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EVENT SCHEDULE
Join us for the 9th annual BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival on Sep. 10-13, featuring four days of amazing films, informative workshops, and engaging conversations for audiences and filmmakers alike. Ticket links below go live Aug. 13 at noon. Workshop registration is now available.
THURSDAY – Sep. 10
7:00 p.m. – FREE JOAN LITTLE
OPENING NIGHT FILM
Directed By: Yoruba Richen
(USA | 2025 | 36 min.)
Free Joan Little tells the story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little who was the first woman in U.S history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault. At 20 years old, Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) Little was incarcerated in North Carolina when she killed a white jailer who she said tried to rape her. Her trial drew international attention, becoming a rallying point for civil rights, women’s rights and prison reform. With rare archival footage, contemporary interviews and the folk anthem that carried her cause, Free Joan Little captures the spirit of resistance that made history.
Presented in partnership with the Southern Documentary Fund.
8:30 p.m. – OPENING NIGHT PARTY
BREW COFFEE BAR
Included with Opening Night Film ticket.
Sponsored by the Southern Documentary Fund
FRIDAY - Sep. 11
10:00 a.m. – Demystifying FilmFreeway: Insider Strategies for Festival Success
WORKSHOP – The Gathering House, Downtown Cary Park
Instructor:Â Crickett Rumley (New York Film Academy)
Come learn how to read between the lines to find festivals truly worth your time and submission fees and build the festival run of your dreams.
If you’re submitting your film to festivals, chances are you’re already on FilmFreeway, the go-to platform that thousands of filmmakers use to discover and submit to festivals every day. It’s a powerful tool, but like any tool, knowing how to use it and avoid common pitfalls makes all the difference. You’ll walk away knowing how to:
- Build and maintain a compelling profile for you and your film
- Dig into FilmFreeway’s listings so you really understand a festival before you hit submit
- Use the Film Festival Alliance’s best practices as your roadmap to finding high-value festivals
- Spot low-value festivals and “pay to play” awards events that won’t move the needle for your career
- Read filmmaker reviews like a pro and pick out the details that actually matter
- Catch red flags in rules and requirements
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Crickett Rumley is founder and senior director of the Film Festival Department at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. She has guided filmmakers to official selections at festivals ranging from Sundance to Bronzelens and to wins and nominations at the Student Academy Awards, the BAFTA Student Film Awards, the DGA Student Film Awards, and the College Television Awards. She is on the board of the Film Festival Alliance, serves as the Panels Director for the Tallgrass Film Festival, and has taught workshops and served on juries for festivals around the U.S.
12:00 p.m. – In Your Backyard: Finding Crew, Funding & Resources for Your Next NC Film
INDUSTRY TALK – The Gathering House, Downtown Cary Park
Panelists: Blake Kinsey (The New Carolinas Film Collective), Dara Silver (North Carolina Arts Council), Christopher Everett (Southern Documentary Fund)
Are you ready to shoot your next indie film in North Carolina? Navigating the local filmmaking landscape doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Learn from state and local industry experts offering film funding and artist grants, film community meetups, and production resources to elevate your next project.
2:00 p.m. – Together We Rise
SHORTS BLOCK
Portraits of communities confronting adversity and injustice through resilience, advocacy, and collective care. The block is followed by a 20 minute Q&A with filmmakers.Â
- Barriga Llena, Corazón Contento (Full Belly, Happy Heart); Directed By: Jordana Rubenstein-Edberg, Marshall Hanig
- Still Standing; Directed By: Victor Suarez
- Not Much Has Changed; Directed By: Max Zampieri
- Escalation; Directed By: AJ Schnack
3:45 p.m. – FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR
CHATHAM STREET WINE MARKET
By Invitation Only
5:30 p.m. – Where We Come From
SHORTS BLOCK
Stories rooted in family, heritage, and place, exploring the people and landscapes that shape us. The block is followed by a 20 minute Q&A with filmmakers.Â
- Athens By Kaleidoscope; Directed By Christopher Flippo
- Gatorville; Directed By: Freddie Gluck
- The Boys and The Bees; Directed By: Arielle C. Knight
- The Grandfather Puzzle; Directed By: Ora Dekornfeld
7:30 p.m. – Holding On, Letting Go
SHORTS BLOCK
Personal stories of grief, identity, and memory that reveal the emotional worlds we carry within us. The block is followed by a 20 minute Q&A with filmmakers.Â
- A Grieving Heart; Directed By: Wendy Cong Zhao
- I Wanted to Hear Your Voice; Directed By: James Pellerito
- The Rabbit Ballet; Directed By: Aalia Khan, Kelsey Prudente, Samuel Rodarmel, Layne Sovereign
- Jasmine. Home. Mother.; Directed By: Ugné Skonsmanaité
- Sorrow Doesn’t Sleep At Night; Directed By: Josefina Montino, Martin André
- Night Feeds; Directed By: Rana Roy
SATURDAY, SEP. 12
10:00 a.m. – Pictures or It Didn’t Happen: Capturing the Moments that Tell the Story of You, Your Film & Your Festival Run
WORKSHOP – The Gathering House, Downtown Cary Park
Instructor:Â Crickett Rumley (New York Film Academy)
Get ready to think like the visual storyteller you already are, because you and your film deserve to be seen.
Filmmakers work in a visual medium, and we pour countless hours into crafting powerful films. Once post-production wraps, however, it’s time to market our work and connect with audiences. In this workshop we’ll focus on ways to create strong images that help you build your brand, document your journey, and open doors for your next projects:
- Production Photography: Why set photography matters and how to get stills that truly do your film justice, why screenshots don’t cut it, what makes a great still photo (and what to avoid), the value of behind-the-scenes (BTS) content and why it resonates with audiences.
- Festival and Awards Photography: How to shine on the red carpet, create social media-worthy pictures, and why front-row Q&A photos are essential.
- Marketing Best Practices: Why you need both vertical and horizontal images and how to use each, how to choose the right photos for your press kit, FilmFreeway account, and social media.
12:00 p.m. – Building Community, Support & a Distribution Plan
INDUSTRY TALK – The Gathering House, Downtown Cary Park
Panelists: Emily Best (Seed&Spark), Rish Aggarwal (Kinema)
Getting your work funded and seen requires an actionable strategy. Learn how to navigate the modern independent film landscape with industry experts from Seed& Spark and Kinema. In this panel, we’ll discuss how to cultivate a strong peer network and build a sustainable audience-first distribution and marketing plan.
2:00 p.m. – Ripple Effects
SHORTS BLOCK
Small moments and unexpected connections leave lasting echoes in the lives they touch. The block is followed by a 20 minute Q&A with filmmakers.
- Oh Happy Day!; Directed By: Ivan Rome
- Lay Lefty Down; Directed By: Traven Rice
- Summer Triangle;(Directed By: Maryam Esmaeili, Ali Babai
- Listen: LP’s & The Power of Music; Directed By: Blake Kinsey
- Sincerely, Sage Jo; Directed By: Jacob Wilkins
3:45 p.m. – FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR
Happy’s
By Invitation Only
5:30 p.m. – Mishaps & Misadventures
SHORTS BLOCK
Chaos, comedy, and a little bad luck turn ordinary lives into unforgettable adventures. The block is followed by a 20 minute Q&A with filmmakers.Â
- Wizarding Woes; Directed By: Kheyal Roy-Meighoo, Isaac Foster Gazmararian
- Dashing; Directed By: Ginger Craghead-Way, Will Jones, Cate Slaughter
- Mr Jesus; Directed By: Emily Best
- Matchmaker; Directed By: Jack Floyd
- Cvnt; Directed By: Nicole Higgins
- Closing Shift; Directed By: M-Alain Bertoni
7:30 p.m. – Trivia Night
SPECIAL PROGRAM
Hosted By Hammered Trivia
Think you know pop culture? Gather up your teams of 4-6 players and join us for a special Pop Culture themed Trivia Night at The Cary! One team member will need a smart phone (required to play) and prizes will be given out after each round to the winning group. Gather your teams and get ready to test your knowledge of movies, music, and TV. Hosted by Hammered Trivia.Â
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SUNDAY, SEP. 13
11:00 a.m. – FILMMAKERS AWARDS BRUNCH
The Mayton
By Invitation Only
1:00 p.m. – Dream Meanings
LIVE SCREENPLAY READING
GRAND JURY PRIZE WINNER – BEST SCREENPLAY
Written By: Rebecca Kane
Stage Direction: Debra Grannan
Charlotte flips through a book of the meaning of symbols in our dreams, trying to figure out what a frequently occurring umbrella means, and how she can get rid of it. With her sister’s help, she quickly figures out that what’s tormenting her in the night can’t be found in a book.
A special Q&A follows with writer Rebecca Kane.
3:00 p.m. – Best of Beyond
2026 AWARD WINNERS
We cap off the weekend by screening the festival’s top films as recognized by our juries and audiences. These films have captivated audiences and showcased exceptional talent in the categories: Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Student Short, Best N.C. Filmmaker Short, and Audience Award.
