October 8th – 11th – BFE. 5.0
Save the date! Check back for details!
BFE.5: Bastard Film Encounter 2025
Dates: October 8–11, 2025
Location: Famously Hot Columbia, SC
Get ready, film rebels! BFE.5: Bastards Out of Carolina is storming back, and we’re turning up the heat in Columbia, SC. This is your chance to celebrate the misfits, the renegades, the downright unruly films that give the middle finger to traditional film history.
What’s a bastard film?
Think of it as the black sheep of the film family. These films are cinema’s awkward misfits: poorly made, often ignored, and sometimes downright bizarre. At Bastards, we’ll give them the spotlight they never asked for, asking big questions about their worth, their weirdness, and why we can’t stop talking about them. 🎥✨
We want YOUR Bastard films! Sorry, submissions closed! Check back to see a schedule of the wackiness that made the cut!
- Got a film that’s weird, wild, or wonderfully unhinged? We want to see it!
- Proposals should be short and sweet (1 paragraph max) for a snappy 5-minute intro. (egg timers at the ready, we are strict on that)
- Formats: 16mm, Super8, or Regular8 (projectors provided, or BYOP if you’re feeling fancy).
Deadline for submissions has passed
Check back here for the BFE.5 schedule
This isn’t your stuffy academic symposium—it’s a raucous celebration of film’s wild side. No papers, no pretension, just killer films, fiery discussions, and a whole lot of fun. Plus, there’s BBQ.
Registration: Starting July 1st, 2025 – Of course space will be limited so put a reminder in your calendar!
Organized by your favorite film renegades:
Lydia Pappas, Laura Major, Kimberly O’Quinn and the OG Bastards: Skip Elsheimer, Marsha Gordon, and Stephanie Sapienza.
More info: Reach out with questions and comments!
Don’t miss out on the most gloriously unorthodox film event of the year. Bring your bastard films, your bold ideas, and your appetite for chaos. Let’s make BFE.5 legendary! 🎥🔥