DC Shorts International Film Festival 2023 Returns For 20th Year

WASHINGTON, DC — Film lovers in the DMV will be in heaven starting on Wednesday. That's when the DC Shorts International Film Festival 2023 gets underway at several locations around the District.

Returning for its 20th year, the festival will screen 139 films from 20 countries, including a DC Shorts record-breaking 16 world-premiere films. The festival will also highlight the work of 55 female directors, which is more than in any previous year.

"One of my goals whenever I've produced any film event in the DMV area, is to always put on display for the new audience how great our location is for making movies," festival programing director Joe Carabao told Patch.

Carabao, who is a filmmaker and photographer from Fairfax, Virginia, wanted to show other directors that they don't need to leave the DMV to make the kind of movies they want to make.

"We have everything we really need already here for us and can be more captivating than something produced in Hollywood or with a Hollywood mentality," he said.

About 1,000 films were submitted for consideration to be included in this year's DC Shorts festival. The way Carabao described it, he and the team spent "an ungodly amount of hours absorbing films," before they could begin the heartbreaking task of whittling down the submissions to the final 139.

Starting on Wednesday and running through Sunday, film lovers can view the fruits of the programming team's labors at the following venues:

• Cafritz Hall, 1529 16th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20036
• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema DC, 630 Rhode Island Ave. N.E., Washington, DC 20002

Film fans can also check out all of the festival films online grouped in showcases like "The Truths," "Clash International, and "The Future Is Young."

Beyond just watching films, festival goes can also attend panels with filmmakers Capella Fahoome and Richmond-native Calvin "Jai" Jamison Jr. or party at Metrobar DC located at 640 Rhode Island Ave. N.E., in Washington, D.C.

Fahoome will also deliver a keynote address at Sunday night's awards ceremony hosted by comedian Walker Hays.

"We have eight awards to given out that night and an audience choice that will be revealed from the ongoing voting happening at the festival," Carabao said.

Awards will be handed out from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the big room at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema DC.

"The audience can experience almost every single genre of filmmaking possible during our jam-packed, five-day film festival," Carabao said. "from action, animation, comedy, crime, drama, documentary, LGBTQ, sci-fi, horror, and thrillers, there is something for everyone that loves cinema."

Information about showtimes, venues, tickets, and how to watch the films online can be found at DC Shorts International Film Festival 2023.