SouthSide Film Festival

SouthSide Film Festival
LocationBethlehem, Pennsylvania
Founded2003 (2003)
Founded byJeff Vaclavik, Graham Stanford, Sally Handlon, Rob Dougherty
Festival dateJune
WebsiteOfficial website

The SouthSide Film Festival is an annual non-competitive, not-for-profit film festival that takes place each June in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.[1] The festival features locally produced as well as international films, guest filmmakers, juried selections, and seminars for filmmakers and fans.[1] The first festival took place in 2004.[2]

The "SouthSide" refers to the area of the city on the south side of the Lehigh River which was home to Bethlehem Steel and underwent redevelopment in the early 2000s.[3][4]

History

From its inception through 2021, the festival had screened close to 1,600 independent films from 102 countries and 47 states of the U.S.[5] The festival focuses on independent filmmaking and features Invitational Films and Juried Selections,[1] a highlighted genre, and a highlighted cultural region. The annual festival also includes filmmaking workshops to teach techniques and concepts. Teachers have included Mel Halbach and Clayton Farr of FilmTreks,[6] Shanti Thakur of Hofstra University, and Pawel Partyka of Se-ma-for animation studio.

Film screenings take place on the campus of Lehigh University,[7] in alternative venues such as Godfrey Daniels Listening Club and Deja Brew Coffeehouse,[8][9] in Touchstone Theatre, the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, PBS39, Frank Banko Alehouse Cinema, and the National Museum of Industrial History.[1][7][9]

At the 2025 festival, more than 80 independent films were shown in three different locations around Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.[10]

The 2026 festival, from June 10-13, will mark the festival's 22nd year.[9][1][7]

It is the longest running film festival in Bethlehem.[11][1]

The festival's logo pays homage to that industrial heritage by including a representation of a blast furnace, still highly visible in Bethlehem.[12]

Recognition

The SouthSide Film Festival and its host organization, The SouthSide Film Institute, have received grants and awards including a Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission Organization of the Year award [13] which noted "By providing access to independent films for the public, creating a venue for film enthusiasts and filmmakers to come together, and mounting a children's film series, (the SouthSide Film Festival is) developing an appreciation for film as an art form and contributing to a thriving arts scene in Bethlehem that benefits the Lehigh Valley." The festival awards The Linny and Beall Fowler Audience Award that honors the audience’s favorite film.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "SouthSide Film Festival". Discover Lehigh Valley. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  2. ^ "SouthSide Film Festival". The Morning Call. 2004-06-26. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  3. ^ Interactive, Ripple Effects. "Rebuilding Bethlehem with Bethlehem Steel : Historical Society of Pennsylvania". www.hsp.org. Archived from the original on 2011-03-29. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  4. ^ "Bethlehem, Pa., Gambles on Steel Mill Casino Plan". NPR.org.
  5. ^ a b Reimer, Megan (2022-03-31). "SouthSide Film Institute and Festival". The Brown and White. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  6. ^ "SouthSide Film Festival has grown but is still proudly grass-roots". The Morning Call. 2013-06-05. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  7. ^ a b c Hood, Micaela (2025-06-08). "Southside Film Fest highlights local works, LGBTQ films, Latinos, skateboarding". LehighValleyNews.com. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  8. ^ "SouthSide Film Festival". Fig Lehigh Valley. 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  9. ^ a b c "Still Indie After All These Years: SouthSide Film Festival Turns 21". Lehigh Valley with Love. June 5, 2025. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  10. ^ "Annual Southside Bethlehem film festival showcasing 80 indie films for 21st year". WFMZ-TV. June 10, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  11. ^ "Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Pride month: A-listers appear in films at Southside Film Festival". LehighValleyNews.com. 2023-06-11. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
  12. ^ Deegan, Jim (2024-06-29). "Iconic Bethlehem blast furnaces at SteelStacks go dark. But why?". LehighValleyNews.com. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  13. ^ "Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission - Tribute to the Arts". Archived from the original on 2008-08-01. Retrieved 2008-08-27.

40°36′42″N 75°22′39″W / 40.6117°N 75.3776°W / 40.6117; -75.3776

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