The Awareness Film Festival brings its 17th edition to downtown Santa Monica October 13 to 18, 2026, then moves online for the rest of the year. The festival programs independent films built to raise awareness and spark change, and its 2026 official selections list runs past 100 titles.
It is also a fundraiser. The festival is a program of Heal One World, a Los Angeles nonprofit that offers low or no cost holistic health programs, and proceeds support that work. Here is what the festival has posted as of September 28, 2026.
The quick version
| When | In person Tuesday, October 13, through Sunday, October 18, 2026. Online October 19 to December 31 |
| Where | Laemmle Monica (October 14) and the Illusion Magic Lounge (October 15 to 18), both in downtown Santa Monica |
| Highlights | Opening night October 13, Closing Film and Awards October 18 at 7:30 p.m. |
| Tickets | $25 per screening; passes $125 and $199 |
| Refunds | Non-refundable, but transferable |
| Parking | Public Santa Monica lots, 90 minutes free |
| Official site | awarenessfestival.org |
What’s screening
The festival shows several films each day along with panels and special events, and the red carpet is set up in the lobby. The day-by-day schedule is marked “coming soon,” but the 2026 official selections are posted. A sampling of the titles:
- Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution
- One More Breath: Horses Helping Veterans Heal
- GAAVANI: Her Journey Home, a documentary musical
- From the Ground Up: Voices of the Carbon Market
- Saving Walden’s World
- No Longer Afraid: Elina Fomina’s Story
- Nothing to See Here: Watts
- Tamarkoz Meditation, The Documentary
- The Truer History of the Chan Family
- Tree of Fire: A Story of Love and Resilience
- Love in the Time of Plastic
- Bears in Hot Tubs, which wins the title contest this year
The selections also include music videos and PSAs, and the festival runs a screenplay competition alongside the film program.
Passes and tickets
Tickets and passes are on sale through the festival’s ticket page, with a backup FilmFreeway ticket page. Prices as listed on FilmFreeway on September 28, 2026:
- Screening ticket, $25: one film.
- Closing Film and Awards, $25: Sunday, October 18, 7:30 p.m.
- All-Access Pass, $125: every event except the opening reception, party, and screenings, the Filmmaker Brunch, and the awards.
- VIP Festival Pass (Filmmaker), $199: every event, including the opening reception, party, and screenings, the Filmmaker Brunch, and the awards.
Tickets are non-refundable, but you can transfer them to someone else. The online festival has its own tickets and passes, sold through EO Flix.
How to plan
| If you… | Go for |
|---|---|
| Want the full red carpet experience | The VIP pass is the only one that includes opening night, the brunch, and the awards |
| Want to see a lot of films | The All-Access Pass covers the screenings and panels |
| Have one film in mind | A $25 screening ticket; use the festival’s film search to find its day |
| Can’t make it to Santa Monica | Stream the online festival October 19 to December 31 |
Check-in opens one hour before the first screening of the day and closes 30 minutes after the last screening begins, at the Illusion Magic Lounge.
Venues
- Laemmle Monica, 1332 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA 90401. Screenings on Wednesday, October 14.
- Illusion Magic Lounge, 1418 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401. Screenings and check-in October 15 to 18.
The opening night venue for October 13 has not been listed on the festival’s FAQ.
Getting there
Both venues sit two blocks apart in downtown Santa Monica, a short walk from the Third Street Promenade. The festival points drivers to the public Santa Monica lots, where the first 90 minutes are free. The Metro E Line ends at Downtown Santa Monica station at 4th Street and Colorado Avenue, a few blocks south of both venues.
Accessibility
The festival has not posted accessibility details. The online edition, running through December 31, is the easiest way to watch from anywhere. Questions go through the festival’s contact page or 310-826-1971.
A little history
2026 is the festival’s 17th year. Skye Kelly is the festival director, and the event serves as Heal One World’s annual fundraiser. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) charity.
Still to come
The day-by-day schedule, the opening night venue, panel topics, and the list of films in the closing night program have not been posted. The 824 Journal will update this guide when they are released.
Sources
- Awareness Film Festival, official site
- Awareness Film Festival: Events and FAQ
- Awareness Film Festival: 2026 official selections
- Awareness Film Festival: Buy tickets
- Awareness Festival tickets on FilmFreeway
Featured photo: Cayambe via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
