2025 San Francisco Dance Film Festival

EVENT PHOTOS | AWARD WINNERS | DIGITAL PROGRAM BOOK

The San Francisco Dance Film Festival returns this Fall, featuring an expansive celebration of dance on screen. This year’s festival features 18 curated programs that spotlight the power of movement in all its forms, from deeply personal documentaries and narrative shorts to boundary-pushing screendance, live performance captures, and vibrant music videos.

In-person screenings will take place October 24 through November 9 at venues throughout San Francisco, featuring artist Q&As, panel conversations, and community gatherings that bring audiences and creators together.

For those tuning in from afar, our Online Festival runs November 10-30, offering a selection of short film programs alongside online-only feature films.

Whether you’re a lifelong arts lover or new to the world of dance on film, SFDFF 2025 invites you to experience movement for the moment—a robust response to now, rooted in expression, resilience, and creativity.

Looking for information about the 2026 Festival? Click here!

FESTIVAL PASSES & TICKETS

Ticket sales have closed.

VIP Festival Pass: gives ONE person unrestricted Patron Admission to all films and receptions at all venues October 24 – November 9 and premium seating when offered. Includes a special post-screening reception for the “Tiler Peck: Suspending Time” event on October 24. The VIP Pass also includes one Streaming Pass.
Full Festival Pass: gives ONE person unrestricted General seating to films at all venues October 24 – November 9. The Full Festival Pass also includes one Streaming Pass.
Streaming Pass: gives ONE person access to stream our Online Festival from November 10-30, 2025.
Individual tickets are also available to purchase for each in-person event.

FRIDAY, OCT 24 @ Lucasfilm Premier Theater

7:00PM: Tiler Peck: Suspending Time, with post-screening Q&A, VIP Reception

WEDNESDAY, OCT 29 @ Delancey Street Theater

6:30PM: Seasons of Dance
8:00PM: Farewell, Opéra, with post-screening Q&A and reception

WEDNESDAY, NOV 5 @ Catharine Clark Gallery

7:30PM: Art/Experimental Shorts

THURSDAY, NOV 6 @ SHACK15

6:30PM: Music Videos, with filmmaker meet-and-greet and live performance

FRIDAY, NOV 7 @ Brava Theater

12:00PM: The Light Out West: Historic Film Program
1:30PM: Screendance I
3:30PM: Narrative Shorts
5:30PM: Don’t Put Me in a Box: Sidi Larbi Cherkoui
8:00PM: Wicket, with live performance, Q&A, and reception

SATURDAY, NOV 8 @ Brava Theater

1:00PM: Screendance II
3:00PM: The Dancer, with post-screening Q&A
6:00PM: Doc Shorts, with a live demonstration by the Montreal Steppers
8:00PM: Spotlight Shorts, with a post-screening dance party

SUNDAY, NOV 9 @ Brava Theater

11:00AM: Gustavia
2:00PM: Leap! (family friendly)
5:00PM: Raising Voices, with a post-screening panel discussion
7:30PM: Bay Area Shorts, with a post-screening closing reception

NOVEMBER 10-30, STREAMING WORLDWIDE

Select festival programs and online-only feature films are available to stream from Monday, November 10 through Sunday, November 30. Learn more.

IN-PERSON PROGRAMS

TILER PECK: SUSPENDING TIME

Friday, October 24 @ 7:00PM
Lucasfilm Premier Theater
After a career-threatening injury, prima ballerina Tiler Peck fights to reclaim her artistry and redefine herself as both performer and visionary choreographer.

SEASONS OF DANCE

Wednesday, October 29 @ 6:30PM
Delancey Street Theater
Four seasons. Four phases of love. One unforgettable cinematic journey from choreographers Peeping Tom, Imre & Marne van Opstal, Bobbi Jene Smith & Or Schraiber, and Emilie Leriche.

FAREWELL, OPÉRA

Wednesday, October 29 @ 8:00 PM
Delancey Street Theater
What does it mean to leave behind the only stage you’ve ever known? A moving portrait of three Paris Opera Ballet dancers as they face compulsory retirement at age 42.

ART/EXPERIMENTAL

Wednesday, November 5 @ 7:30PM
Catharine Clark Gallery
Step into the unexpected at Catharine Clark Gallery. Movement meets the avant-garde in this collection of films that reimagine dance through the lens of experimental film.

MUSIC VIDEOS

Thursday, November 6 @ 6:30 PM
SHACK15 (Ferry Building)
A high-energy evening where rhythm rules and style takes center stage at San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building.

THE LIGHT OUT WEST

Friday, November 7 @ 12:00PM
Brava Theater
Travel back to the roots of screendance with this rare screening of archival dance films born from San Francisco’s post-World War II avant-garde movement.

SCREENDANCE I

Friday, November 7 @ 1:30PM
Brava Theater
A showcase of poetic and poignant works that explore cultural memory, personal transformation, and the beauty of movement in dialogue with the camera.

NARRATIVE SHORTS

Friday, November 7 @ 3:30PM
Brava Theater
Movement becomes the main character in these emotional stories set in locations ranging from Iranian stages to a cross-country motorcycle journey.

DON'T PUT ME IN A BOX

Friday, November 7 @ 5:30PM
Brava Theater
A globe-spanning portrait of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s genre-defying choreography and fearless artistic vision.

WICKET

Friday, November 7 @ 8:00PM
Brava Theater
A breakdancing legend rewrites his story in this electrifying tale of art, identity, and coming out on his own terms.

SCREENDANCE II

Saturday, November 8 @ 1:00PM
Brava Theater
Short, sharp, and soulful – screendance films that pack an emotional punch in just a few frames.

THE DANCER

Saturday, November 8 @ 3:00PM
Brava Theater
A dancer defies death, exile, and silence to reclaim his voice – and empower others to do the same.

DOC SHORTS

Saturday, November 8 @ 6:00PM
Brava Theater
Five powerful short documentaries reveal how dance intersects with identity and resilience across the globe.

SPOTLIGHT SHORTS

Saturday, November 8 @ 8:00PM
Brava Theater
A vibrant showcase of dynamic dance films at the cutting edge of creativity and cinematic risk.

GUSTAVIA

Sunday, November 9 @ 11:00AM
Brava Theater
The Royal Swedish Opera’s production about Gustav Badin, an enslaved child brought to the Swedish royal court.

LEAP!

Sunday, November 9 @ 2:00PM
Brava Theater
Family friendly! A heartwarming adventure about courage, friendship, and following your dreams.

RAISING VOICES

Sunday, November 9 @ 5:00PM
Brava Theater
A celebration of underrepresented voices using movement to speak truth and reclaim space.

BAY AREA SHORTS

Sunday, November 9 @ 7:30PM
Brava Theater
Local films and a community celebration to close out the 2025 Festival in style.

STREAMING PROGRAMS

SFDFF’s Online Festival is available to stream worldwide from November 10-30. It will be comprised of select 2025 Festival shorts programs as well as online-only feature films.

To enjoy the Online Festival, purchase a VIP Pass, Full Festival Pass, or Streaming Pass. These passes give ONE person access to stream our entire Online Festival from November 10-30, 2025.