Houston Film Festivals: The Complete Annual Guide
Date Published
At a glance
- Festivals covered: 8 recurring annual film festivals confirmed active, February through November
- Tickets: Each festival sells passes or single-film tickets at its own website, FilmFreeway, or Eventive
- Best first pick: WorldFest-Houston (April/May) for indie film; Houston Cinema Arts Festival (October) for arts film
- Plan ahead: HCAF and WorldFest passes typically go on sale 4–8 weeks before the festival; buy early for opening nights
- Free options: Some festivals include free or low-cost screenings; check each festival’s site before attending
Houston has eight recurring annual film festivals, spread from February through November, ranging from the 59th WorldFest-Houston to a decade-old celebration of Latino cinema at MATCH. None require a press badge: every festival on this list sells public tickets or passes through its own website, and most offer single-film options if you don’t want a multi-day pass.
The quick list
- February — Indian Film Festival of Houston (Asia Society Texas Center, Museum District)
- March — Houston Jewish Film Festival (multiple venues including MFAH and ERJCC Meyerland)
- March — Houston Latino Film Festival (MATCH, Midtown)
- April/May — WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival (Cinemark Memorial City)
- May/June — Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival, HAAPIFEST (DoubleTree Westchase)
- August — Houston Horror Film Festival (Marriott Westchase)
- October — Houston Cinema Arts Festival (MFAH and venues across the city)
- November — Houston Greek Film Festival (MATCH, Midtown)
How we chose
We included only recurring annual festivals with confirmed active programming on an official website or official social media as of October 2026. We left out one-time or sporadic events, festivals without a verifiable web presence, and festivals where the most recent confirmed dates are more than two years old. Every festival below links to the site where we verified it.
February: Indian Film Festival of Houston
Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore Blvd, [Museum District](/areas/museum-district) · typically the last weekend of February
The Indian Film Festival of Houston is a two-day event at Asia Society Texas Center in the Museum District. The 2026 festival ran February 27–28 and paired film screenings and filmmaker Q&As with a live-music reception open to all ticketholders on Saturday evening. An entertainment-industry luncheon on Friday is by invitation.
The festival celebrates both mainstream Indian cinema and independent films, covering features and shorts. Tickets and schedule at iffhinc.org.
March: Houston Jewish Film Festival
Multiple venues including ERJCC and MFAH · typically mid-to-late March, running about two weeks
Now in its 22nd year, the Houston Jewish Film Festival spreads across multiple venues: the Kaplan Theatre at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center (5601 S Braeswood Blvd, Meyerland), the Lynn Wyatt Theater at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (1001 Bissonnet St), and the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Theater at Holocaust Museum Houston.
Films focus on Jewish and Israeli stories, with filmmaker talks alongside the screenings. The multi-venue format makes it easy to pair a film night with a visit to the Museum District. Tickets at erjcchouston.org/filmfest.
March: Houston Latino Film Festival
MATCH (Midtown Arts & Theater Center), 3400 Main St, [Midtown](/areas/midtown-houston) · typically mid-to-late March, five days
The Houston Latino Film Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2026 with the theme "¡Houston, Aquí Estamos!" — a declaration that fits a city where Latino culture shapes everything from food to architecture. The five-day festival screens 75-plus short and feature films from around the world at MATCH.
The festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on diversity in film exhibition and media arts education. Passes and the full schedule at houstonlatinofilmfestival.org.
April/May: WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival
Cinemark Memorial City, 310 Memorial City Way · typically late April through the first weekend of May
Here is the insider fact that surprises most film people when they hear it for the first time: WorldFest-Houston was where Steven Spielberg won his first film award. In 1969, when the festival was still based in Atlanta—it would not arrive in Houston until 1979—a 22-year-old Spielberg entered his short film Amblin’ and took home a Remi award. At the festival he met Sid Sheinberg, a vice president at Universal Pictures, who later signed him to a seven-year television contract. Spielberg’s production company has been Amblin Entertainment ever since. The festival also counts Ang Lee and director John Lee Hancock among early alumni.
The festival is now in its 59th year. The 2026 edition screened 35-plus features and 96-plus short films from 22 countries across 50 award categories at Cinemark Memorial City. A VIP pass includes master-class seminars and the opening-night reception; general audience passes cover screenings.
For what Houston looks like on film, see our movies filmed in Houston guide. Festival passes at worldfest.org.
May–June: HAAPIFEST (Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival)
DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Westchase, 10609 Westpark Dr, Westchase · typically late May through mid-June
Founded in 2004 by OCA Greater Houston and volunteer-run ever since, HAAPIFEST carries a community-first quality that distinguishes it from larger ticketed events. The 2026 festival ran May 29–June 14 and marked the 22nd annual edition. Programming covers documentaries, narrative features, and curated shorts on AAPI identity, diaspora, and resilience, alongside filmmaker meet-and-greets and industry panels.
Films screen both in person and online, so you can follow the festival from home if you miss a night in Westchase. Tickets and schedule at haapifest.org.
August: Houston Horror Film Festival
Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Dr, Westchase · typically the first weekend of August
If you think of film festivals as quiet repertory affairs, the Houston Horror Film Festival will reset that expectation. It screens 70-plus horror films across three days and runs 100-plus vendors, artists, and celebrity guests alongside the screenings — photo ops, autograph sessions, Q&A panels with industry professionals, and horror memorabilia. The 2027 dates are confirmed as August 6–8.
Children 12 and under get in free with a paid adult, and parking on site is free. Single-day and weekend passes at HoustonHorrorFilmFest.com.
October: Houston Cinema Arts Festival
MFAH, River Oaks Theatre, DeLUXE Theater, and venues across the city · typically the first two weeks of October
The Houston Cinema Arts Festival is the most culturally ambitious of the city’s film events and the one most worth planning a trip around. The 2026 edition (the 18th annual) ran October 1–11 across a network of venues including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, River Oaks Theatre, and DeLUXE Theater in the Theater District. Programming included 35-plus features, six short-film blocks, filmmaker conversations, workshops, live performances, and experimental cinema.
The unusual element is CineSpace: a competition run in partnership with NASA that challenges filmmakers worldwide to create films using actual NASA imagery and footage. Finalists screen at HCAF, putting science and cinema on the same stage. The festival is the only place in Houston where you might watch a documentary about the International Space Station and a Cannes competition film on the same day.
A deeper look at the festival is in our Houston Cinema Arts Festival guide. Passes at cinemahtx.org.
November: Houston Greek Film Festival
MATCH Theater, 3400 Main St, [Midtown](/areas/midtown-houston) · typically the third weekend of November
The Houston Greek Film Festival is the newest on this list, founded in 2018. It reached its 9th edition in 2026 (November 20–22) and is backed by the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs alongside local sponsors. Three days at MATCH Theater screen feature and short films from Greek and Cypriot filmmakers, with the Midtown location making it easy to add dinner at one of the nearby restaurants.
Film submissions go through FilmFreeway; public tickets and information at hgff.org.
How do you get passes to a Houston film festival?
Each festival sells tickets or passes directly through its own website, FilmFreeway, or the Eventive ticketing platform. Festival passes range from single-day access to multi-day packages that include opening-night receptions, master classes, and award galas. WorldFest, HCAF, and the Latino Film Festival all sell single-film tickets if you prefer not to commit to a full pass. Opening nights and closing galas typically sell out first. A practical rule: check each festival’s site four to eight weeks before it opens, which is when most passes go on sale.
For year-round outdoor screenings and rooftop cinema, see our outdoor movies and rooftop cinemas guide.
Save this: your Houston film festival calendar
- Check Houston festivals by month for the full calendar, including Reelabilities, Houston Islamic Film Fest, and other winter and spring events not in this guide.
- February: Indian Film Festival of Houston — the Saturday evening reception often sells quickly.
- March: Houston Jewish Film Festival and Houston Latino Film Festival overlap; plan your MFAH and MATCH weekends separately.
- April/May: WorldFest-Houston — buy passes early for Opening Night and the Awards Gala.
- May/June: HAAPIFEST — check online screening access if you can’t attend every in-person day.
- August: Houston Horror Film Festival — free parking, children 12-and-under free, plan for a full-day event.
- October: Houston Cinema Arts Festival — passes go on sale weeks in advance and sell out; buy as soon as the box office opens.
- November: Houston Greek Film Festival — three-day weekend at MATCH, easy to combine with Midtown dining.
Last verified: October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest film festival in Houston?
WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, in its 59th year in 2026, is one of the longest-running. The Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF), held each October, is the most wide-ranging, screening 35-plus features, shorts, experimental films, and live performances across multiple venues including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
When is WorldFest-Houston?
WorldFest-Houston typically runs from late April through the first weekend of May. The 59th edition ran April 24–May 3, 2026 at Cinemark Memorial City (310 Memorial City Way). Check worldfest.org for current-year dates.
When is the Houston Cinema Arts Festival?
The Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF) typically runs the first two weeks of October. The 18th annual edition ran October 1–11, 2026 at MFAH, River Oaks Theatre, DeLUXE Theater, and other Houston venues. Check cinemahtx.org for current-year passes and schedule.
Is there an Asian film festival in Houston?
Yes. HAAPIFEST, the Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival, runs annually from late May through mid-June at the DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Westchase. Founded in 2004 by OCA Greater Houston, the 2026 edition was its 22nd year. More at haapifest.org.
Does Houston have a Jewish film festival?
Yes. The Houston Jewish Film Festival runs annually for about two weeks in mid-to-late March, now in its 22nd year. Venues include the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Kaplan Theatre in Meyerland, the MFAH Lynn Wyatt Theater, and Holocaust Museum Houston. Details at erjcchouston.org/filmfest.
How do I buy tickets to a Houston film festival?
Most Houston film festivals sell tickets or passes at their official website, on FilmFreeway, or through the Eventive platform. Passes for WorldFest and HCAF typically go on sale four to eight weeks before the festival opens. Single-film tickets are available at most events if you prefer not to buy a full pass.