Opening night. Doors 5:30 PM.

• 5:30 PM
  Doors OpenRed carpet, check-in & lobby mixer. Festival passes activated, programs handed out.
• 6:00 PM
  Welcome & Opening RemarksFestival Director & recognition of invited guests.
• 6:15 PM
  Trophy Presentation — Mark Williams, MAWilliams FilmsPresented by S.C. Speaker of the House Murrell Smith · Sponsored by Jones Chevrolet. Honoring service, artistry, and the veterans-in-film mission.
• 6:45 PM
  The Understudy — Hometown Showdown Block 1A short film by Mark Williams / MAWilliams Films — screening + Q&A.
• 7:15 PM
  A Champion’s Heart — Hometown Showdown Block 2A short film by Wayne D. Burdette Jr. / Moonless Media & Entertainment — screening + Q&A.
• 7:45 PM
  Intermission10 minutes.
• 7:55 PM
  Harper’s Babysitting Adventure — Short FilmOfficial Selection: Best Short Film · Dir. Amani Summer · 4:38.
• 8:00 PM
  Unravelled — Opening Night TrailerOfficial Selection: Best Trailer.
• 8:05 PM
  The Present Help — Opening Night FeatureOfficial Selection: Best Feature Film · Best Actor · Best Actress & more · 1 hr 36 min — screening + filmmaker Q&A.
• 9:45 PM
  Closing RemarksPreview of the Saturday program.
• 10:00 PM
  Lobby ReceptionEnd of night.

A full festival day — 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Awards at 6:00 PM.

• 10:00 AM
  Doors Open & Check-In
• 10:15 AM
  Enemy Heroes — Short Animated FilmOfficial Selection: Best Short Film · Best Animated Film · 7:51.
• 10:30 AM
  High Moon — Trailer PremiereOfficial Selection: Best Trailer · 2 min.
• 10:35 AM
  The Way Things Used 2 B — Short FilmDirs. Ciara Naughton & Kurstin Moser · Official Selection: Best Short Film · 16:43.
• 10:50 AM
  Intermission10 minutes.
• 11:00 AM
  Panel 1 — Mark Williams, Independent FilmmakerTopic to be announced · 45 min.
• 11:45 AM
  I Am Here If You Want to Talk — Short FilmOfficial Selection.
• 12:00 PM
  Lunch BreakOn your own — local dining guide in the program.
• 1:00 PM
  Nix Figment — Short FilmOfficial Selection: Best Short Film · 18:53.
• 1:20 PM
  Moonless International Music CompetitionSouthern Life · She Never Came Home · Forward · Unfrozen · Satisfied in You · Soul Language · Keeping the Faith — Best Music Video nominees.
• 1:50 PM
  Break10 minutes.
• 2:00 PM
  Smokes — Short FilmOfficial Selection · 15 min.
• 2:15 PM
  Romancing Sydney — Feature FilmOfficial Selection · 1 hr 23 min — screening + Q&A.
• 3:45 PM
  I Am With You — Short FilmOfficial Selection · 18 min — screening + Q&A.
• 4:15 PM
  Momma/Mother — Short FilmOfficial Selection: Best Short Film · Dirs. Mikael James & Gabriel Zepeda · 9:10.
• 4:30 PM
  An Intimacy Coordinator — Short FilmOfficial Selection: Best Short Film · Best Director · Best Actress · Best Cinematographer — screening + Q&A.
• 5:15 PM
  Dinner Break — Pre-Awards Reception45 minutes.
• 6:00 PM
  The Awards CeremonyWinners announced across all competition categories — film, screenplay, stage play & music.
• 7:00 PM
  Slouching Towards Branson — Feature FilmDir. Will Wood · Official Selection: Best Feature Film · 1 hr 47 min — screening + filmmaker Q&A.
• 9:00 PM
  End of Night

Closing day — 1:00 to 7:45 PM.

• 1:00 PM
  Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit — Music VideoDir. Bradford May · from the movie musical Mendel’s Messiah · 2:10.
• 1:05 PM
  Mendel’s Messiah — Feature Film, Director’s CutOfficial Selection · 2 hr.
• 3:05 PM
  International Short Film ShowcaseSight / The Love Project (12:29) · Game On / The Love Project (10:00) — Best International Short Film, followed by a video interview with the winner.
• 3:35 PM
  Best Student Film Block10 Years: The Art of Not Knowing (10:00) · Fell the Bruxton Beast (12:54).
• 4:00 PM
  The Fabulous Flocks — Short FilmOfficial Selection · 20 min.
• 4:30 PM
  Enabling Cain — Feature FilmOfficial Selection · 1 hr 30 min.
• 6:00 PM
  Break10 minutes.
• 6:10 PM
  The Thief — Short FilmOfficial Selection: Best Short Film · 14 min.
• 6:30 PM
  Suppress Us — Closing FeatureOfficial Selection: South Carolina Film/Filmmaker · Dirs. Mia Faith Johnson & Ryan Callahan · 1 hr 6 min.
• 7:40 PM
  Closing Remarks & FarewellSee you in 2027.
• 7:45 PM
  Festival Concludes