The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest screens UFO-themed short films, documentaries, animations, and music videos - as well as a new REAL UFO FOOTAGE block - at the historic Chehalis Theater in downtown Chehalis, WA - the town where "FLYING SAUCERS" began!

The film festival commemorates pilot Kenneth Arnold’s historic flight from the Chehalis Airport on June 24th, 1947, when he famously encountered a formation of UFOs - a sighting that gave birth to the term “flying saucer” and kickstarted modern UFO-culture as we know it!

This festival benefits the Lewis County Historical Museum and is part of the two-day Chehalis Flying Saucer Party.

The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest jury is composed of film producers, local personalities, UFO nerds, and audience community members. Their decisions on official selections, award nominees and award winners are final.

Category awards will include: Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Best Music Video, Best Alien, Best UFO, Best First-Time Filmmaker, Best Real UFO Footage, and Audience Choice.

The Audience Choice winner will receive a $300 Prize and a Custom Trophy (all submissions eligible)

Audience Choice winner will also be screened the following day (Saturday) right before the classic flying saucer feature film (TBA) during Day 2 of the Chehalis Flying Saucer Party.

Category winners will receive a special trophy (an Orby!) and a film festival laurel.

If your submission is selected, you will receive free admission to the film festival including a +1 and an All Access Pass to the 2026 Chehalis Flying Saucer Party on Saturday Sept. 12.

Submission Eligibility:

The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Festival welcomes for consideration short films of 20 minutes or less. Submissions must be related to the UFO genre: Sci-Fi, flying saucers/UFOs, extraterrestrials, Men In Black, alien invasion, etc. You can have a Bigfoot in your movie but he better be flying a spaceship!

Submissions can include narrative, documentary, animation, music videos, or real UFO footage that you've captured.

Submission Fees:

Earlybird Deadline (June 24) - $25
Standard Deadline (July 15) - $30
Late Deadline (Aug 4) - $40

Real UFO Footage submission fee - $10 (Aug 4 deadline)

There are no production date limits for submissions.

Submissions are open to filmmakers worldwide. Films by Pacific Northwest-based filmmakers will receive priority consideration. Additionally, the top four or five non-Pacific Northwest submissions will be featured in a special "WORLD INVASION" block during the film festival.

Real UFO Footage submissions will be featured in a special "REAL UFO" block during the film festival.

Real UFO Footage submitters hereby grant the Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest permission to edit their footage down for length.

All submissions not originally in English must be subtitled in English.

Please keep entries "family friendly" - no EXCESSIVE cursing/violence, no sex/nudity, no racism/sexism/homophobia/transphobia/etc - we ultimately just want everyone in the audience to feel welcome. Try not to exceed a PG-13 rating. Just use common sense.

The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest does not offer fee waivers.

Chosen submitters hereby grant the Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest permission to use stills or clips from their film for promotional purposes related to the NWFSFF and the Chehalis Flying Saucer Party.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Grant Marshall

    Had a very fun time! Especially for it being our first film festival. Me and my team were very honored to win the Audience choice award. We highly recommend this festival!

    May 2026
  • Tarik Cruz

    This was my first submission into a film festival. I honestly went in with no expectations but was absolutely blown away! A great group of both film makers and film enthusiasts alike all coming together in a small town theater with some food and drinks was a blast! There were people I’ve talked to who were even visiting from out of state. I was extremely fortunate for my film to be awarded Best Film and Best First Timmer. I will always have a soft spot for this festival and can’t recommend it enough whether it’s your first time or your 100th time being a part of the festival! I wish these folks nothing but the best and hope they continue to grow ever year!

    March 2026
  • Jared Escudero

    My family and I went to the event because my film was selected to show. I did not win any awards but to be shown, and to experience the event, the town etc... that was enough an award to us. Very pleased and happy with this film festival.

    October 2025
  • Great film festival for local and out of town talent that brings folks together for Chehalis activity! The Flying Saucer Festival alone is spectacular and there is a great quality of films to be had. The only downside was allowing two films featuring A.I. into the festival. A misfire there but overall a fun experience!

    September 2025
  • Gus Frederick

    Great show! The entries this year were much better than last, and all were fun to view! Keep up the great work!!

    September 2025