Savannah Historic District hosts SCAD film festival from 24 October

Savannah Historic District hosts the SCAD Savannah Film Festival from 24 to 31 October 2026, bringing screenings, panels and workshops to Savannah, USA. The festival is presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design, with programmes spread across university venues in the National Historic Landmark district.

SCAD film festival opens across Savannah venues

The festival begins on 24 October 2026 and ends on 31 October 2026. Its programme includes competition screenings, gala premieres, special presentations, documentaries, shorts, workshops and panel discussions, giving the historic centre a temporary concentration of film activity.

SCAD identifies the event as an eight-day public festival for students, residents and visiting film audiences. The organiser lists Trustees Theater, Lucas Theatre for the Arts, Gutstein Gallery and the SCAD Museum of Art Theater among the venues, while the published programme names individual screenings and discussions throughout the week. The festival programme for 24 to 31 October also describes the event as a meeting point for professional and student filmmakers.

Historic cinemas give the festival its setting

The event connects contemporary cinema with buildings that form part of Savannah’s protected urban fabric. SCAD describes the festival as taking place across Savannah’s National Historic Landmark district, while Trustees Theater and Lucas Theatre provide the principal historic cinema settings.

Trustees Theater opened in 1946 and was later renovated by SCAD. Lucas Theatre for the Arts opened in 1921 and retains its original 1925 Wurlitzer pipe organ, according to the organiser. Gutstein Gallery, near the theatres and connected to the Jen Library, is used for panels and workshops during the festival. These venues make the October programme legible as both a film event and a route through several parts of the historic centre. Details of the buildings and addresses appear in the organiser’s festival venues guide.

Visiting Savannah Historic District: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The SCAD Savannah Film Festival runs from 24 October to 31 October 2026 at SCAD venues in Savannah’s historic district.
• Visitors will find screenings, panels, workshops and special presentations at venues including Trustees Theater, Lucas Theatre for the Arts, Gutstein Gallery and the SCAD Museum of Art Theater.
• Trustees Theater is at 216 E. Broughton Street, Lucas Theatre for the Arts is at 32 Abercorn Street, and Gutstein Gallery is at 201 E. Broughton Street.
• Chatham Area Transit provides service through Savannah and offers a shuttle from the Savannah Visitor Center and downtown hotels to the historic district; the festival also lists a circulating festival shuttle between selected hotels and venues.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Savannah Historic District

When does the SCAD Savannah Film Festival take place?

The festival runs from 24 October to 31 October 2026 in Savannah, with events at several SCAD venues in the historic district.

What is Savannah Historic District?

It is Savannah’s National Historic Landmark district, containing historic streets, buildings and university venues used by the festival.

Where is Savannah Historic District and how do you get there?

The district is in central Savannah, with venues on streets including Broughton Street and Abercorn Street. Chatham Area Transit serves the district, and the festival lists a shuttle between selected hotels and venues.