Notre Dame Student Film Festival

An annual launching pad for student filmmakers as they begin their careers in the film, television, and entertainment industries, the Notre Dame Student Film Festival (NDSFF) screens films made by undergraduate students during the past year as class projects in the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre. Founded by Ted Mandell in 1990, the festival has featured the first films of future award winners from the Sundance Film Festival to The Emmys®. Many NDSFF alumni are now writers, producers, editors, executives and career professionals at Netflix, Lionsgate, Dreamworks, Industrial Light & Magic, Disney, NBC Universal and numerous other companies.

Audience members attending the NDSFF are invited to vote for the Audience Choice Award, presented to the winning filmmaker(s) following the final screening. View past Audience Choice Award winning films here.

The Notre Dame Student Film Festival Archive lists all student films presented in the festival since its inception in 1990.

THE 38TH ANNUAL NOTRE DAME STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL
Tentative dates: January 29-31, 2027
Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m., Sunday at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for the Notre Dame Student Film Festival will be available online at the DPAC website, by phone at 574-631-2800, or in person at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center ticket office (M-F, 12:00 – 6:00 pm).

Many student films from past festivals have also been selected for national and international film festivals, including:

The Ismailzais - 2022 LA Documentary Short Film Festival (Best Sound/Music, Mar'22)
Saving Sister Cindy - 2022 New York City Short Film Festival, 2022 Student Los Angeles Film Awards (semi-finalist)
Foss - 2022 Angeles Doc Film Festival (Best Student Documentary, Feb '22)
Tape Wizard - 2020 Bolton International Film Festival, 2020 Portland Film Festival
Sandbranch - 2020 International Social Change Film Festival
Shelter Me - 2019 Arizona International Film Festival (Best Documentary Short), 2019 USA Film Festival (Jury Award, International Short Film Competition), 2019 Atlanta ShortsFest Film Festival (Best Short Documentary)
Emma. - 2019 NYC Short Documentary Film Festival (Best Director), 2019 Harvard College Film Festival, 2019 Ivy Film Festival, 2019 Oregon Documentary Film Festival
Breaking the Cycle - 2018 New York City Short Film Festival (Best Documentary Short), 2018 USA Film Festival (First Place Non-Fiction short film), 2018 Ivy Film Festival (Best U.S. Undergraduate Documentary) (View Breaking the Cycle)
Respectfully, Tony - 2017 Nevada City Film Festival
Debajo de los árboles (Beneath the Trees) - 2018 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
Peace at the Pipeline - 2017 San Pedro International Film Festival, 2017 Riverside International Film Festival
patrolling sandy hook - 2016 USA Film Festival (Winner, Special Jury Award), 2016 DocuWest International Film Festival (Winner, Women Who Doc Award)
Spark of Madness - 2016 Naperville Independent Film Festival (Best Student Film Nominee)
Eat. Ride. Sleep. - 2015 DocuWest International Film Festival, 2015 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Nominee (View Eat. Ride. Sleep.)
Curry & Erin - 2015 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (Special Jury Prize, Collegiate Documentary)
The Suicide Disease - 2014 Sunset International Film Festival (Winner, Best Short Documentary)
The Last Free Place - 2014 Anchorage International Film Festival
Project Hopeful - 2012 Re:Image Film Festival (Winner, Best Picture, Collegiate Category)
King of the Park - 2012 CineYouth Film Fest (Winner, Best Comedy, Senior Division)
The Elect - 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival, 2012 Dallas International Film Festival (View The Elect)
Picking Up America - 2011 Ivy Film Festival (Winner, Social Change Award)