All genres are welcome. Over three days, the Swan Lake Premiere Film Festival will celebrate the full range of independent cinema, including horror, comedy, action, drama, documentary, animation, experimental films, and more.
The Swan Lake Premiere Film Festival is a three-day independent film festival in Sumter, South Carolina, hosted at the Sumter Little Theatre — a working community theatre with 85+ years of history. A portion of festival proceeds supports SLT and the Sumter County Museum.
Nestled near the iconic Swan Lake Iris Gardens, our festival draws inspiration from grace, artistry, and bold storytelling — embodied by our festival mascot, Sterling the Swan, the symbol of elegance, courage, and creative flight.
In remembrance of September 11th, the festival presents a special honorary award recognizing courage, service, and the enduring spirit of community.
Read the full story →Three days of curated screenings spanning drama, comedy, thriller, horror, sci-fi, animation, documentary, music videos, faith-based films, and Southern storytelling — followed by Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers.
The final evening culminates in our Swan Awards, honoring excellence across multiple genres and disciplines. One submission, many categories — Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and more.
We've simplified the submission process. Enter the Feature Film category and you're automatically considered for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and more — no need to pay for multiple categories.
No premiere requirement. Films are welcome regardless of where (or whether) they've previously screened — festival circuit, online release, prior community screenings, all eligible.
We welcome films from around the world across all genres — drama, comedy, thriller, horror, sci-fi, animation, documentary, music video, faith-based, and Southern storytelling. First-time filmmaker or seasoned pro — SLPFF is for you.
No pretense about Sumter being something it's not. This is a working community-theatre house in a real Southern town, and the festival is built around what filmmakers actually need: a fair shot, an honest room, and a real audience.
Bring your film at any stage of its festival life. Festival circuit, online release, prior community screenings — all eligible.
Submit once and you're considered for every relevant Swan Award — Director, Actor, Cinematography, and more.
Every screening block makes room for filmmaker Q&A. The Sumter Little Theatre house keeps everyone in the same room.
A portion of every fee and ticket goes to the Sumter Little Theatre and the Sumter County Museum. Your submission supports a real arts community.
Selected youth-led short films from the Moonless Arts Institute Youth Short Film Challenge will screen at SLPFF — an honored showcase for the next generation of storytellers.
Visit Moonless Arts Institute →