Film lovers and members of the local community will have two opportunities to gather for an evening of movies, conversation and celebration when the 18th Annual Ashfield FilmFest returns to Ashfield Town Hall on Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19. The annual festival brings together filmmakers, film enthusiasts and the wider Western Massachusetts community for a weekend celebrating creativity and the power of film.
Friday Night: Girl Climber
The festival opens Friday evening with a screening of the new documentary Girl Climber, which follows professional climber Emily Harrington as she takes on one of the most challenging goals of her career.
Harrington has already summited Mount Everest and other 8,000-meter peaks and established herself as a leading competitor in the climbing world. In Girl Climber, she takes on an ambitious new challenge: completing a career-defining, 24-hour ascent of Yosemite's El Capitan.
The film explores more than the physical demands of elite climbing. Harrington's pursuit takes place within a traditionally male-dominated sport, making her attempt a story about determination, ambition and what it takes to establish a legacy at the highest levels of adventure sports.
Following the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a panel of female adventure athletes, who will discuss their experiences pursuing excellence in male-dominated areas of adventure sports.
Saturday Night: Local Short Films and Awards
Saturday evening puts the spotlight on filmmakers from Western Massachusetts. The short film competition features a juried selection of community-created films screened on the big screen at Ashfield's historic Town Hall, followed by a gala awards ceremony.
The festival has a strong connection to the local filmmaking community. Submitted films must have a direct connection to Western Massachusetts, whether they were made in the region or feature principal talent from the area. Films are also limited to five minutes or less, making for an entertaining and varied evening of storytelling.
The 2026 festival will introduce the Hillywood Award, a $500 prize for a short film directed, written or filmed by a woman or girl. The award is inspired by Friday night's Girl Climber and celebrates women and girls working creatively behind and in front of the camera. Other awards recognize categories including narrative filmmaking, documentaries, animation, music videos, technical achievement and youth filmmaking.
The audience also gets a say, with the Grand Prize Audience Choice Award going to the short film receiving the most votes from Saturday night's attendees.
A Weekend Celebrating Film and Community
The Ashfield FilmFest has built its reputation around bringing together two things that are central to the event: film and community. The festival offers an opportunity to see creative work from both established filmmakers and local talent while giving audiences a chance to connect with the people behind the films.
For Western Massachusetts residents, the festival is also a chance to celebrate the creativity found throughout the region. Whether attending Friday's feature screening, Saturday's short film competition, or both, the Ashfield FilmFest offers an entertaining way to spend a September weekend in Ashfield.
Ashfield FilmFest 2026
Friday, September 18: Girl Climber feature film screening and female adventure athlete panel
Saturday, September 19: Local short film competition and gala awards ceremony
Location: Ashfield Town Hall, Ashfield, Massachusetts
Tickets: Available through the Ashfield FilmFest website
Photo credit: Ashfield FilmFest
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