Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival
March 22, 2025
The 2025 Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival will take place on March 22, 2025.
During the GLVFF, the ArtsQuest Cinema Committee will present one winner with the Best in Show Award and a $500 cash prize. The award will be determined by a jurying panel of committee members and regional film professionals. A celebration for filmmakers and cinephiles alike, the evening includes screenings of all the top submissions in the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas.
Here are our submission deadlines:
Early Submission: Thursday, January 17 ($10 submission fee)
Late Submission: Thursday, February 13 ($20 submission fee/Still $10 for age 25 and under)
Festival Lineup Announcement: Monday, February 24
Stipulations:
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM
(SUBMISSIONS OPEN OCTOBER 28TH)
PLEASE NOTE: SUBMISSIONS ARE ONLY ACCEPTED VIA FILMFREEWAY
Past Winners
2024
Winners:
- Best In Show : Collin Kornfeind (Allentown) for What A Trip!
- Best Director: Brandon C. Lay (Bethlehem) for ABCs Always Be Smiling
- Best Narrative: Collin Kornfeind (Allentown) for What A Trip!
- Best Performance: Brooke Harrsh (Bethlehem) for ABCs Always Be Smiling
- Best Documentary: Nahjiah Miller (Lehigh University) for Tell Me It’s Going to Be Okay
- Best Experimental: Daniel Paashaus (Quakertown) for The Forest Primeval
- Best Sound: Logan McCurry, Mitchell Workman (Philadelphia) for Canvas
- Best Editing: Logan McCurry, Mitchell Workman (Philadelphia) for Canvas
The 2024 jury included:
- Ann Knerr, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee Chair, Co-Curator of the Fem in Film Series
- Catherine Ford, Cinema Committee member and Co-Curator of the LGBTQ+ Film Series
- Stephanie Gardner, Filmmaker and Creator, Director and Host of 33 and Me
- Heath Mensher, Literary Arts Faculty at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
- Katina Sossiadis, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany
- Koula Sossiadis Kazista, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany
- Stuart Stanley, Motion Picture and Television Sound Editor
- Tyler H. Walk, Documentary Film Editor of Welcome to Chechnya and How to Survive a Plague
2023
Winners:
- Best In Show : Carmen Chan (Macungie) for Torn
- Best Narrative: Carmen Chan (Macungie) for Torn
- Best Documentary: Jordyn Harris (Saylorsburg) for Introducing, Dorothy Hardy
- Best Experimental: Grace Wyckoff (DeSales University) for Illuminated Perspective
- Best Director: Maggie Mustion for Bombshell (Muhlenberg College)
- Best Performance: Kammy Wong (Macungie) for Torn
The 2023 jury included:
- Catherine Ford, Cinema Committee member and Co-Curator of the LGBTQ+ Film Series
- Ann Knerr, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee Chair, Co-Curator of the Fem in Film Series
- Heath Mensher, Literary Arts Faculty at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
- Parinda Patel, Performing Arts Board and Cinema Committee Member and Co-Curator of the Fem in Film Series
- Katina Sossiadis, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany
- Koula Sossiadis Kazista, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany
- Stuart Stanley, Motion Picture and Television Sound Editor
- Tyler H. Walk, Documentary Film Editor of Welcome to Chechnya and How to Survive a Plague
2022
The 2022 GLVFF showcased over twenty selections from nearly fifty submissions.
Winners:
- Best in Show: Lawrence Kennelly (Center Valley) for Purple Heart
- Best Director: Juan Pablo Chaves (DeSales University) for Alice Forgiven
- Best Performance: Sarah Cugini (Center Valley) for Cueball
- Audience Award: Lawrence Kennelly (Center Valley) for Purple Heart
The 2022 jury included:
- Jeremy Ballin, Creative Director at LOL Productions
- Catherine Ford, Cinema Committee member and Co-Curator of the LGBTQ+ Film Series
- Lou Fromm, Performing Arts Board and Cinema Committee Member
- Joanne Garcia, ArtsQuest Education Coordinator
- Adrianna Gober, Cinema Commitee Member, Co-Curator of the LGBTQ+ Film Series and the First Saturday Horror Series
- Ann Knerr, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee Chair, Co-Curator of the Fem in Film Series
- Parinda Patel, Performing Arts Board and Cinema Committee Member and Co-Curator of the Fem in Film Series
- Katina Sossiadis, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany
- Koula Sossiadis Kazista, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany
2020
The 2020 GLVFF showcased twenty selections from nearly forty submissions.
Winners:
- Best in Show: Vernard James (Allentown) for Five Stars
- Best Director: Vernard James (Allentown) for Five Stars
- Best Performance: Chad Eric Smith for Fatherless
- Best Animated Film: Elaine Donmoyer (Schnecksville) for Coal
- Audience Award: Elaine Donmoyer (Schnecksville) for Coal
The 2020 jury included:
- Jeremy Ballin, Creative Director at LOL Productions
- Catherine Ford, Cinema Committee member
- Ann Knerr, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee Chair
- Michael Kramp, Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University
- Zeke Zelker, CEO & President of IDreamMachine
- Katina Sossiadis, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany
- Koula Sossiadis Kazista, Co-Writer and Co-Director of Epiphany.
2019
The 2019 GLVFF showcased twenty selections culled from 30+ submissions.
Winners:
- Best Documentary: Wine in Moderation, directed by Adam Pivirotto (DeSales University)
- Best Narrative: The Last Fishing Trip, directed by Christopher Fox (Peekskill, NY), starring Diane Bakos (Bethlehem)
- Audience Award: Absolution Green, directed by Lois Silver (Scotrun), written by Paul Kodiak (Bethlehem)
- Best in Show: The Story of the Sectaurs, directed by Cliff Reese (East Earl)
The 2019 jury included:
- Jeremy Ballin, Creative Director at LOL Productions
- Adrianna Gober, Writer & Editor for Cinepunx
- Catherine Ford, Cinema Committee member
- Ann Knerr, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee Chair
- Michael Kramp, Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University
- Liam O’ Donnell, Editor in Chief of Cinepunx
- Zeke Zelker, CEO & President of IDreamMachine
- Katina Sossiadis, Writer and Director of Epiphany
2018
The 2018 GLVFF showcased twenty selections culled from 40+ submissions.
Winners:
- Best Documentary: La Otra Manera (The Other Way), Joshua Marks (Cinematographer & Editor: Delaney McCaffrey of Lehigh University)
- Best Narrative: Para Todo Mal…Para Todo Bien, Stephanie Gardner (Emmaus)
- Audience Award: The Wisdom, Callie Harlan & Lindsay Penn (Bethlehem)
- Best in Show: Big Money Agenda, Vincent Mondillo (Easton)
The 2018 jury included:
- Jeremy Ballin, Creative Director at LOL Productions
- Adrianna Gober, Writer & Editor for Cinepunx
- Catherine Ford, Cinema Committee member
- Ann Knerr, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee Chair
- Michael Kramp, Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University
- Kelsey Snelling, Director; Amy Unger, Executive Producer at WFMZ and previous GLVFF Best Documentary winner
- Zeke Zelker, CEO & President of IDreamMachine
2017
The 2017 GLVFF showcased fourteen selections culled from 30+ submissions.
Winners:
- Best Documentary: Big Pharma: Market Failure, Vincent Mondillo (Easton)
- Best Narrative: The Greatest Movie of All Time, Claire Bambert & Tate Q. Steinberg (DeSales University)
- Audience Award: Stage 7, Jen Suwak & Steve Abruzzese (Easton)
- Best In Show: Stage 7, Jen Suwak & Steve Abruzzese (Easton)
The 2017 jury included:
- Daniel Roebuck, actor/director
- Stephanie Gardner, filmmaker/2015 GLVFF Best in Show winner
- Ann Knerr, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee chair
- Dan Maher, actor/director/3-time GLVFF award winner
- Lauren McAloon, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee member
- Jason Overdorf, filmmaker/owner, Jay & Brian’s Excellent Video Store
- Lauren Tocci, ArtsQuest Cinema Committee member.
2015
Best Documentary: Letters to Frieda, Amy Unger (Allentown)
Winners:
- Best Web Series: Transform my Transformer, Dan Maher (Bethlehem)
- Best Short <15min: In This Day and Age, Christine Shaman (Easton)
- Best Short <50min: Temporary Shelter, Ellen Galperin, Toby Schwartz, Katie Weeks (Easton)
- Audience Award: Letters to Frieda, Amy Unger (Allentown)
- Best In Show: If I Had a Piano (I’d Play You the Blues), Stephanie Gardner (Emmaus)
2014
Winners:
- Best Feature: Living with the Tiger, Mike Thomas and Roberta Morris Purdee (Easton)
- Best Documentary: Aftershocks, Jaccii Farris (Allentown)
- Best Web Series: Shark Week, Marie Guglielmo (Allentown)
- Best Commercial/PR Video: El Sistema, Phil Osborne (Allentown)
- Best Short < 10min: Plugged In, Ryan Spence (Allentown)
- Best Short 10-40mi: S.T.E.M. Education and Technology: A Philly Snapshot, Sumitha Ramesh (Colmar)
- Audience Award: The White Faced Man, Luke Ramer (Macungue)
- Honorable Mention: Just Like We Used To, Suzanne Doran (Allentown)
2013
Winners:
- Best Feature and Best Documentary: The Backyard Philly Project, Amanda Danziger (Allentown)
- Best Short 15-50 Minutes: The First Four, Meghan Barwick, Laura Casale, Liana Prodorutti & Nadia Sasso (Bethlehem)
- Best Short < 15min: Painted Love, John General (Hackettstown)
- Best Web Series: The Flighty Ducks, Dan Maher (Bethlehem)
- Audience Award: April Grace, Andrew Hutcheson (Washington)
- Honorable Mention: Pulling Teeth, Jennifer Suwak & Steve Abruzzese (Bangor)
2012
Winners:
- Best Feature: Wallowitch & Ross: This Moment, Richard Morris (Bethlehem)
- Best Short 15-50 Mintues: Doorman, Collin Kornfeind (Slatington)
- Best Short < 15 Minutes: Please Kill Me Again, Spencer Snygg (Allentown)
- Best Web Series: The Flighty Ducks, Dan Maher (Bethlehem)
- Audience Award: The Super List, Adam Winston (Macungie)
- Honorable Mention: A Cure, Matthew Herbertz (Center Valley)
2011
Winners:
- Best Documentary: Animating Autism, Sean Feely & John Gross (Lehigh Valley)
- Best Feature: The Obsession, Spencer Snygg (Allentown)
- Best Short Film: One Way Out, Eric Leadbetter (Bethlehem)
- Best Young Filmmaker: A Rough Draft, Anthony Delluva (Lehigh Valley)
- Special Technical Achievement: Here, Courtney Eady (Allentown)
