THAT’S A WRAP!
Thanks for spending your summer days and movies nights with us in Bentonville!
BENTONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL 2025
☀️ Summer Fun Arrived at the Bentonville Film Festival
Festivalgoers kicked off their summer with an unforgettable week of films, events, and fun for the whole family at the 11th Annual Bentonville Film Festival, held June 16–22 in beautiful Bentonville, Arkansas.
This year, BFF was more than just a film festival—it became a celebration of creativity, community, and summertime joy. Whether guests were movie lovers, parents looking for kid-friendly activities, or simply hoping to enjoy warm evenings with a great lineup of entertainment, there was something for everyone.
OUTDOOR CINEMA RETURNED
As the warm evenings stretched longer, our beloved outdoor cinema series made its grand return! Audiences gathered at the Geena Davis Outdoor Theater to immerse themselves in cinema magic at the Momentary in downtown Bentonville. This year’s outdoor screenings featured a mix of award-winning films, nostalgic classics, and family favorites.
Family Movie Nights Included:
Thursday, June 19 – 5:30PM The Wild Robot / 7:30PM Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Friday, June 20 – 5:30PM Dog Man / 7:30PM A Minecraft Movie
Saturday, June 21 – 4:30PM Superman: The Movie / 6:40PM Wicked
SUMMER FUN AT THE WALMART TOY CORNER
The little filmmakers in the family were delighted by our expanded Walmart Toy Corner, where creativity knew no bounds! The Walmart Toy Corner pop-up offered daytime fun packed with games, crafts, character visits, and activities for kids of all ages.
Featured Moment:
Read with Elmo & Geena – On Saturday, June 21 at 11:30AM, Sesame Street’s Elmo and BFF Chair Geena Davis hosted a joyful storytime as they read The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page—a celebration of imagination and confidence.
YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN FILM
This year’s theme invited guests on a journey of personal discovery through cinema. Our carefully curated film selection represented voices from around the world. BFF 2025 featured 28 competition films, including 9 world premieres, plus a new Homegrown section spotlighting Arkansas filmmakers.
From big-screen thrills to summer night chills—BFF 2025 brought the magic to Bentonville!
2025 WINNERS
JURY AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – THE LIBRARIANS
JURY AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM – LOVIN’ HER
JURY AWARD – BEST EPISODIC – BORN TO LOSE
JURY AWARD – BEST HOMEGROWN FILM – SOVEREIGN
JURY AWARD – BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE – ROSEMEAD
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE AWARD – LUCY LIU
Thank you for being part of it!
ABOUT BENTONVILLE
Dubbed “a new capital of cool” by the Wall Street Journal in 2023, Bentonville, Arkansas, is everything you want and nothing you’d expect. Mouthwatering local cuisine, mountain biking dreams, and a vibrant cultural scene give you big-city vibes amid the gorgeous backdrop of the Ozarks. Explore street art, savor globally-inspired flavors by joining our foodie revolution, or spend your days pumping adrenaline on hiking and biking trails. It’s the coolest place you’ve never been, so go ahead and beat the rush. You have to see it.
Book your stay during BFF now! Click HERE for places to stay.
A showcase for films that focus on diversity. But what’s really on display is opportunity, and that’s something Geena Davis knows all about”
TRACY SMITH (CBS SUNDAY MORNING, 2022)
Each year the Bentonville Film Festival amplifies female non-binary LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and people with disabilities’ voices in entertainment”
HALEY BOSSELMAN (VARIETY, 2022)