Cue the Cringe: The Worst Film Festival Returns!
If there’s one thing this industry teaches you, it’s that failure isn’t the end of the road; it’s just a weird, uncomfortable detour on the path to success. Whether it’s a short film that made more sense in your head or a passion project that ran out of money halfway through, creative missteps are often where the real magic begins. (Even if it doesn’t feel that way in the moment.)
That’s because mistakes don’t only show us what went wrong. They also teach us valuable lessons that help point the way forward, not just for the person who made the mess, but for everyone else paying attention, too.
That’s the whole idea behind The Worst Film Festival, where failure takes the spotlight and filmmakers share the projects they’d usually try to bury in an old hard drive. It’s not about mockery. It’s about meaning—and celebrating the guts it takes to put your most cringeworthy work in front of a live audience.
This August, you can be part of the crowd that cheers it all on. (And yes, there will be trophies. Very funny ones.)
What Is The Worst Film Fest?
TWFF started with a simple idea: what if there were a festival for the films that we’re embarrassed to show anywhere else?
The seed was planted during a conversation between Kraken Cove’s own Danielle Cheifetz, actor and producer Keren Southall, and Cheryl Isaacson, writer/director and founder of Lincoln Street Studios. While swapping stories about old projects gone horribly wrong, they found themselves laughing and bonding over the shared embarrassment.
“It ended up being very liberating,” Keren said, and the three began to wonder—how many other filmmakers and creatives might feel the same way? “How many could benefit from creating this type of space where we can all be vulnerable, we can all share, and actually walk away feeling more motivated?”
The result was a festival that turned the typical film showcase on its head, with filmmakers submitting their “worst” work to spark conversations about creative risk-taking.
An Inaugural Success of Failures
In just four months, what started as a bold idea between friends morphed into a sold-out inaugural event. With help from indie sponsors and scrappy volunteers, TWFF pulled together a standout program, thoughtful Q&As, and a film community that clearly understood the assignment.
Even better, the audience showed up ready to join in the fun. Each attendee received a QR code to vote in real time for the coveted Audience Choice Worst award. Using raffle tickets they also helped select the winner of the Has Potential Award, which grants 100% of ticket sale proceeds to a filmmaker with a work-in-progress project—delivered via an oversized check that made our collective Publishers Clearing House dreams come true.
This spirit of creative risk-taking got an extra boost from our inaugural guest judge, Boots Riley. Producer, screenwriter, rapper, community activist, and director of Sorry to Bother You—a film that practically defines bold, unconventional storytelling—Boots brought the exact energy we were hoping for. He named our signature “Better Mistakes Award,” and although he couldn’t be there in person, he sent a heartfelt video message that inspired both the screening filmmakers and the audience—his words reminding us that mistakes aren’t just part of the process; they’re proof you’re pushing boundaries and trying something new.
Turns out, celebrating failure is kind of a huge success. The whole thing was such a beautiful disaster, we had no choice but to bring it back for round two this August! (Stay tuned to our socials for the big reveal of our 2025 guest judge.)
Want to Support the Worst?
You don’t need to be a filmmaker to get involved. In fact, one of the most powerful ways to be part of this industry isn’t by submitting your own work, it’s by showing up for someone else’s.
Whether you’re buying a ticket, volunteering behind the scenes, or making a donation to help the chaos stay organized, your contribution to TWFF does more than just back the brave creatives behind these disasterpieces. You’re uplifting a whole community of cast, crew, editors, and programmers. You’re saying yes to creativity in all its messy, imperfect glory—and helping fuel a culture where taking creative risks is celebrated, not sidelined.
Plus, you’ll laugh. A lot. Like, wheezing-in-your-seat kind of laughing.
If any of this sounds interesting, inspirational, or just plain fun, then we wholeheartedly invite you to join us this August 28, 2025 at Mama Dog Studios in Oakland, California. Tickets go on sale July 28, which you can purchase at www.theworstfilmfest.com, and the most up-to-date event details can be found by following @theworstfilmfest on Instagram.
Remember: anything you give—money, time, applause—goes directly toward supporting passionate filmmakers and their potential future mishaps. Because sometimes, the worst ideas are just the messy first draft of something great, and that’s definitely worth celebrating.
Can’t make it on the big day? No worries! There are plenty of other ways to help, including making a donation or becoming a sponsor to help cover festival costs. Event support is always appreciated too, so if you have connections to any items that could enhance the event experience—from chairs to popcorn machines—we welcome the contribution and are happy to cross-promote all supporting businesses.