The Destiny City Film Festival is a homegrown, true-Tacoma community event, inspired by our city’s nickname – The City of Destiny – and is built to showcase the best independent films from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. DCFF was voted Best Festival of South Sound 2021!
Filmmakers and screenwriters make film festivals possible. This is why our first loyalty is to you and the invaluable artistic talents you provide to film culture. This festival is organized by people who believe at the heart of every great movie is a great story – one that is destined to invigorate an audience through the art form of film. DCFF credits the ingenuity of independent filmmakers for continuing the tradition of compelling storytelling through motion pictures in the digital age, whether told in the documentary, animated, experimental or narrative form. It is our passion to provide screens for the finest of these independent films and strengthen the local film community by building an engaged audience.
DCFF accepts documentary, animation, narrative, music video, and experimental films of any length and genre. Discounts on submissions are available for film school students along with Pierce County and Washington state residents.
Awards and Prizes
The strongest films based on screener’s feedback will be placed in competition for the festival’s Storyteller Awards at the sole discretion of the Destiny City Film Festival. Awards will be given for:
– Excellence in Narrative Feature Storytelling
– Excellence in Documentary Storytelling
– Excellence in Narrative Short Storytelling
– Excellence in Music Video, Experimental or Animation Storytelling
– Evergreen Storyteller’s Award (films from the Pacific Northwest)
– 1st Place Storyteller’s Award
The winner of the Evergreen Storyteller’s Award will receive a $500 cash prize!
All winners will be announced at the Opening Night Celebration. Audience Choice voting will take place throughout the festival weekend for all screenings, and the winner will be determined following the final screening.
“Our short film, ‘All the Marbles’ screened at Destiny City to a full house. Great films, great people, and a great city.” — Carl Peterson (Actor, Writer, Producer)
Festival Dates and Location
The Destiny City Film Festival has traditionally been hosted by one of Tacoma’s oldest movie theaters and, at nearly 100 years old, is one of the oldest continuously operating movie theaters in the country—the historic Blue Mouse Theater in the Proctor District of Tacoma, Washington. For our 9th annual festival (February 2022), we are planning a hybrid virtual/in-person festival consisting of film screenings and special events.
Our Mission
Our mission is to use the power of vibrant cinematic storytelling to curate an engaged community audience for independent film.