WV International Film Festival to host four-day 40th anniversary celebration
PRESS RELEASE:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia International Film Festival (WVIFF) will present a four-day film festival Nov. 13-16, 2025. The organization will host a collection of West Virginia and international films, along with various film-related events and experiences at the Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema and the former Park Place Cinemas space. This annual event marks the festival’s 40th year.
After a six-year hiatus, WVIFF will host a reimagined festival welcoming attendees to explore their love of film through diverse and inclusive films, workshops, networking events, and more. When the pandemic hit in 2020, WVIFF focused its efforts on enriching the local film experience through year-round monthly rotating screenings and events at the Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema – Charleston’s only independent movie theater, which is now in its seventh year.
“I’ve been attending WVIFF events for about 25 years, so I am living a personal dream to add a festival back with the year-round programming we have at the Floralee,” said Delford Chaffin, WVIFF Board President. “Also, reviving Park Place Cinemas, even just for a weekend, is something that I think all Charleston movie lovers will share my excitement about.”
At this year’s festival, WVIFF will present around a dozen full-length and short films focusing on international and West Virginia-made films. Throughout the four-day event, these screenings will rotate between Park Place Cinemas and the Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema (located below Taylor Books). WVIFF is excited for and appreciative of the partnership with the City of Charleston, enabling us to host pop-up screenings at Park Place Cinemas as they continue to seek new ownership of the cinemas.
Additionally, the festival will host two informative lectures on Saturday, Nov. 15. Filmmaker, scholar and professor Tijah Bumgarner will host a Q&A session focusing on student filmmaking at Marshall University, and producer, director and co-founder of creative studio Coat of Arms Clara Lehmann will lead an informative lecture on the exciting film and animation work they are doing right here in our state and beyond.
Attendees of the festival and the public are invited to show off their movie knowledge at a film-themed Trivia Night at Fife Street Brewing on Friday, Nov. 14. And on Sunday, Nov. 16, the festival will host a Filmmakers Meetup Brunch at Coco’s.
Early-bird festival passes will go on sale Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. at a discounted rate of $85. Ticket prices will increase to $95 on Sept. 30, when the full schedule is released. Passes will give attendees access to all films, Q&As, parties, and other events. Individual tickets will be available at the door, space permitting.
Festival Passes and information are available at wviff.org/festival/fall-2025
The complete festival schedule will be announced on Sept. 30.
