Stream Worldwide Or Watch From New Hope: Film Festival Returns

NEW HOPE, PA — After postponing last year's event due to COVID-19 restrictions, the annual New Hope Film Festival will return this summer to feature 111 films from 16 countries. While the 12th NHFF will feature many live, in-person screenings at the New Hope Arts Center between July 23 and Aug. 1, a selection of the films will also be available to stream online for the first time in the festival's history.

To include online viewing in its offerings this year, the NHFF tapped a Toronto-based streaming service called CineSend, which offers studio-grade quality and encryption. Festival organizers will also monitor COVID requirements in consultation with New Hope Mayor Larry Keller, and adhere to all public health recommendations.

Called the “emerging Sundance East” by HuffPost in 2012, the NHFF was created by author, screenwriter, and long-time local resident D.F. Whipple. The festival’s core mission, according to its website, is “to discover and nurture independent filmmakers, many of whom are seeking world and U.S. debuts and remain overlooked and/or underappreciated by other forums.”

This year’s spate of movies features 16 films with local ties — a festival record — and 35 original scripts listed in the program guide. High budgets and name recognition are not considered for entry — rather, the selected films are chosen on their own merit. The festival announces its awards annually in Variety.

To learn more about the NHFF or order tickets through Elevent, visit the festival website.