Opening Night5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Official Welcome Party
Kick off the festival with the Official Welcome Party — an evening of film, community, and celebration open to all badge holders and general attendees. Tickets $10 at the door.
$10 at the door
2026 Festival
Schedule & Tickets
November 12–15, 2026 · Penn Cinema IMAX, Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse & West Art Lancaster
Friday Nov 13 and Saturday Nov 14 Penn Cinema screenings are confirmed. Ticket links open Penn Cinema's title page — select your preferred showtime there.
Thursday Nov 12, Sunday Nov 15, and Zoetropolis programming are pending confirmation. Q&A sessions will be listed separately once confirmed.
Official Cocktail of the 2026 Red Rose Film Festival
The Frustrated Artist
Crafted right here in Lancaster, PA — The Frustrated Artist is the official cocktail of the 2026 Red Rose Film Festival. Enjoy responsibly.
lancasterdistilleries.com ↗🪪 All festival venues serve alcohol. Valid government-issued ID required. Must be 21 or older to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages.
Official Selections
Explore the 2026 Lineup
72 films from around the world — screening November 12–15 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
72 Films12 CountriesLancaster & Lititz, PA
Explore all 72 official selections.
2026 Program
Film Blocks
Tap any film to read its synopsis. All Penn Cinema screenings are at Penn Cinema IMAX, 541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA. Ticket links open Penn Cinema's title page — select your preferred showtime there.
Local film — made in or connected to the Lancaster region
Audience GuideG— General audiencesF— Family-friendlyM— Mature themes or content
Feature
499 Days
1 film83 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 11:30 AMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 2:00 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
A documentary feature following one man's extraordinary journey through the American justice system.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Feature
A Long Hard Streak
1 film79 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 5:30 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 10:25 AM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
A documentary feature portrait of Billy Dean Anderson — musician, survivor, and storyteller.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Feature
The World Outside
1 film106 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 1:40 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 12:00 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
A narrative feature exploring the lives of two people whose worlds collide across the divide of a window.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Feature
Imbalance
1 film106 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 12:15 PMPenn Cinema
A narrative feature examining the fault lines of power, identity, and justice within a prestigious institution.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Feature
A Murder in Mercer
1 film70 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 10:10 AMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 12:50 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
A documentary feature that revisits an unsolved murder in a small Pennsylvania town and the community still searching for answers.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Feature
A Woman's Work
1 film92 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 1:50 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 11:00 AM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
A narrative feature celebrating the resilience, labor, and quiet power of women navigating a world that rarely acknowledges their contributions.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 7
Paired ProgramBy George
2 films72 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 5:45 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 10:35 AM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Two documentaries focusing on very different American issues: the conservation of sacred Western lands and a feature-length exploration of the country's founding revolution.
A short film and feature documentary presented together as a paired program.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 8
Student Showcase 1
7 films55 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 4:25 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 10:00 AM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
2026's exhibition of short films from college and high school students both from Lancaster County and across the country! A variety of genres, styles, signatures, and passions.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 9
Student Showcase 2
7 films62 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 6:20 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 2:20 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
2026's exhibition of short films from college and high school students both from Lancaster County and across the country! A variety of genres, styles, signatures, and passions.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 10
Worlds Within & Without
6 films69 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 12:15 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 1:40 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Take a journey inside the mind and find brand-new worlds you never knew existed: from life-after-death experiences to the meaning of life itself, this block will expand your idea of what's possible.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 11
Life Lessons...Maybe
6 films70 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 3:00 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 12:30 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Life can be pretty overwhelming at every turn. What do we do when we hit roadblocks? The women in these films buckle down, persevere, and overcome…most of the time.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 12
Spotlight: Lancaster County
4 films50 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 6:15 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 11:50 AM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Four short documentaries explore the people, places, history, and ideas shaping Lancaster County. Democracy, preservation, creativity, and community are all on display in this distinctly local collection.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 13
Spotlight: Pennsylvania
3 films65 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 4:15 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 12:20 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
The filmmakers in this block have each captured a story central to the essence of the Keystone State.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 14
Drama in Brief
6 films78 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 11:40 AMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 10:00 AM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Impossible choices and heart-wrenching decisions abound in this film block where all six entrants have submitted films less than sixteen minutes in length.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 15
Dread: Horror & Dystopia
6 films72 min total
Sat, Nov 14 · 12:00 PMPenn Cinema
That creeping feeling of terror that you just can't shake? It thrives in this block filled with nightmare visions, annihilation, and the things that lurk in the shadows…
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 16
Satire & Comedy
7 films76 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 7:50 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 10:15 AM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Come on, laugh a little! The filmmakers in this block have sharpened their sticks to skewer modern living and showcase how the masks of comedy and tragedy are so often joined.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 17
Genre in Focus: Local Filmmakers
3 films76 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 10:00 AMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 12:40 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Three local filmmakers offer visions of genre, conflict, and character-driven storytelling. A special Q&A roundtable to follow.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Block 18
Underdogs: Presented by Girls on the Run Lancaster-Lebanon
4 films61 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 2:10 PMPenn Cinema
2nd screening · Sat, Nov 14 · 2:40 PM · Penn Cinema, LititzPenn Cinema
Girls on the Run Lancaster-Lebanon is a proud partner of this block.
Champions live here! Four filmmakers step up to the winners' podium with true stories of determination and excellence from the wide (and wild) world of sports.
Audience note: One film in this block contains occasional strong language.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Audience note: This block is intended for a general audience, but one film contains occasional strong language. Parents and guardians may wish to use discretion for younger viewers.
Block 19
Global Voices
5 films74 min total
Fri, Nov 13 · 11:50 AMPenn Cinema
A true sampler of international flavor is here, with short documentaries and narratives from China, the Philippines, Madeira, Brazil and the French Riviera.
Penn Cinema541 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA
Zoetropolis Exclusive
Cheila's Choice
SundayZoetropolis
Tickets TBA
A special Sunday selection curated by Cheila, screening exclusively at Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse. Films and screening time will be announced.
Zoetropolis112 N Water St, Lancaster, PA
Films to be announced.
Pre-Festival Events
Leading up to the festival, we're bringing independent film to the community. Each event is open to the public — check back as more dates are added.
Monday, October 12, 2026
The Underground District — Opening Night
A community event we're proud to support
Penn Cinema, Lancaster
We're excited to shine a light on The Underground District, a budding independent film organization founded by our friend and board member Ivette Ramos. This is not a Red Rose Film Festival event — but it's exactly the kind of community-driven cinema we love to champion.
The Underground District celebrates its official Opening Night with a special screening of Creature of the Pines at Penn Cinema, followed by a live filmmaker Q&A. The documentary investigates the disappearances at Pine Hollow, revealing a presence lurking deep within the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Directed by Chris Ruppert and Tyler Transue.
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Discover Lancaster Marketing Summit 2026
Gold Sponsor — Red Rose Film Festival
Eden Resort & Suites, Lancaster
A full day of learning, connection, and fresh ideas for tourism, hospitality, business, and marketing professionals across Lancaster County. 8:30am–4pm with networking to follow. Red Rose Film Festival is proud to be a Gold Sponsor.
November 6–8, 2026
Red Rose Presents FLOW at ReadingFilmFEST
Sponsored by Red Rose Film Festival
ReadingFilmFEST, Reading, PA
Great stories bring communities together, and we're proud to support our neighbors in Reading!
The Red Rose Film Festival is sponsoring a special screening of Flow, the Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature, at ReadingFilmFEST, November 6–8, 2026. Red Rose Executive Director Ryan Shank will introduce the film.
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis, Flow follows a cat whose home is swept away by a devastating flood. Finding refuge on a boat alongside an unlikely group of animals, the cat must learn to trust its new companions as they navigate a transformed world. Beautifully animated and full of heart, this adventure celebrates friendship, resilience, and the power of finding common ground.
Join us in supporting film across our region the weekend before the Red Rose Film Festival returns to Lancaster County, November 12–15.
Past Events
Friday, September 18, 2026
FACTS FEST 2026 — Girl, Interrupted
Penn Cinema, Lititz