What Should I Expect at My First Film Festival?

Your first film festival can feel intimidating if you don’t know what you’re walking into.

Schedules, screenings, badges, Q&As, strangers who somehow all seem to know each other already — it’s a lot. The good news is that film festivals are built for filmmakers at every stage, including first-timers.

Here’s what you can realistically expect.

You won’t know everyone

Most people attending a film festival don’t arrive with a built-in network.