Design Student Film Festival 2026
April 9 @ 8:00 am - April 11 @ 5:00 pm
Free
Overview
The Design Student Film Festival is a national student-focused festival in Boston, Massachusetts. Taking place April 9–11 2026, it emphasizes cross-disciplinary exchange and features short films by students in art, architecture, and design.
Focus
The festival centers on cross-disciplinary collaboration and fresh visual perspectives from student filmmakers. Submissions include narrative, documentary, or animated short films up to 15 minutes. Similar student and academic design initiatives are documented in ArchUp education coverage and professional architecture and design discussions.
Program
The three-day program includes screenings of student-made films at venues such as Coolidge Corner Theatre, keynote talks by designers and filmmakers like Eric Höweler and Sharon M. Samuels, Q&A sessions, guided tours of design landmarks, receptions, and networking events. The festival concludes with a “Community Day” that is free to the public. Related event coverage appears in ArchUp events section.
Audience
The festival targets undergraduate and graduate students, emerging filmmakers, and the public interested in art, architecture, and design. Community engagement is emphasized with free access to portions of the festival.
Event Details
| Dates | April 9–11 2026 |
|---|---|
| Venues | Multiple, including Coolidge Corner Theatre, Boston, MA, USA |
| Event type | Student film festival |
| Access | In person, portions free to the public |
| Fees | Free for Community Day; other passes announced in March 2026 |
| Submissions | December 1 2025 – January 31 2026 |
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
The Design Student Film Festival 2026 showcases student-generated visual work across architecture, design, and art, highlighting interdisciplinary experimentation and narrative exploration. From an architectural perspective, the festival provides insight into how spatial thinking, materiality, and environmental context can be interpreted and communicated through short-form media. By emphasizing collaboration and creative experimentation rather than professional display or commercial outcomes, it demonstrates the role of alternative media in shaping design sensibilities, visual literacy, and conceptual representation, offering a platform for emerging designers to critically explore the intersections between spatial practice and storytelling.
Closing Note
The festival provides a platform for emerging student voices across art, architecture, and design. It emphasizes collaboration and experimentation rather than commercial exposure or professional showcase. Explore the Latest Architecture Exhibitions & Conferences ArchUp offers daily updates on top global architectural exhibitions, design conferences, and professional art and design forums. Follow key architecture competitions, check official results, and stay informed through the latest architectural news worldwide. ArchUp is your encyclopedic hub for discovering events and design-driven opportunities across the globe.
