Continuing traditions born in the heart of historic Rome, Ga., the 22nd Rome International Film Festival (RIFF) is set for Nov. 5 – 9, 2025, featuring a curated lineup of film premieres, thought-provoking discussions and celebrity appearances.
The open filmmaker call for entries has a final deadline of Aug. 17. To date, more than 485 film submissions were received from around the globe.
Attendee early day passes remain available leading up to the festival (see below for pricing details). RIFF is a celebration of cinema, culture and storytelling, now expanding into a year-round series of community-centered, near-monthly events counting down to the big weekend in November.
“The 2025 Rome International Film Festival is already coming together with an exciting and dynamic lineup, with full details to be announced in September,” said RIFF Creative Director Seth Ingram. “We’re thrilled to welcome back Tim Blake Nelson, who will return to present the 2025 Flannery O’Connor Award for Storytelling to this year’s honoree—soon to be revealed.
“Past recipients of this award include Billy Bob Thornton, Ethan and Maya Hawke, and Nelson himself,” added Ingram. “This year’s program features an incredible slate of films, engaging panels, and unforgettable networking events, solidifying RIFF’s reputation as one of the South’s premier film festivals.”
Partners for RIFF 2025 include the Rome Symphony Orchestra, the oldest in the South, Georgia Power’s Northwest Region, The Rome Area Council for The Arts, The Flannery O’Connor Foundation, The DeSoto Theatre and many others still to be announced.
“We believe in the power of our partnerships,” said Leanne Cook, Executive Director of the Festival. “For us, the Festival must be a driver of relationships between business and non-profit to support the arts in our region because we know a thriving arts community is directly related to economic growth.
“Our entire reason for being is to support the film industry in Georgia and this country, and to give back to our local area, enriching the culture and the pocketbooks of hometown businesses through tourism and support of the event economy,” Cook added.
As part of the year-round series, the RIFF team hosted a sold-out screening of “The Big Lebowski” on July 26, with several attendees donning costumes of their favorite characters including “The Dude” and his bowling team friends. The lineup through 2025 includes film events with both free (RSVP requested) or purchased tickets options via RIFF2025.eventive.org/schedule (please view website for pricing and registration details):
- “Free Halloween Fun: The Great Pumpkin” the famous CBS children’s special featuring the animated characters of “Peanuts” at DeSoto Theatre Oct. 31 at 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.
- Scary Halloween feature with “Scream” (1996) on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m.
- “The Sound of Music” as part of Toles, Temple & Wright Family Fun Films series at DeSoto Theatre Dec. 28 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
RIFF is well-known for showcasing breakthrough artists, from local Georgians to international filmmakers, including Burt Reynolds, Ethan Hawke, Danielle Deadwyler, Tim Blake Nelson and Billy Bob Thorton.
Filmmakers interested in entering their work in RIFF should follow the guidelines via FilmFreeway at the RIFF page, FilmFreeway.com/RIFF. The extended deadline is Aug. 17. RIFF enjoys five-star reviews for strong quality, value, communications, hospitality, networking and overall as rated by 60 past participating filmmakers.
Presentation and award categories include narrative feature, narrative short, international (non-USA, non-Canada) short, Latin, documentary feature, animated, and “horror-messed up-after-dark-schlock-something completely different.” The festival team also presents the Shay Bentley Griffin Award for best acting performance, and special jury awards. In 2025, RIFF will continue traditions established in 2023 by presenting the Flannery O’Connor Award for storytelling.
“This festival … in this town … amazing! The people in Rome, Georgia, are why we make films,” said Ethan Hawke during his live Q&A during the 2023 Rome International Film Festival when Hawke and his daughter Maya shared the O’Connor Award honors for the Georgia author-centric film “Wildcat.”
RIFF includes several anticipated filmed-in-Georgia premieres presented at The Historic DeSoto Theatre, with legacy screenings to be announced. Panels include themes such as Latin Filmmakers, podcast production, documentary planning and production, and presentations from renowned actors and industry figures. The festival also includes live music performances in Downtown Rome and nearby neighborhoods. Day passes ranging from $65 to $140, and weekend passes from $125 to $250, are now available at RIFFGA.com, offering different ticket options to suit every film lover’s festival experience. Stay up to date with the latest announcements and event details and join RIFF in celebrating the magic of storytelling at the 22nd Rome International Film Festival.
