The 2026 festival is in the books — thank you, Sumter. Submissions for the 2027 Swan Lake Film Festival are now open on FilmFreeway, and the festival returns — tentatively September 10–12, 2027 — with genre-block programming, a Sunday-evening awards ceremony, and a real red carpet. All genres welcome.
Three days at the Sumter Little Theatre, a full house of filmmakers, the inaugural Swan Lake Sentinel Award, and a Sunday of Swan Awards. The whole weekend — honors, winners, and photos — lives on one page.
Present the festival, name a genre block or an award, sponsor the red carpet or the Sentinel Award. Every package puts you on screen before every film, on the step-and-repeat, and in front of a full Sumter house — tentatively September 10–12, 2027.
Sponsor 2027 →The Swan Lake Sentinel Award honors courage, service, and community in remembrance of September 11th. The Visionary Awards honor independent creatives with a real point of view. Both are chosen from your nominations.
Submit a nomination →The Swan Lake Film Festival is a three-day independent film festival in Sumter, South Carolina, hosted at the Sumter Little Theatre — a working community theatre with 85+ years of history. A portion of festival proceeds supports SLT.
Nestled near the iconic Swan Lake Iris Gardens, our festival draws inspiration from grace, artistry, and bold storytelling — embodied by our festival mascot, Sterling the Swan, the symbol of elegance, courage, and creative flight.
In remembrance of September 11th, the festival presents the Swan Lake Sentinel Award — an honorary award recognizing courage, service, and the enduring spirit of community. Mark A. Williams was its inaugural recipient in 2026.
Read the full story →In 2027 the program is built by genre, not by slot. Horror, comedy, faith & family, music video, documentary — each gets its own block, with short-film blocks and feature blocks programmed separately so every film plays to the audience that came for it. Example: a Horror Block on Saturday afternoon. The real schedule drops next year.
The Swan Awards move to Sunday evening, after the final screening — a real awards night with nominees on screen, winners in envelopes, framed certificates, and an actual red carpet out front.
One submission, many categories — Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and more — plus the Swan Lake Sentinel Award, the Visionary Awards, and the opening-night Hometown Showdown.
We've simplified the submission process. Enter the Feature Film category and you're automatically considered for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and more — no need to pay for multiple categories.
We welcome films from around the world across all genres — drama, comedy, thriller, horror, sci-fi, animation, documentary, music video, faith-based, and Southern storytelling. First-time filmmaker or seasoned pro — SLFF is for you.
No pretense about Sumter being something it's not. This is a working community-theatre house in a real Southern town, and the festival is built around what filmmakers actually need: a fair shot, an honest room, and a real audience.
Submit once and you're considered for every relevant Swan Award — Director, Actor, Cinematography, and more.
Every screening block makes room for filmmaker Q&A. The Sumter Little Theatre house keeps everyone in the same room.
A portion of every fee and ticket goes to the Sumter Little Theatre. Your submission supports a real arts community.
Selected youth-led short films from the Moonless Arts Institute Youth Short Film Challenge will screen at SLFF — an honored showcase for the next generation of storytellers.
Visit Moonless Arts Institute →