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Presented by Visit Knoxville and Regal

A Sense of Place …

“As smaller festivals feel the squeeze from clout-chasing funders and boards, the decline of local journalism, and the numbing allure of algorithmically surfaced streaming content, the question becomes whether there’s still much will, domestically, to maintain the kind of infrastructure from which the next The Damned or Eephus, or the next Wanda or Northern Lights, might emerge—or through which it might connect with an audience eager to see their own quirks and concerns reflected on screen. Film Fest Knox is one attempt to answer in the affirmative; let’s hope there are more where that came from.” — Film Comment

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The Latest

Collage of the five films in the lineup of the American Regional Cinema competition

American Regional Cinema Lineup and Competition Juries Announced

September 29, 2026
Five films will compete for cash prizes and an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run, courtesy of Regal.

Opening Night Film and Made in Tennessee Competition Announced

September 9, 2026

Mouse, by Kelly O'Sullivan and Alex Thompson, will open the fest. 18 Tennessee films will compete for prizes.

The Best Years of Our Lives

The Best Years of Our Lives

Dir. by William Wyler
One of the most acclaimed films of all time, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of its theatrical release.

September 23, 2026

Film Fest Knox to Honor Tim Blake Nelson, Passes on Sale

August 18, 2026

Nelson will receive the James Agee Prize for his outstanding contributions to American regional cinema.

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