is America’s Discovery Film Festival – We’re Fiercely Independent!

Competition in 10 major categories with 200 sub-categories to ensure you are judged with your peers for the chance to win a coveted Remi Award!

Five great days in April, at the beautiful Memorial City Cinemark Theatres. Here’s a taste of what WorldFest-Houston has waiting for you: see your film on a big screen; network with filmmakers from more than 70 countries; enjoy the Festival Club every night at our headquarters hotel, the Memorial City Westin/Marriott, parties at the VIP Hotel Zaza, walk the Red Carpet; attend more than 200 new film Premieres; learn at the 6 Master Classes on filmmaking, from Drone Photography to using Free NASA stock footage; relax at the VIP Police Escort Tour of NASA & Rocket Park; enjoy the Houston Yacht Club/Consular Regatta with Texas BBQ, Beer & Wine! 

See the largest survey in North America of New Asian independent & major studio films from Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Mongolia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, with over 200 Asian Filmmakers attending our remarkable 8th Annual Panorama Asia, the largest Major Spotlight on Asian & Chinese Cinema in the film festival world!

Enjoy great new films from Italy in our 17th Annual Panorama Italia, with the Italian Directors in person to intro the film and meet the audience! 

All at the 55th WorldFest-Houston Intl Film Festival, April 20-24, 2022.

The MAIN ENTRY DEADLINE is DECEMBER 15, 2021!

Enter Here Today.​

Wonderful WorldFest New Years Wishes for 2022!

Happiest of New Years!

We wish you a Very Bountiful 2022 New Year!

​​​​​​​Just a final reminder from the 55th Annual WorldFest-Houston that our Final Entry Deadline is Saturday, Midnight, January 15th. The 'evil' Late Fee is Waived as a very special courtesy! Be part of the Wonderful WorldFest, the festival that gave First Honors to Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, David Lynch, the Coen Brothers, John Lee Hancock, Oliver Stone, Randal Kleiser and hundreds more! We offer International Competition in 10 major categories, not just 2~ Plus more than 200 Sub-Categories. WorldFest is the Premiere Platform for Independent Productions, and Emerging Filmmakers. WorldFest creates exceptional alliances and working relationships between emerging artists and the Film & Media Industry. Our  Master Classes touch on every aspect of filmmaking, our Festival Club brings you together with filmmakers, writers, producers and distributors from more than 75 Countries. More than 100 Premieres of Short and Feature Films, our new Panorama Asia (A major survey of Asian film Production) and the VIP Tour of NASA, the Consular Regatta at the Houston Yacht Club and networking with more than 600 attending International Filmmakers! Our special thanks to the great filmmakers from 64 nations that have already entered!

Opening Night is one week away for WorldFest55 (April 20 - 24, 2022) at Cinemark Memorial City! Do you have your look for the red carpet? We'll have Andy Wright and the Bayou City Band playing you in with their showtunes from 6 - 7 p.m. 

Later around 7 enjoy IF I COULD RIDE (tickets here!) and DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW 2 as our official festival opening films. 

Immediately following the films, join us at the Westin Memorial City for a champagne toast around 9pm. Keep your VIP pass or Champagne Reception ticket for a complimentary glass of bubbly!

Check the Schedule and program book for more information.

See you at the movies!

- Team WorldFest

Poster art by Lopez Negrette.

Bruno Chatelin proud member of the Advisory Board.

THE HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ADVISORY BOARD: Lee Majors, Bob Boudreaux, Bruno Chatelin, Joanne King Herring, Dr. Ralph Dittman, JD Feigelson, Derrick Doba, Leigh Murray, Alex López Negrete.

Disover this year catalog  in digital form.

HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL STAFF: J. Hunter Todd, Chairman and Founder; Kathleen Haney, Artistic & Program Director; Elease Jenkins, Director of Educational Development; Mary Malloy, Entry Director; Katy Lea Todd, Features & Shorts Programming Director; Henry Segal, Print Control & Database Research; Registrar, Database Research; Jiordette Dupont, Database Research; Duyên Nguyen (Catherine), Graphics Design & YouTube Channel Creator; Brian Matthews & Arvi Ragunathan, Website Consultants; Paul D. Verberne & Jenny Maldonado, Special Counsel.

WorldFest International Jury Members: Adrienn Palme, Switzerland; Brian Matthews. USA; Austin Bryant, USA; John Dean, USA; John Thomas, USA; Katy Lea Todd, USA; Sean Cannon, USA; Steve Warren, South Eastern Film Critics Assn. & Atlanta Film Critics Circle, USA; Wilhelm Mevis, USA, Michael Zargarov, China.

FILM FESTIVAL INTERNS: Henry Segal, Kincaid School, Maya Diaz.

FILM FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS: Catherine Nguyen, Tammy Diaz, Maya Diaz, Rose Johnson, Chloe Johnson, Mike Weingarten.

Dear Film Aficionados! 

We're ready to strut down the red carpet with our wonderful opening night films! You'll see everything from blue jeans to ball gowns at this fiercely independent opening night event. Catch  If I Could Ride and Dark Night of The Scarecrow at Cinemark Memorial City and join us for a champagne toast at the Westin Memorial City immediately following the 7pm screenings. 

See you at the movies!

- Team WorldFest

SCREENINGS & EVENT LOCATIONS

Cinemark Memorial City, 310 Memorial City Way

TICKET OPTIONS

Screenings start at $7.50. Opening night is $20. Festival Passes at $100.

55th ANNUAL WORLDFEST-HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

•  
  • Dates: Wednesday, April 20th through Sunday, April 24, 2021
  • Location: Screenings at Cinemark Memorial City, 310 Memorial City Way