Since 1990, the Notre Dame Student Film Festival has screened films made by Notre Dame undergraduates during the past year as class projects. These students study the art of filmmaking in advanced, intermediate, and introductory film production courses taught in the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre. All films are shot on location and often feature the acting talents of Notre Dame students and faculty. Since 2013, audience members have been invited to vote for their favorite film via text message, and the Audience Choice Award is presented to the winning filmmaker(s) following the final screening.
Over the years the Notre Dame Student Film Festival has been a launching pad for student filmmakers as they begin their careers in the film, television, and entertainment industry. The festival has featured the first films of future award winners such as Peter Richardson (2011 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award winner, How To Die in Oregon) and John Hibey (2012 Sundance Film Jury Award Winner for Short Filmmaking, Fishing Without Nets), as well as numerous others. Writers, producers, editors, executives, many NDSFF alumni are now career professionals at Netflix, Lionsgate, Dreamworks, Industrial Light & Magic, Disney, NBC Universal and numerous other companies.
For more information about past festivals, visit the ND Student Film Festival Archive.
ALUMNI FEATURES
The Notre Dame Student Film Festival is excited to announce an expansion in the event lineup for the festival weekend! The 2026 festival will include two additional Alumni screenings.
Theatre is Dead, directed by Katherine Dudas (‘14), will be screened in the Browning Cinema on Thursday, January 22nd at 9:30 pm. Recently premiered at Fantastic Fest 2025, and winner of the Outstanding Horror Festival Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the campy horror comedy stars Shane West (ER, A Walk to Remember) and Decker Sadowski (Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Katherine Dudas will be present for a Q&A afterward.
TICKETS
A sneak preview of the upcoming PBS KIDS animated television series Phoebe and Jay, created by Genie Deez (‘12), will be screened on Saturday, January 24th at 1:00 pm in the Browning Cinema. The show follows fraternal twins Phoebe and Jay Yarber as they encounter various texts in their daily lives and develop early literacy skills to help navigate the world around them. Genie Deez will join us after the screening for a conversation with the audience.
TICKETS
These additions to the NDSFF weekend are made possible with partnership from the Notre Dame Arts Initiative.
SCREENINGS
Friday, January 23, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 7:00 pm*
*Audience Choice Award will be presented after the 7:00 pm screening on Sunday, January 25.
Running Time: Approximately 110 min.
Some films contain mature content.
TICKETS
Tickets for the Notre Dame Student Film Festival are $7 for the general public; $6 for faculty, staff, and seniors (65+); and $4 for students. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 574-631-2800, in person at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center ticket office (M-F, 12:00 – 6:00 pm), or online at performingarts.nd.edu.
PARKING
Free parking is available daily after 5:00 pm in the Stayer Center parking lot, just north of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Patrons may now receive free event parking at the Eddy Street Commons Parking Garage by bringing your event tickets and parking ticket to the DPAC Ticket Office to receive a pre-paid parking voucher.
An accessible lot for disabled patrons is available immediately adjacent to the center; a valid hangtag or license plate is required. There is a ten-minute parking zone on the north drive of the center for ticket pick-up; during inclement weather you are welcome to drop off guests in this area and proceed to parking.