Emanating from a 1710 land grant, the New Hope area has a storied history. It began as a trading post and ferry terminal, and by the 1940s New Hope’s reputation in the arts, spurred by the multitudes of playwrights, directors and actors who traversed its bustling streets, became legendary.

The Festival’s core mission is to discover and nurture independent filmmakers, many of whom are seeking world and U.S. debuts and remain overlooked and/or underappreciated by other forums. This broad and inclusive group includes filmmakers from outside the United States. The New Hope Film Festival operates by a strict code of fairness: Festival organizers do not invite films into the Festival, offer fee waivers, allow personal pitches from filmmakers, distributors and/or their agents, or sanction any other practices they consider preferential treatment. All films are treated equally in the process, which begins by submitting through Film Freeway. Furthermore, content produced by Festival organizers is never accepted at the Festival, even at special events. This highly prestigious member of the indie scene is especially renowned for the quality of its lineup.