Visit Knoxville Announces 2025 FILM FEST KNOX and Elev8or Pitch Details

KNOXVILLE, TN (June 3, 2025) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Visit Knoxville announces the third annual FILM FEST KNOX, to take place November 6–9, 2025 in partnership with REGAL and The Public Cinema. The Elev8or Pitch is a key component of FILM FEST KNOX. 

“We’re continuing to build on the success of the first two years of this festival,” said Kim Bumpas, President of Visit Knoxville. “MovieMaker Magazine recently announced that FILM FEST KNOX made their annual list of ‘50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee’– this is an incredible accolade from one of the top industry publications and speaks to thevision we have for this iconic event.” 

For 2025, the festival will have four days of film programming, including the Elev8or Pitch on Thursday night. Friday will have an opening night film, as well as other programming, followed by an opening night VIP party. In addition to a full slate of shorts and feature films, the weekend will include workshops and panels. Sunday will wrap up the festival with more films, awards, and a closing night party. Full festival passes and VIP passes will go on sale in August. 

“Year two of FILM FEST KNOX surpassed my expectations and was so much fun,” said Darren Hughes, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the festival. “The goal of our film program is to showcase and advocate for movies that are personal and ambitious and that have what we call a ‘sense of place.’ The setting might be a province in France, a gentrifying neighborhood in Miami, or a community here in East Tennessee, but the goal is the same: to share stories from places too seldom shown on screen. Regional filmmakers have taken notice. The program for year three is already coming together because folks want to be part of what we’re building here.” 

Carrying on a local tradition of team-based filmmaking competitions, the Elev8or Pitch Competition invites groups to complete a one-minute pitch for a feature film, along with an eight-minute proof-of-concept short. The top eight submissions (selected by an independent committee) then participate in a screening, live-pitch session, and Q&A with a jury of industry professionals who award three top prizes.

“The Elev8or Pitch presents an exciting opportunity for local and regional filmmakers to connect with industry professionals and take their stories from proof-of-concept shorts to full-length feature films,” said Curt Willis, Senior Director of the Visit Knoxville Film Office. “By providing both the Pitch event and a Development Lab for the selected projects, we’re creating a pathway to production and actively supporting the growth of feature filmmaking in Knox County.” 

“Our Elev8or Pitch and Short Film competition underscores FILM FEST KNOX’s commitment to our city’s film community, and the event has quickly become a highlight of the fest, said Paul Harrill, FILM FEST KNOX Co-Founder and Elev8or Development Lab Director. “We love how it puts a spotlight on the talented filmmakers living and working in Knoxville and gets their work in front of world-class industry professionals.” 

Registration for the Elev8or Pitch will open on Agile on June 9, 2025. REGISTER HERE AT FILMFESTKNOX.COM. The registration fee is $75 per team, which includes one full festival pass for the weekend.

FILM FEST KNOX provides space for local filmmakers to share their craft and passion with a large audience, and the Elev8or Pitch takes this a few steps further: 

• Filmmakers submit an 8-minute stand-alone short film as a proof-of-concept to establish a foundation for a full-length feature film’s potential production.
• In addition to their short film, each competitor submits a 60-second pitch to share their idea, as well as how and why they are ready to make it into a feature film.
• A jury of film industry professionals will evaluate all team submissions. 
• The top 20 teams will have their films screened in a block during FILM FEST KNOX. 
• The top 8 Elev8or finalists will be asked to give a live pitch on Thursday, November 6 following their short film’s screening in front of a live audience and a panel of industry professionals, preparing the judges to imagine the feature potential.
• The top three teams chosen as the winners of the Elev8or Pitch will be awarded cash prizes and participate in FILM FEST KNOX’s Elev8or Development Lab. The Lab offers workshops and opportunities for the winners to receive feedback from, and network with, established industry professionals.
• The 20 top short film projects submitted to the Elev8or Pitch will screen at FILM FEST KNOX and be eligible for additional awards. 

The deadline for registration is July 17, and the Kickoff Party for the Elev8or Pitch will be that evening at 5PM at Scruffy City Hall. All teams are recommended to attend. Specific requirements for the Elev8or Pitch submissions will be revealed at the Kickoff Party. 

More details on FILM FEST KNOX will continue to be provided in 2025 at FILMFESTKNOX.com. 

ABOUT REGAL 
Regal operates one of the largest and most geographically diverse theatre circuits in the United States, consisting of 5,565 screens in 409 theatres in 41 states along with the District of Columbia and Guam as of April 30, 2025. Regal is focused on delivering the best moviegoing experience by providing our guests with the largest selection of premium large formats (including 4DX, IMAX, RPX, and ScreenX), the only unlimited subscription program, and enhanced food and beverage offerings to make every visit to the theatre a truly memorable experience. Additional information is available online at REGmovies.com. 

ABOUT THE PUBLIC CINEMA 
The Public Cinema was created to share vital works of contemporary international and American cinema—works that might otherwise be unseen or overlooked by Knoxville audiences. Most of the films screened are discoveries from the festival circuit; many are Tennessee or regional premieres. Whatever is screened, the only agenda is to create a space for cinema as an art form and to promote discussion among discerning moviegoers. For more information visit publiccinema.org.

ABOUT THE VISIT KNOXVILLE FILM OFFICE 
The Visit Knoxville Film Office serves to strengthen Knoxville’s economy through the promotion of the city as a premiere filming location. By attracting motion media companies to Knoxville through the marketing of its locations, accommodations, services, crew, and talent, the Film Office fosters the creation of jobs in the area, stimulates business opportunities, and generates exposure. Knoxville has four times been named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker. For more information visit filmknoxvilletn.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter. 

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Kristen Combs
Director of Communications
Visit Knoxville
865.342.9127 o
865.306.4341 c
kcombs@knoxville.org