Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival
“The most honest form of filmmaking is to make a film for yourself.” – Peter Jackson
April 24 – April 26, 2026
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Schedule
Friday, April 24
7:30 PM – Student Showcase w/Literary Arts Majors at The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
Saturday, April 25
12:30 PM – Block 1
2:45 PM – Block 2
5:00 PM – Block 3
7:15 PM – Awards Ceremony
8:00 PM – Checkpoint Zoo w/ Director/Writer/Producer Joshua Zeman (Lehigh University)
Sunday, April 26
1:00 PM – Life, Animated w/ Director Roger Ross Williams (Easton)
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Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival Events
April 24, 2026
7:30 PM
Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
Free Tickets
April 25, 2026
12:30 PM
Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
Buy Tickets
April 25, 2026
2:45 PM
Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
Buy Tickets
April 25, 2026
5:00 PM
Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
Buy Tickets
April 25, 2026
7:15 PM
Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
Buy Tickets
April 25, 2026
8:00 PM
Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
Buy Tickets
April 26, 2026
1:00 PM
Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
Buy Tickets
Past Winners
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
