NEWS

PITTSBURGH, PA—Film Pittsburgh proudly announces the 44th annual Three Rivers Film Festival (3RFF), returning November 12–23, 2025, with a dynamic lineup of independent features, shorts, panels, parties, and special events across multiple venues in the city.

This year’s festival showcases 23 feature films and 113 short films presented in-person and online, including East Coast premieres and filmmaker Q&As. Films will screen at the newly remodeled Hollywood Theater operated by Row House Cinema, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Harris Theater, The Lindsay Theater in Sewickley, and Point Park University’s PNC Theater in the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Passes and single tickets are on sale now at filmpittsburgh.org.

The Three Rivers Film Festival kicks off at the Hollywood in Dormont with Horsegirls, co-presented with ReelAbilities International, on November 12. This Opening Night event will be preceded by a red carpet hosted by Chancelor Humphrey (Keep Pittsburgh Dope), and the screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director and a reception with food and drink.

Long Pork, a short film from the Chiller Theater lineup, screens at Row House Hollywood on November 21st. Photo courtesy of Madhouse Films

The festival will return to the Hollywood Theater on November 21 to honor Chilly Billy Cardille’s legacy with Chiller Theater, a spooky night featuring the best new independent horror shorts from around the globe and Allegheny County. Hosted by Sean Collier (Steel City Horror Show) and Chilly Billy’s daughter Lori Cardille, Film Pittsburgh and Row House encourage you to come in costume for a spooky night “aht on the tahn.” Chiller Theater will continue virtually during the festival with more horror shorts, hosted by local horror podcast hosts The Queens of NC-17.

The festival’s Centerpiece film is About Face: Disrupting Ballet, a documentary about two Asian dancers who are challenging the world's leading ballet companies to jettison racial stereotypes. Directed by Duquesne University graduate and Post-Gazette alum Jennifer R. Lin, this film features Altoona native Georgina Pazcoguin, the former soloist for New York City Ballet and author of Swan Dive: The Making of a Rogue Ballerina.

The festival’s Centerpiece film, About Face: Disrupting Ballet, screens at the Pittsburgh Playhouse on November 19 and virtually November 13-23. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Lin

Other highlights from the feature lineup include Man on the Run, the Paul McCartney documentary; Sirât, the Spanish submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards; and The Librarians, a documentary about school librarians fighting book bans, which will be followed by a talkback with librarians from the local community.

The Three Rivers Film Festival has become a hub for networking with local and international filmmakers, and Film Pittsburgh will host the 5th annual Filmmaker Conference from November 21st through 23rd at the EVEN Hotel Downtown, featuring keynote speaker Tina Romero (Queens of the Dead).

Filmmaker Tina Romero will be the Keynote Speaker at the 3RFF Filmmaker Conference. Photo credit: Liz Liguori

On November 23rd, the festival’s Closing Day, Film Pittsburgh will host live readings from the Script Competition featuring local actors, followed by the Best of the Fest awards ceremony. New this year, Film Pittsburgh will give cash awards to feature film directors in addition to their long-standing awards for best short films. The films will be selected by a grand jury of local artists, nonprofit leaders, filmmakers, teachers, and industry professionals.

The full festival lineup is available to view and tickets are available to purchase at FilmPittsburgh.org.