Festival Program
Attend DSFF
Get ready for an incredible experience at the 2026 Design Student Film Festival!
Join us for screenings at top venues, including the Boston Architectural College and the legendary Coolidge Corner Theatre. We’ll celebrate student creativity with awards and laurels for Best Documentary, Narrative, Animation, and the Audience Choice Award. Enjoy inspiring lectures by acclaimed designers and Q+A with the filmmakers. Connect with fellow designers and creatives at receptions, screenings, and our unmissable closing night party.
What follows is the current program for the Design Student Film Festival. As we finalize installations, conversations, and screenings across our venues, schedule details may be refined. Please check back regularly for the latest updates. Early bird all-access festival passes go on sale March 1, 2026 at 5pm EST. Standard passes and individual tickets go on sale March 15. Seating is limited across our venues, and we anticipate high demand. We encourage you to secure your tickets early and join us April 9–11, 2026.
Films
DSFF Events + Perks
Explore the 2026 Festival Program
Thursday, April 9, 2026
2:30-4:30 pm ---- Filmmaker check-in at the Boston Architectural College
5:15-6:00 pm --- Opening Night Reception (ticketed), Boston Architectural College
6:00-7:00 pm --- Opening Night Talk “ScreenTime: Architecture, Attention, and Atmosphere“ featuring Eric Höweler, FAIA, LEED AP
Boston Architectural College (open to the public - in person and virtual)
7:45-9:30 pm --- Opening Night Films sponsored by Envision Resilience: Screening Block 1 with Filmmaker Q&A, Coolidge Corner Theatre (ticketed)
Friday, April 10, 2026
10:45 am-12:00 pm ---- Tour of the Harvard Film Archive and Carpenter Center for Visual Arts (ticketed)
1:45-3:45 pm --- Making at the Museum: a DSFF Workshop at the Harvard Art Museums (Museum is open to the public, but workshop participation is limited)
7:00-9:00 pm --- Talk “ Design on Screen: Crafting Visual Narratives in Motion“ featuring Sharon Samuels, Filmmaker, Architect, and Art Director, followed by Screening Block 2 with Filmmaker Q&A (ticketed)
Saturday, April 11, 2026 Community Day
10:45 am-12:00 pm ---- Teen Storytelling and Filmmaking Workshop (virtual)
12:30-1:45 pm --- Screening Block 3 with Filmmaker Q&A, Boston Architectural College (open to the public)
2:15-3:30 pm --- Screening Block 4 with Filmmaker Q&A, Boston Architectural College (open to the public)
6:30-8:30 pm --- Closing Night Party and Awards Celebration, Boston Society for Architecture (ticketed)